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- Mustangs for the RAF (P-51A)
- The Mustang´s achievements in WW2 with the USAAF tend to overshadow its work with the RAF, who of course took the aircraft in to combat before the Americans ever did. RAF operations can be grouped in to three types:
a. Army Co-operation including low level recce, naval strike using Allison engined P51A´s or Mustang 1/ll´s. Some also acted as low level interceptors against low flying German raiders.
b. Long range escort missions for coastal strike and bomber operations using Mustang lll´s and lV´s.
c. Ground attack and general fighter support using Mustang lll´s and lV´s.
The RAF loved the early Mustangs and it was very much missed when the production line closed in favour of the Merlin engined B´s and C´s. As a low level fighter the P51A had few equals in speed and range, even if its agility was exceeded by the low altitude cropped wing Spitfire Mk V´s. Mustangs saw action all over Western Europe including Dieppe flying in ones and twos at ranges Spitfire´s could only dream about in their armed versions. Mustangs had the standard day scheme of green/brown uppers and sky undersides later replaced by the green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey scheme. Markings were a standard mix of B roundels on the upper wings and C and C1´s on the under sides of the wings and fuselage sides (A´s on the green/Dark Earth versions). The RAF also had some of the 20mm cannon armed aircraft designated 1a´s. The last Mustang 1/ll squadron kept their aircraft until 1945. All others having been replaced by other types or Merlin Mustang versions.
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