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Few aircraft capture the imagination like the iconic North American P-51 Mustang. Its elegant lines, aggressive stance, and unique sound are so universally recognized that its presence stops even the least-aviation-oriented people in their tracks to appreciate its beauty. Seeing one in person is a special treat; flying one is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; owning one is reserved for an elite few who serve as temporary caretakers in the long history of these amazing aircraft.
Among one of the most famous fighters of World War II, the P-51 Mustang has its roots in both the USA and Britain. Originally overlooked by the USAAF, the P-51 did not see action with American forces until March of 1943. Once its full potential had been developed, the USA realized that this aircraft had been ignored for far too long. With the forging of the American airframe with the British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, it would be unmatched by any other piston aircraft of World War II.
The pairing of the legendary Merlin engine and the P-51 Mustang eventually resulted in the P-51D, which provided the US Army Air Forces with a high-performance, high-altitude, long-range fighter that could escort heavy bomber formations all the way to Berlin and back.
Before the P-51, fighter escorts were unable to escort bombers all the way to the target due to the limited range of the Republic P-47, Lockheed P-38, and Spitfire fighters. The changes significantly reduced the unacceptable loss rates bomber crews had suffered since the daylight bombing campaign began in 1942.
Their first long-range escort mission was on 13 December 1943 against U-boat pens in the port of Kiel for VIII Fighter Command, a combat radius of 490 miles, a record escort mission to that date. In March 1944, P-51s accompanied bombers all the way to Berlin, 560 miles from its base, and back. By mid-1944 P-51s could reach as far as Polish and Silesian targets. By the end of the war in Europe, the P-51 had a longer combat radius than the Boeing B-17.
More than 15,000 Mustangs of all types were built. American Mustangs destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft making them the highest-scoring US fighter in the Europe Theater of Operations. They were used as dive bombers, bomber escorts, ground attackers, interceptors, trainers, transports (with a jump-seat), and for photo reconnaissance missions.
To say the North American P-51 Mustang was a success would be an understatement. It is considered to be the best piston aircraft of World War II and became one of the world's aviation elites.
One of the highest honors accorded to the Mustang was its rating in 1944 by the Truman Senate War Investigating Committee as “the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence.”
Joseph "Joe" Joiner
Born in Plainview, TX, Joseph "Joe" Joiner grew up dreaming of being a fighter pilot as he watched planes fly overhead from NAS Corpus Christi. When the war started, he applied to both the Navy and the Army pilot training programs. The Army accepted him first and he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He completed the Aviation Cadet Training Program and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1943.
After completing P-51 Mustang flight training in Florida, he was assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, 336th Squadron in Debden, England.
As a young, inexperienced pilot, he prematurely became a Flight Commander after his predecessors were shot down one by one. At the time, Joiner had graduated from flight training only 9 months prior and had 170 hours.
Joiner flew 84 combat missions, 20 of them leading the 336th Squadron and 2 leading the entire 4th Fighter Group.
During WWII, Joiner flew 374 combat hours over Europe, shooting down two MF-109s and two FW-190s in aerial combat and destroying four FW-190s on the ground.
Over a 30-year US Air Force career, he amassed a staggering 10,000 hours in fighter planes. By the end of his career Joiner was ranked Colonel. He is one of the few pilots who flew fighter planes his entire 30-year career. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, ten air medals, and a Unit Citation.
The Rebel
The Rebel is a stunning replica of a P-51D flown by World War II 4th Fighter Group veteran Captain Joseph "Joe" Joiner.
The 336th Fighter Squadron was constituted by the War Department on August 22, 1942. The squadron flew Spitfires until 1943 when American P-47 Thunderbolts became available in sufficient numbers to equip the group. A year later the group was re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs, which became the standard until the end of the war.
The 336th Squadron was credited with the destruction of 358 enemy aircraft. The group was deactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on November 10, 1945, after the war's end.
Geraldine
Geraldine is a replica of a P-51D flown by World War II veteran Maj. Chuck Cummins.
