Status: Static display
Specifications
Type Fighter
Crew 1
Manufacturer North American Aviation
Date Built 1940-42
Country United States
Wingspan 11.28 m
Length 9.83 m
Weight (empty) 3,463 kg
Engine Packard Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 Merlin
Max Speed 710 kph
Armament 6 x .50 calibre Browning machine guns, rockets and bombs
Service History
The P-51D Mustang was gifted to Hunter Fighter Collection by the RAF Museum Cosford, UK and arrived from the UK to Scone in 2023. The current markings and colour scheme are those of the late Flight Lieutenant Jack Cleland, RNZAF, one of the few Commonwealth pilots who did an exchange posting with the Americans between July and September 1944, often escorting USAAF B-17s. Jack was the only RNZAF pilot to fly with the 8th Air Force. To honour Jack’s wife, the original aircraft was named Isabel III with two crosses below the cockpit as a reminder of his earlier successes. This warbird has family connections to the Hunter Valley and is symbolic in commemorating the ANZAC contribution in World War II.
Restoration
The aircraft arrived from the RAF Museum in the UK in 2023 and is displayed in its current condition at Hunter Warbirds.