Rare c C942 Vintage Real Period Photograph P-51 mustang WW2 Army Air Force

Description: Rare Vintage Real Period Photograph of P-51 mustang WW2 1942 This image was found with other period U.S. Army Signal Corps Photographs which came from the Public Relations Office, Quartermasters Motor Supply Depot, Fort Wayne, Detroit, Michigan. This has descriptive caption on the back: "Another P-51 fighter received final inspection before leaving the Inglewood California factory of North American Aviation for combat duty in all parts of the world. This plant produces the battle tested B-25 (Billy Mitchell) bomber used in General Dolittle's raid on Tokyo, and the P-51(Mustang) fighter plane which was first brought to into prominence by the British Raid on Dieppe." Ther is other identifying writing and handwriting on the back. Photo is identified as from the "Office of War Information". 8" x 10". As Pictured HA 140 071923 18 From the Internet: The North American P-51 Mustang is the gold standard for WWII fighters. While the Mustang was in Europe and the Pacific, its impact on the strategic situation in Europe cannot be understated. One of the most important operations of the war, the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, can be broken down into two phases: pre-P-51 and post-P-51. Pre-P-51, the Allies were losing—and losing badly. Post-P-51, the Allies established complete control of the air, and drove the Germans from the skies of Europe. So, why was the P-51 such a game changer? Where did this world-class aircraft come from? In early 1940, the British asked North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 Warhawks because they desperately needed planes as the Germans were rampaging across Europe. Instead of P-40s, North American offered to design a new fighter which became the P-51 Mustang. The P-51 prototype was ready on September 9, 1940, and it first flew October 26, 1940. It was an astonishing accomplishment for North American: they had delivered a brand new, prototype aircraft in a mere 102 days and flew it weeks later. The British accepted the plane into service, and gave it its famous “Mustang” nickname. However, the P-51 did have issues. While the American-built Allison engine was fine at lower altitudes, it suffered a drastic drop-off in performance at higher ones. In the fall of 1942, the Americans and British experimented with Mustangs by adding British Rolls-Royce Merlin engines to the air-frame. The results were unbelievable. The Mustang’s top speed leapt to well over 400 miles per hour, and it no longer suffered from performance drop-off at higher altitudes. Production of the Mustang was thrown into high gear and the first American P-51 units arrived in Europe towards the end of 1943. Before the Mustang finally began arriving in Europe in increasing numbers, the British and American strategic bombing campaign was faltering. The British were bombing only at night, and the Americans were suffering frightful losses in their daytime raids. Although the Allies had planes like the Lockheed P-38 Lightning which could escort bombers, it was inefficient and not economical. A long-range escort fighter was needed not only to bring the bombers in and out of Germany, but also to wrestle control of the sky from the German fighters who preyed on the bombers. The Mustang, with its high speed, long-range, low-cost, and six .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns, made it the ideal fighter for the job. The campaign for air supremacy kicked into high gear in March 1944 when the Americans made their first major daytime bombing raids on Berlin. On March 6, 1944, over 800 US bombers, escorted by over 900 fighters, attacked Berlin. Known as “Black Monday,” bomber losses were heavy, but this mission, and others like it, helped the Allies' goal of pulling the German fighters into the sky where the P-51 could destroy them and establish air supremacy. Underscoring the importance of the Mustang, by the end of 1944, 14 of the 15 fighter squadrons of the US Eighth Air Force were composed of Mustangs. The P-51 dominated air combat in Europe, destroying nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft. It was also a very capable fighter-bomber and could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs and rockets. In the Pacific, P-51s flying off of Iwo Jima escorted Boeing B-29 Superfortresses on their way to bomb Japan. At the close of its production run, 15,000 Mustangs had been built. The end of World War II was not the end of combat for the P-51, as it saw service in the Korean War in 1950 because it was the only US fighter with the range to hit Korean targets from Japan. The P-51 remains the iconic fighter of World War II, and it is a popular plane among Veterans and enthusiasts alike. Please! Click on 'See other Items' on 'Seller Information' to see other Great items for sale. Payment should be made within 3 days.My goal is to ship within 3 business days from auction end. All items are packed very well & should arrive in good condition unless the shipper is negligent and causes damage. All items are insured but you may be required to take the item to the Shipper for inspection in the event of damage,if requested, before any refund can be processed.I combine shipping if requested.How to combine shipping on eBay?1. When you see an item you like, click "Buy It Now" or wait until you win your auction. 2. You will be taken to a webpage that confirms your order with the option to Continue Checkout. Do not checkout to pay for this item (yet). 3. When you are finished shopping for your several items, proceed to your "Purchase History". 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Price: 49.95 USD

Location: Saline, Michigan

End Time: 2024-03-20T19:12:53.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD