In 1940 the British Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation (NAA) to build under license Curtis P-40 fighters. NAA suggested that rather than produce an old design they proposed a new design, this would become the P-51 Mustang.
When fitted with the Roll-Royce Merlin engine, the Mustang would be one of the most important fighters of the war. With its ability to carry tremendous amounts of fuel, the plane was able to fly deep into Europe providing fighter escort for the bomber groups. Over the skies of Germany, it proved more than a match for what the Luftwaffe could throw at them.
Joining me is Chris Bucholtz.
Chris is an aviation historian with a prolific body of work. He previously joined me in episode 110 to discuss the P-47 Thunderbolt. His new book published by Osprey is P-51B/C Mustang: Northwest Europe 1943-44.
Patreon:
patreon.com/ww2podcast
207 - Tank Warfare in North Africa, 1942-43
206 - The Extraordinary Life of Journalist Wallace Carroll
205 - Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40
204 - Armour in the Pacific
203 - The Battle of Britain, July 1940
202 - Leningrad, 1941-42
201 - Japanese Americans in WWII
200 - The Life of Mrs George S Patton
199 - Patton, August - December 1944
198 - Kesselring
197 - Kohima
196 - Winthrop Bell: Cracking the Code
195 - Their Finest Hour Project
194 - The Battle of Leyte Gulf
193 - London Underground
192 - 'The Angels', The 11th Airborne Division
191 - US Glider Pilots of World War II
190 - Mussolini's Last 10 Days
189 - The Stalingrad Airlift
188 - Company of Heroes
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