|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
| Click Here For Full Artist Print Indexes | Aviation History Archive |
|
Aviation Art Prints  Countries Norway  Mustang |
[UP] - Spitfire - Mustang |
|
| Text for the above items : |
Tribute to Wing Commander Werner Christie by Ivan Berryman. Norwegian ace Wing Commander Werner Christie is shown in his personalised P.51K, KH790, the aircraft that he flew whilst in command of the Hunsdon Wing in the spring of 1945. Christie's final victory toll was 11 confirmed kills before being shot down and captured in April. |
Mustang The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. |
| Top Aces for : Mustang | |
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. | |
| Name | Victories |
| Bob Doe | 15.00 |
| James Lindsay | 7.00 |
| Werner Christie | 11.00 |
| Eugeniusz Horbaczewski | 16.50 |
| Walker Mahurin | 20.75 |
| Charles Older | 18.50 |
| Leonard Carson | 18.50 |
| Herschel Green | 18.00 |
| Robert Foy | 17.00 |
| Clarence Anderson | 16.25 |
| Richard Peterson | 15.50 |
| James Goodson | 15.00 |
| Donald Bochkay | 14.83 |
| John Landers | 14.50 |
| Arthur Jeffrey | 14.00 |
| Robert Curtis | 14.00 |
| Donald Strait | 13.50 |
| Donald Bryan | 13.33 |
| James Brooks | 13.00 |
| Robin Olds | 13.00 |
| Clyde East | 12.00 |
| Charles Yeager | 11.50 |
| Robert Goebel | 11.00 |
| George Ceuleers | 10.50 |
| Raymond Littge | 10.50 |
| Robert Anderson | 10.00 |
| Spiros Pisanos | 10.00 |
| Wayne Blickenstaff | 10.00 |
| Ernest Fiebelkorn | 9.50 |
| Robert Smith | 8.67 |
| Thomas Hayes | 8.50 |
| Arthur Fiedler | 8.00 |
| Charles Weaver | 8.00 |
| Dale Karger | 7.50 |
| Donald Cummings | 6.50 |
| Arval Roberson | 6.00 |
| Clayton Gross | 6.00 |
| Fred Ohr | 6.00 |
| Robert Karr | 6.00 |
| Robert Schimanski | 6.00 |
| Urban Drew | 6.00 |
| Wilbur Scheible | 6.00 |
| William Dillard | 6.00 |
| Clinton Burdick | 5.50 |
| Dudley Amoss | 5.50 |
| Gordon Compton | 5.50 |
| Maurice Long | 5.50 |
| Robert Winks | 5.50 |
| William OBrien | 5.50 |
| Duerr Schuh | 5.00 |
| Gerald Brown | 5.00 |
| Harrison Tordoff | 5.00 |
| James Empey | 5.00 |
| Niven Cranfill | 5.00 |
| Robert Barkey | 5.00 |
| Robert Abernathy | 5.00 |
| Royce Priest | 5.00 |
| William Daniel | 5.00 |
| William Allen | 5.00 |
| Agorastos Plagis | 16.00 |
| Tom Neil | 14.00 |
| Paul Farnes | 8.00 |
|
Contact Details |
|
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
|
|
