P-51 Mustang Warbirds of World War II - Part Four

Designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) for the British in 1940. The British Mustang Mk I began serving with British units in early 1942. The P-51 eventually came in the U.S. Army Air Force inventory and developed in a Rolls-Royce Merlin-engined long-range fighter. The 354th Fighter Group a Ninth Air Force unit was first to introduce the Merlin-engined P-51B Mustang into the ETO arena by escorting Eighth Air Force Heavy Bombers deep into Germany.
The Pioneer Mustang Fighter Group as they became know arrived in England, November 1943 and flew their first combat mission on 1 December 1943. The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany, helping ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944. It also saw service against the Japanese in the Pacific War

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• P-51
• Mustang