North American P-51D Mustang (Red Tails)

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 1st Lt. Spurgeon Ellington,
332nd Fighter Group 100th Fighter Squadron ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ USAAF
Ramitelli, Italy, December 1944

Established at Tuskegee Army Airfield, Alabama to train African American cadets, the squadron performed advanced combat flying training in Feb. 1942. Two extra squadrons, the 301st and 302d, were activated forming the 332d Fighter Group.

Due to ethnic segregation in 1942 USA, and the reluctance by the service to deploy African Americans into combat, the 332d remained in an extended training status till the pressure on the Army led to the decision to deploy the 100th to the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy at the end of 1943. Under the command of Robert B. Tresville, the 100th supported the strategic aerial bombardment campaign being carried out by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy bombers from newly established air bases in the Foggia, Italy area.