A Pair of Ponies

Today we continue our series on the P-51 Mustang with a pair of photos showing a pair of ponies from 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force. The following is the Imperial War Museum's caption for the first photo:

"Mustang Mark Is, AG550 ‘XV-U’ and AM112 ‘XV-X’, of No. 2 Squadron RAF based at Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, in flight over Cambridgeshire. AG550 is being flown by Wing Commander A.J.W. Geddes, the squadron commander."

Imperial War Museum

And here's a second view that shows these same two Mustangs on the ground...

Project 914 Archives

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Misty Cat on the... Cat

We interrupt our series on the P-51 to bring you this kickass quickie...

I know, it's beginning to sound like a broken record. Your blogmeister has something of an affinity for the Grumman F-14 Tomcat... so you'll  be seeing that BAMF'n jet here fairly often. 'Purty pikshurs are also favored around here... so today we bring you a super-freakin'-groovy shot of a Cat being positioned for hookup just prior to a cat-shot.

U.S. Navy photo

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The First to Mount Up

Continuing our series on the North American P-51 Mustang...

The first Royal Air Force outfit to be equipped with the Mustang was 26 Squadron, at Gatwick, which had previously operated the Curtiss Tomahawk and Westland Lysander. The outfit received its first Mustangs in either January or February of 1942, depending on whose account(s) you choose to believe. Let's just call it 'early 1942'... how's-about-that? Anyhoo, at this time 26 Squadron was tasked with tactical reconnaissance and 'daytime intruder' missions... low-level affairs for which the Allison-powered Mustang was ideal.

Here's a couple'a views of a 26 Squadron Mustang I, serial AM148. This ship was flown by Squadron Leader Goodale during the Dieppe Raid on August 19th, 1942 and was damaged by flak, running off the runway during landing back at Gatwick. She was repaired and went on to serve with 430 (RCAF) Squadron, finally being struck off charge in April of 1944.

Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection)

Project 914 Archives

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Second Out Of the Gate

In this second installment of our series on the P-51 we bring you a couple'a views of the first production Mustang I, AG345. She made her maiden flight on April 23rd, 1941 and differed externally only slightly from the prototype, most noticeably in the area of the redesigned windscreen. Though this ship was the first built for the Royal Air Force, she was never delivered to the Brits. North American retained this airframe at Inglewood for testing and development to work the bugs out.

Here we see AG345 in her original configuration, with the short carburetor intake, shortly  after completion.

Project 914 Archives

Eventually AG345 was decked out with an RAF camouflage scheme.

Note the lengthened carburetor intake which became the standard for all Allison-powered Mustangs.

Project 914 Archives

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