The Mustang in the ANG after WWII

[Talyn]

The P-51 Mustang was one of the best, if not the best, single-engine fighter of WWII. It’s performance during WWII was legendary and is well-known even today in the general public.

Perhaps the least studied era of the Mustang was it’s use in Air National Guard (ANG) squadrons after WWII. These Mustang units filled an important niche in the American military system until sufficient jets were available.

The Mustang in the ANG after WWII

The P-51 Mustang was one of the best, if not the best, single-engine fighter of WWII. It’s performance during WWII was legendary and is well-known even today in the general public. Less well …

wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

My favorite single engine prop plane.

 

[mikep]

I didn’t know that about the P-51 and the ang.
Like @TEXASforLIFE, the P-51 was my favorite single engine prop plane.

 

[Mr.W.]

Man, I dig everything about that plane. . .

 

[Domar1291]

Check out the p 47 it's as good or maybe alittle better

Don't get me wrong I think the p 51 is awesome

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

Check out the p 47 it's as good or maybe alittle better

Don't get me wrong I think the p 51 is awesome

Is the 47 a Curtis warhawk

 

[Domar1291]

Nope p 47 was known as the "jug"

P 40 Warhawk Was flying tigers

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

Nope p 47 was known as the "jug"

P 40 Warhawk Was flying tigers

I was close? I knew it was a 40 something?

 

[Snake45]

Loved it, loved it!

My favorite part:

By 1957, the last American piston-engined fighter squadron was in the West Virginia ANG. On 27 January 1957, a F-51, serial number 0-472948, of the West Virginia ANG was the final individual Mustang on duty anywhere with any American unit. It flew from the West Virginia ANG base at Martinsburg to Wright Patterson AFB, OH where it, and the P-51 overall, were ceremonially retired; 11 ½ years after the end of WWII.

Not just this one (now on display at NMUSAF), but a number of other WVANG Mustangs survived and live on today on the Warbird circuit. My favorite of these is Toulouse Nuts, an original Temco-built TF-51D that served with WVANG. It has been 100% restored right down to its original colors and livery, and is now operated by the Collings Foundation. It was here on tour in 2015 or 2016 and I got to see it fly low over my workplace on lunch break one day. Quite a thrill as it was on the cover of a national magazine I had on my desk at that very moment. I tried to talk myself into buying a ride (IIRC, it was something like $2600 for a half hour, which sounds like a bargain today), and today I am kicking myself for not pulling the trigger on that, as I doubt it will ever be around again.

I DID manage to get some cool photos of it, though.

 

[Snake45]

Complete history of Toulouse Nuts can be found here:

P-51 Mustang Survivors - MustangsMustangs.com

P-51D Mustang Survivor: 44-84655, N551CF, Toulouse Nuts, Owner: Collings Foundation, Based: New Smirna Beach FL - Status: Flying, Registry Past: N74045, N6362T. World War II, North American P-51D-25NT Mustang survivor in civilian ownership

www.mustangsmustangs.com

 

[HayesGreener]

A good friend, a retired F16 and commercial pilot, is heavily involved with Commemorative Air Force. He flies one of these for the owner taking WWII veterans on honor flights. He flew it in to display at OshKosh this year. It drew a lot of interest.

 

[mikep]

A good friend, a retired F16 and commercial pilot, is heavily involved with Commemorative Air Force. He flies one of these for the owner taking WWII veterans on honor flights. He flew it in to display at OshKosh this year. It drew a lot of interest.

I’m sure the pretty young lady garnered some attention as well.

 

[HayesGreener]

I’m sure the pretty young lady garnered some attention as well.

My friend often gets a pretty lady in his pictures

 

[mikep]

My friend often gets a pretty lady in his pictures

Your friend is a good man.

 

[HayesGreener]

Your friend is a good man.

It's that fighter pilot thing

 

[Scevaph]

I like the Mustang but preferred the F4-U and the Douglas AD series SkyRaider