Eagle Squadron Mustang GT Honoring WWII Pilots Debuting at Goodwood, Driven by Junior

[grabber yote]

I retired from the Air Force in 2015 and I was in the 334th fighter squadron. it was an original "Eagle squadron" in England back in 1942. Lots of great History and fighter pilot lineage here at Seymour Johnson AFB.

http://www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/306525/334th-fighter-squadron/

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[grabber yote]

The Eagle squadrons Flew Spitfires originally and later switched to P-47's .. the P-51 Mustang had nothing to do with the E.S. history.

 

[Steeda UK]

On our last Steeda Driving Experience Day a Spitfire pilot was kind enough to put on a private aerobatics display for us just above the airfield. It was amazing.

Rubbish portable phone pics:

As it happens there is also a gorgeous P51 Mustang based at North Weald, but I lost our pictures of it....

 

[Steeda UK]

Aha! Found it!

 

[EcoVert]

The Eagle squadrons Flew Spitfires originally and later switched to P-47's .. the P-51 Mustang had nothing to do with the E.S. history.

Good point

 

[EcoVert]

I love Mustangs and Mustangs

 

[BrettT]

As I pointed out a couple of years ago to Andy Barratt and Ford UKs Press team the origin of the name Mustang for the WW2 fighter is British. Which in turn means that as the car is more likely to be named after the plane than horse the British can take credit for it!

The plane was designed for the us and given the name by the RAF. Whilst the early version was a good low altitude aircraft it was only when a British engineer suggested putting a Rolls Royce Merlin in one that it became a real success.

Showing it at FoS is certainly appropriate, with the airfield being an original WW2 base (RAF Westhampnett). At least one Eagle Squadron pilot was also based down the road at Tangmere. Rolls Royce cars is of course just down the road.

If someone asks nicely perhaps they will take it down to the track on the 16th, or at least take some pictures at the airfield with the Spitfires and the Mustang based there. You can book a hangar tour if you want, just go to the Boutlebee website.

Nothing like popping into the track to watch something at the track and then standing next to a Spitfire starting up, all with the Downs in the background.

I did suggest to Andy that Ford UK could do something to push the British origins however apart from a few photos around the 2015 launch time that didn't catch on. Let's hope they get the facts right and play the RAF angle fully.

I am sure the crabs (slang for RAF personnel) won't miss the chance and would bet that the Red Arrows end up posing with it.

Yep, the original Mustang was actually a British plane. But the original aircraft didn't impress. Any way the US bought the design, stuck in a Merlin and the rest is History. Love the scene in "Empire of the Sun" when the Mustangs attack the prison and the Mustang does a low pass in slo mo. The Merlin is probably the best piston airplane engine ever made. The Spitfire amd Mustang (P51D), and the two best piston engine fighters ever.

 

[Steeda UK]

334 squadron link above says this:

"As former members of RAF 71st Squadron, the 334th Fighting Eagles continued to fly Spitfires until the arrival of the P-47 Thunderbolt in 1943. A year later the squadron changed to the P-51 Mustang, which served as the primary aircraft for the remainder of the war. "

 

[Blue Moon]

A couple of my all time favorite youtube videos:

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[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]3b8NOlqCDhc[/MEDIA]"]


The Eagle Squadrons may have never flown Mustangs, but some of the veteran pilots of the Eagle Squadrons eventually transferred to the USAAF and flew escort missions in the P-51. With their experience, they were some of the best Mustang pilots we had.

 

[Arthonon]

My understanding is that the RAF wanted to get more P-40s but Curtis couldn't produce them fast enough, so the British went to North American Aircraft to ask them to start producing P-40s, with production starting within 12 months. North American didn't like the idea of producing someone else's aircraft so they designed the P-51 in the same 12-month time frame, giving it the same engine as the P-40.

Early flights had it outperforming the P-40 in most metrics, even though it used the same engine. It worked well at low altitudes, but when combat moved to higher altitudes, the engine wasn't performing well, largely because it wasn't supercharged. The Merlin was recommended by the British, and that turned it into the high-altitude performer it is largely known for.

 

[bunk22]

The Eagle squadrons Flew Spitfires originally and later switched to P-47's .. the P-51 Mustang had nothing to do with the E.S. history.

The Eagle squadrons flew P-47's and later P-51 Mustangs when they were reformed into the 4th Fighter Group (71, 121 and the 133 squadrons). But no, they did not fly Mustangs as part of the official Eagle Squadron.

 

[ScottsGT]

Now a real tribute would be to pull out the coyote and drop in a Rolls Royce engine. Bonus points if you can make the Merlin fit!

 

[nonnex]

Supermarine Spitfire EN783 Mk Vb, Coded XR-K, 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF.

More Info: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/19864

 

[Genxer]

Mustangs (the plane) always have a bit more significance to me than others. My father trained to wrench on them back when the jet age was in its beginnings. When he was in the golden years, Dad would talk about the performance and some of the operation characteristics. Wished I could hear him talk about it again. I've seen some in flight and on the ground. Impressive and beautiful!

 

[Ericc B]

https://www.facebook.com/FordPerformance/videos/10156420877494242/

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