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Mustang
Manufacturer : North American
The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. |
Mustang
  Tribute to Clarence 'Bud' Anderson by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to the Flying Cheetahs by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to Don Blakeslee by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to Clyde East by Ivan Berryman. |
Mustang Artwork Collection |
  Gathering Storm by Anthony Saunders (GL) |   Head for Home by Anthony Saunders. (APB) |   D-Day The Airborne Assault by Robert Taylor. |
 Watching Station (Mustangs) by Ivan Berryman |  Daylight Raid 1945 by Richard Ward |  Mustangs and Liberators by Richard Ward |
  Mustang Mk.III by Ivan Berryman. |   Major Urban 'Ben' Drew - First Victory by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Take Him, Blue Two by Brian Bateman. (P) |
  Urban 'Ben' Drew - Good Hunting by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Urban 'Ben' Drew - Aerial Hat-Trick by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Detroit Miss by Brian Bateman. (P) |
  Historic Victory by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Tribute to Joe Peterburs by Ivan Berryman. |   Tribute to Wing Commander Werner Christie by Ivan Berryman. |
  Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Clipped Signature - Wayne L Coleman. |   Clipped Signature - Robin Olds. |
  Clipped Signature - Bud Anderson. |   Clipped Signature - Bob Goebel. |   Clipped Signature - Jim Brooks. |
  Clipped Signature - Clyde East. |   Clipped Signature - Arthur Fiedler. |   Clipped Signature - Herky Green. |
  Clipped Signature - Chuck Older. |   Clipped Signature - Walker 'Bud' Mahurin. |   Clipped Signature - Jim Goodson. |
  Clipped Signature - Clayton Gross. |   Clipped Signature - Maurice Long. |   Clipped Signature - Donald Strait. |
  Clipped Signature - William B Overstreet. |   Clipped Signature - William O'Brien. |   Clipped Signature - Chuck Yeager. |
  Clipped Signature - Clinton Burdick. |   Clipped Signature - Bob Curtis. |   Clipped Signature - George Loving. |
  Clipped Signature - Lawrence Powell. |   Clipped Signature - Ivan Hasek. |   Clipped Signature - Arthur Jeffrey. |
  Clipped Signature - Ben Davis. |   Clipped Signature - Michael Russo. |   Clipped Signature - Howard Baugh. |
  Clipped Signature - Charles Lane. |   Clipped Signature - William Wheeler. |   Mustang by Geoff Lea. |
  Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. |   Dove of Peace by David Pentland. |   Mustang Escort by Graeme Lothian. |
  Little Friends by Simon Smith. |   Dogfight over Asch, Belgium, 09.20 a.m., New Years Day, 1st January 1945 by David Pentland. |  Mustang P51-D by Randall Wilson. (GL) |
  Last One Home by Ivan Berryman. |   Running the Gauntlet by Robert Taylor. |   Clash of Eagles by Anthony Saunders. |
  Opening Sky by Robert Taylor. |   Shell House Raiders by Ivan Berryman. |   Red Tails by Ivan Berryman. |
  Roam at Will by Anthony Saunders. |  Masters of the Sky by Richard Taylor. |   Blue Nose by Richard Taylor. |
  Deadly Pursuit by Richard Taylor. |   Eagles Return by Richard Taylor. |   Red Tail Patrol by Richard Taylor. |
  The Tuskegee Airmen by Richard Taylor. |   Checkertail Clan by Nicolas Trudgian |   Last Man Home by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  Mustangs Over the Mediterranean by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Mustang Mayhem by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Bringing the Peacemaker Home by Robert Taylor. |
  Mustang Recce by Robert Taylor. |   Out of Fuel and Safely Home by Robert Taylor. |   Return to Duxford by Robert Taylor |
  Valor in the Pacific by Robert Taylor. |   Mustangs on the Prowl by Robert Taylor. |   Air Superiority by Robert Taylor. |
  D-Day Armada by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Top Cover by Gerald Coulson. |   Winter of 45 by Philip West. |
  Escort Service by Keith Woodcock. |   Dzubeks Deblinskis by Ronald Wong. |   Deadly Duo by Harley Copic. |
  Final Victory by Simon Atack. |   Mustangs over the Reich by Stephen Brown. |   Dallas Doll by Philip West. |
  American Eagles by Robert Taylor. |   Welcome Respite by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Fighting Red Tails by Robert Taylor. |
  Dual Victory by Richard Taylor. |  Debden Eagles by John D Shaw. |   P-51 Mustang by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  Mustangs Over the Eagles Nest by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Hot Pursuit by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) |   Wild Horses by Gerald Coulson. |
  Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Red Tail Escort by Richard Taylor. |   Heading Home to Raydon by Robert Taylor. |
  Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P) |   Jet Hunters by Robert Taylor. |  Wounded Warrior by Richard Taylor. |
  Urban Sunset by Brian Bateman. (P) |   The Eagles Divide by Robert Taylor. |   Eagles on the Rampage by Robert Taylor. |
  Hikin' for Home by Ivan Berryman. |   P-51D Mustang 41-3926 by G Henderson. |   Looking for Trouble by Robert Taylor. |
  Towards the Home Fires by Robert Taylor. |  Beyond the Storm by Anthony Saunders. |  Checking Out by Anthony Saunders. |
  Tribute to Hubert 'Hub' Zemke by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Clyde East by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Don Blakeslee by Ivan Berryman. |
Tribute to the Flying Cheetahs by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Clarence 'Bud' Anderson by Ivan Berryman. |   Sitting Duck by David Pentland. |
  The Yoxford Boys by Gerald Coulson. |   American Patrol by Michael Turner. |   King of the Strafers by Iain Wyllie. |
  Help for the Straggler by Keith Aspinall. |  F-51 Mustang Units Over Korea by Warren Thompson. |   Eagles of the Eighth by Nicolas Trudgian. |
  Warm Winter's Welcome by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Ace of Diamonds by Nicolas Trudgian. |   Duxford Eagles by Nicolas Trudgian |
  P51D Mustangs, January 1945 by Barry Price. |  Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force. |  Mustang Aces of the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces and the RAF. |
 Mustang and Thunderbolt Aces of the Pacific and CBI. |   Eagles Over the Rhine by Robert Taylor. |   Fourth Fighter Patrol by Robert Taylor. |
  Gathering of Eagles by Robert Taylor. |   Home at Dusk by Robert Taylor. |   Home Run by Robert Taylor. |
  Struggle for Supremacy by Robert Taylor. |   Big Beautiful Doll by Stan Stokes. |   A Big Victory by Stan Stokes. |
  Triple Dates With Destiny by Stan Stokes. |   A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes. |   Top Cover by Stan Stokes. |
  The First Mustang Ace by Stan Stokes. |   A Pistol Whipping by Stan Stokes. |   Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes. (C) |
  Long Nose Trouble by Stan Stokes. |   Vintage Mustangs by Stan Stokes. |  Fallen Comrades by Stan Stokes. |
