North American Mustang P-51
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North American Mustang Mk. IV, RCAF (Serial No. 9253), coded BA-S,
No. 424 Squadron, Hamilton, Ontario
Chris Charland noted that the Mustang in the forefront is former USAF P-51D (Serial No. 44-74502A).
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October
The Mustang was designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance in its earlier variants. The aircraft was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). Replacing the Allison with a Rolls-Royce Merlin resulted in the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model, and transformed the aircraft's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) (without sacrificing range), allowing it to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.
Canada had five squadrons equipped with Mustangs during the Second World War. RCAF Nos. 400, 414 and 430 Squadrons flew Mustang Mk. Is (1942"“1944) and Nos. 441 and 442 Squadrons flew Mustang Mk. IIIs and Mk. IVAs in 1945. Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF Owned (130) RCAF 400 Squadrons (57) Canadian Crewed (93) Canadian Museum (2)Mustang TF Mk. IV 9555
Ex USAF P-51D-20-NA serial number 44-63606. Delivered in April or May 1947, initially operated with USAAF serial. With the Winter Experimental Establishment 1951 or earlier, coded "FC*M". Used at Toronto (possibly No. 400 or No. 411 Squadron), Rivers (probably No. 417 Squadron) and Trenton. With No. 1 Flying Instructors School at Trenton when it crashed near Picton, Ontario on 10 June 1952. Flying Officer B.A. Newman was conducting a height climb, aircraft entered spiral dive and broke up during low altitude pull out. Oxygen system failure suspected. Flying Officer B.A. Newman killed.1947-06-07 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1947-06-07 Accept from other Air Force Received second hand from US. 2019-08-20
1952-07-09 Struck off Strength Written off, after Category A crash 2019-08-20
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