Berlin Express P-51B flies

摘要

P-51B Mustang 43-24837/N515ZB made its maiden post-restoration flight at Idaho Falls, Idaho on 7 November with John Muszalaat the controls, following an extensive re-build with Pacific Fighters. The rare, high-back fighter flew with the 9th Air Force, based at Staplehurst in Kent. Assigned to the 382nd Fighter Squadron, 363rd Fighter Group, it crashed in Beckley, East Sussex during a training flight on 10 June 1944, the pilot surviving after bailing out. This Mustang has been painted in an authentic matt finish to represent 357th FG P-51B 42-103309 Berlin Express, flown by Capt Bill Overstreet. The American ace, who died in December 2012 at the age of 92, aided the team during research on the colour scheme, and signed the inside cover of one of the starboard wing's gun bay doors during the restoration. Overstreet was famous for chasing a Messerschmitt Bf 109G across Paris during the spring of 1944, and flying under the Eiffel Tower before finally shooting it down.