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North American P-51D Mustang (Blue Nose)
Model Build
Airfix A01004A North American P-51D Mustang 1/72
A long-range, single-seat fighter & fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Mustang was designed in April 1940 by North American Aviation & team leader James Kindelberger.
Designed to a RAF specification under the lend - lease program, the Mustang came into its own when its engine was replaced with the Rolls Royce Merlin engine subsequently built under licence by Packard with their Merlin version V-1650-7.
Powered by the Packard (Rolls Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin it had a max speed of 440 mph with a cruising speed of 362 mph. External drop tanks gave it a range of 1,650 miles & with a service ceiling of 41,900 ft, allowed it to escort bombers, base to target and back.
Flown by Lt. Eugene W. James,
352nd Fighter Group, 328th Fighter Squadron USAAF
RAF Bodney, Norfolk, England 1944
The first missions of the 352d FG were flown on 9/9/1943 when the Thunderbolts flew an escort mission over the North Sea protecting returning B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.
On 8/4/44, the 352d exchanged their P-47s for sleek NMAA P-51 Mustangs adopting the blue nose marking flying nearly 60,000 combat hours in 19 months.
The Luftwaffe referred to the 352d as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney"
