World War II Database

1.  David Stubblebine says:
15 Nov 2008 08:32:21 PM

361th FG, 375th FS, flying out of RAF Bottisham, Cambridgeshire. Lead plane in this formation (P-51D-5-NA #413410 “Lou IV”) was shot down by ground fire during ground attack Aug 12, 1944, pilot Lt.Col. Thomas J Christian was killed. Second plane (P-51D-5-NA #413926) crashed Aug 9, 1944, pilot was killed.

2.  BILL says:
20 May 2009 05:49:13 PM

P-51's had an astonishing success rate. Its ratio for kills to losses was 19 kills for every 1 Mustang lost. Mustangs are credited with the destruction of 4,950 German planes more than any other Allied fighter some of the German aircraft shot down, were the Me 262 jet fighters.

3.  BILL says:
20 May 2009 05:59:07 PM

Older model P-51 B/C aircraft not only flew combat, but were converted as two-seat trainers or squadron hacks (desk officers still able to receive flight pay and add flying hours to their log books, flew the aircraft). The last P-51B was retired in 1949. Today there are only 4 P-51B's left in the world.

4.  BILL says:
20 May 2009 06:20:32 PM

After World War II you could by surplus P-51 Mustangs for about $4,000 dollars or less thats 1945 dollars! The US Government originally paid $50,985 dollars for each Mustang. A P-38 Lightning would sell for $1,200 dollars, a Boeing/Stearman Model PT-13 trainer sold for $500 dollars. Today anyone of these aircraft are worth hundreds of thousands or into the Millions! in 2009 dollars.

5. Anonymous says:
3 Apr 2010 07:52:52 AM

dis *** is cool

6. Anonymous says:
17 May 2010 07:59:27 AM

the p-51 is so flippen awesome

7.  Bill says:
25 May 2010 12:45:00 PM

Years ago a pilot friend of mine, had this
taped on his insturment panel.

"If God had meant man to fly, he would have
given him wings."

-Bishop Milton Wright-

8.  Bill says:
27 May 2010 08:16:51 AM

Just who was Bishop Milton Wright?

He was the Father of Wilber and Orville Wright, who built and flew the first successful man powered,heavier-than-air
flying machine.

9.  Bill says:
16 Oct 2011 10:47:50 AM

Second aircraft in formation P-51D Mustang (F2S) Flown by Lt. Abe P. Rosenberger 375th
FS, 351st FG. Other Mustangs are unidentified

10.  Bill says:
30 Nov 2012 05:28:11 PM

IMMORTAL FORMATION:

Added information from comment #9 Oct 2011
Mustangs are from the 375th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group based in England.

Lou IV(E2-C)flown by Lt.Col.Thomas Christian (E2-S)Aircraft name is not identified, but was flown by Lt.Abe Roesnberger,(E2-A)"Sky Bouncer" and (E2-H)"Suzy G" pilots are not identified.
All P-51s in photo, were built in Inglewood, California USA P-51 (E2-S) has a dorsel fin.
Mustangs that didn't have a fin, were later fitted with one in the field, also check out the Normandy Invasion stripes.

NOW ABOUT THOSE DROP TANKS:

Early drop tanks were made from aluminum later on tanks were made from laminated and shellacked cardboard. Mustangs in photo, are carrying 75 gallon teardrop tanks.
Later a 108 gallon tank was developed giving the P-51 a range of 1700 miles!

11.  Bill says:
30 Nov 2012 06:17:45 PM

First three Mustangs are P-51Ds, the last
Mustang (E2-H) is a P-51B. More about those drop tanks.

WATCH WHERE YOU DROP THOSE TANKS:

Pilots would first burn off fuel from the drop tanks, when making contact with the Luftwaffe the tanks would be dropped whether empty or not. Drop tanks are heavy and very unaerodynamic.

HEADS UP! "BABY" CODE NAME FOR DROP TANKS:

Besides Allied bombs dropping all over the Fatherland day & night the Germans had drop tanks, empty shell casings(brass)damaged or shotdown aircraft, both German and Allied falling debris that could and did hit buildings go through roof's of houses, hit vehicles, even kill farm animals and people on the ground injuring or killing them.

Did the tanks explode when hitting the ground, or became a cloud of vapor fumes in open country. Its possible hitting a heated building with electrical power or fire could cause what fuel left in the tanks to explode and burn, but most of the time the cardboard and paper tanks would fall apart from the stress of tumbling and breaking up before hitting the ground...

12. Mike says:
26 Jan 2015 09:34:43 PM

Any P-51 whether a 'D' or 'B' model is the ultimate hot rod toy. Just imagine sitting in the cockpit and igniting the magneto on those twelve cylinders and hearing that machine breath. One can always dream.