Aircraft P-51 Mustang

This print issued in 1990, commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the first flight of the classic North American P-51 Mustang, Each print signed by leading WW II Aces: Don Blakeslee, Jim Goodson, Robin Olds and ‘Kit’ Carson.

When the P-51 Mustangs first appeared over Berlin, Reichsmarschall Herman Goering announced that he knew then that the war was lost. The P-51’s proved themselves to be the best all-round fighter of the Second World War, and their presence in the skies above the German Capital signified to the Luftwaffe High Command the death knell of the Third Reich. It was fitting that this great fighter should have been the one that slammed the final nail into the coffin of Goering’s Air Force.
The great Luftwaffe Ace Johannes Steinhoff had plenty of experience at the receiving end of the P-51. He said “That Mustang was some fighter!” He was right.
Soon after Hitler had invaded Poland the British Government were shopping in the USA for a new fighter. Convinced that they could meet the stringent deadline, North American gave their chief designer, Edgar Schmued, the brief. Four months later, on 26th October 1940, with the distinguished test pilot Vance Breese at the controls, a sleek new fighter took to the air on its maiden flight. The remarkable P-51 Mustang had been conceived and born in a shorter period than any other significant aircraft in history.
That it became one of the greatest fighters of all time is a lasting testimony to the thousands of people who contributed to the development and perfection of this great little fighter.
Having a great personal affection for the P-51 Mustang, Robert Taylor has excelled himself even by his own high standards with his painting HOME RUN. Commemorating the aircraft’s 50th anniversary Robert shows a trio of Mustangs, a
P-51B and two P-51Ds hurtling through the Rhineland at low level. Returning from long range fighter escort they seek ‘targets of opportunity’ s they rush back to base in Eastern France. In a style unique to this great artist, the scene is set in the heart of the beautiful Rhineland, the P-51s shattering the tranquillity of a village, as yet untouched by the ravages of war.

Signed and numbered by the artist and individually signed by four leading fighter Aces who flew the classic P-51 Mustang in World War II.

Artist proof only available

Overall print size: 33'' wide x 25'' high

The signatures

Colonel Don Blakeslee
Joining the RAF in 1940 Don Blakeslee was posted to No. 401 Squadron RAF in 1941, flying Spitfires. When the American Eagle Squadrons were formed he transferred from the RAF s an experienced Flight Commander with several air victories and a DFC to his credit. An aggressive and fearless fighter pilot, Bakeslee was quickly promoted to lead 133 Eagle Squadron, and was later described by Charley Peterson as ‘the best fighter leader the war produced.’
He transferred with the Eagles to the USAAF 4th Fighter Group, and was promoted to Colonel a month later, flying with the 354th Fighter Group. By the end of the war Don Blakeslee had completed four years of continuous combat flying in the ETO, and became one of the American Airforce’s most highly decorated pilots.

Major ‘Kit’ Carson
‘Kit’ Carson joined his first operational squadron in Europe in 1943, flying P-51 Mustangs with the 357th Fighter Group. Mainly involved in providing advance, target, and withdrawal support for bombers, the 357th Mustangs supported the 8th Air Force’s first heavy bomber attack on Berlin in 1944. All ‘Kit’ Carson’s operational flying was in P-51 Mustangs in Europe, during which time he completed 118 combat missions involving fighter escort, interception, dive bombing and low level strafing. He was promoted to command 362 Squadron in 1944, and by the end of the war was credited with a total of 23 victories of which 18½ were in aerial combat and 4½ on the ground. He adds the British DFC to his many US decorations.

Colonel James Goodson

Jim Goodson was a survivor on the Athenia when she was torpedoed in 1939, and that determined him to join the RAF. He flew Hurricanes with 43 Squadron RAF and Spitfires with 416 Squadron in the Kenley Wing. When the entire 133 Eagle Squadron was lost on a mission he transferred to help reform it, subsequently becoming Commanding Officer. In September 1942 he moved with the American Eagle Squadron pilots to the 4th Fighter Group, USAAF, flying P-47 Thunderbolts. Son after they were equipped with P-51 Mustangs, which Jim Goodson flew until he was shot down 10 months before the war ended. Credited with 32 aircraft destroyed, he was one of the USAAF’s most highly decorated Aces.

Brigadier General Robin Olds

After leaving West Point Robin Olds was posted to the 479th Fighter Group in England, joining 434 Squadron. Based at Wattisham in East Anglia, and flying P-38s he was involved in heavy bomber escort duties and fighter sweeps until the Normandy invasion, soon after which his Squadron converted to P-51 Mustangs. By early 1945 Robin Olds was in command of 434 Squadron taking part in the Battle of the Bulge, flying escort missions and providing air support to the airborne attack cross the Rhine. At the end of the WAR Robin Olds had 24 victories of which 13 were in the air . He later flew in Vietnam gaining four more victories and retired a very highly decorated Brigadier General after 30 years’ service

NORTH AMERICAN P-51 MUSTANG

Originally designed to meet a British production specification, the P-51 Mustang flew in October 1940, and first production models started arriving in England in early 1941. Fitted with the Allison liquid-cooled unturbocharged engine, although it was faster than the RAF’s Spitfire V, its performance above 15,000 feet was disappointing. But the pilots liked all the handling characteristics of the new American fighter, and it went into service with the RAF’s No. 26 Squadron in 1942, being employed in low-level strikes, and fighter interception against the wave-hopping Fw190 hit and run raids on south coast towns.
The only real shortcoming of the early P-51s was a lack of power, and this was overcome with the installation of the two-stage supercharged Merlin engine in October 1942. This transformed the P-51 Mustang from an average aircraft into a fighter par excellence. Its performance from ground level to six miles high was quite outstanding. The introduction of the P-51D took the aircraft into the super-league of fighters, where it excelled in all aspects of fighter tactics, could hold its own with any interceptor, and had an endurance factor vastly superior to all other single-seat fighters of the day.

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