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The beauty of a Mustang is like no other aircraft I've ever seen..... I truly enjoyed hearing the memories of those brave men who were privledged to fly them in combat. God bless them all!
Thankyou for mentioning Rolls Royce contribution to turning a good plane into a great plane. I've only ever once had the pleasure of seeing one in the air. A beautiful sight and sound. Unforgettable.
@@David-th2ug exceptional 2 stage supercharger that was kept compact enough to fit inside the convines of the relatively slim fuselage engine cowling by combining 2 carefully engineered different diameter centrifugal impellers on a single driveshaft and low profile gearbox for gearing up to handle altitudes to maintain a performance envelope at a strategic bombers altitude thus making it the rangy escort fighter that the bomber generals initially denied the need of but now desperately needed. It wasn't plagued with unforgiving bad habits that killed green pilots and though not quite perfectly tops in all aspects of performance it did everything well enough to make Aces of green pilots in record time. A classic warplane by any measure.
I am from Uruguay, 85. I was privileged to see P-51s in real service with the Uruguayan Air Force in the early fifties. The UAF (FAU) had about 15 Mustangs bought from the US. I often spotted them overhead at high altitude, leaving white trails behind. Somehow all P-51s were sold to Bolivia when F-80 and T-33 jets were acquired by our Air Force. But I still recall the buzzing of the Merlin-Packard engines.
As a kid born in 1971, and a father who was in the 126th Air Refueling Wing and enlisted from 1966-96! The first time I saw the P-51 at an open house event at O'hare Airport, that was my favorite airplane. To this day, I try to make it to every single air show near me, it's the one plane that I must see!
These veteran airmen are 100% badass. Hearing their documented stories and the emotions directly from them is a great insight into the greatest generation. No bullshit, no politics, just one common mission achieved by working together. What a time.
War is politics. This modern "no politics" obsession is idiotic, short sighted, and absolutely blind to reality. The biggest political question of the time was should America enter the war. Everything about WW2 is drenched in politics. You can't just separate that because you want to justify your modern political apathy. History doesn't work like that.
I've seen a few low passes of P-51s at various air shows, and it never, ever gets old. It's like every single horsepower of that Merlin engine is pounding you in the chest when the tip shock waves reach you. Wow. That gentleman's voice cracked a bit when he described the sound as "like nothing else." I felt the same way, hearing him say that.
My dad spent five years in the Pacific and loved his jug. They didn't get any mustangs he said because they were mainly in Europe. They transitioned into lightings as a surveillance unit but ended back with his loved jug. He said both the 38s and 47 jugs they were just fine there. He flew escort on some missions were the Japanese ran from his lightings and they had no problem catching them usually. The jug may be the best by him and his buddies/pilots. I was blessed in learning to fly by him and his buds.
General Kenny did a lot with his P47s. Not knocking the Merlin Mustangs, a necessary weapon for green pilots in securing air superiority in Europe. But one thing that Kenny did was to prove what drop tanks could've done for the 8th AAF had they been employed months earlier in the escort fighters available in '43. Some well researched P47D Pacufic Theater missions are described in a video by Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles titled: "P47 Pacific Theater Missions". I'll invite anyone to watch it before commenting on much debated range or drop tank issues concerning P47s.
Probably the most moving words from the pilot who every time he came under ground fire and the tracer rounds were heading his way: "Like being in the dentist's chair, it won't hurt for long". Brave, brave men.
these Documentaries are Pure Gold. the best part is the footage of our HEROS who survived and hearing their stories that move every emotion including tears for those who didn't survive. I tip my hat with the utmost respect to the World's Greatest Generation. Most are gone now, but God Bless your Survivors and Family.
Another great documentary. My Uncle Dale Spencer was an ace in a P-51 flying escort missions over Europe. Amazing stories. Great plane, flown by great men.
My father was born in '28, in boot camp when the War ended and missed shipping out by 15 days. he went on to become a History Professor and my favorite books in his library were the 3 oversized Time/Life WWII Books that were 50% photos. He loved Airplanes and to the day he died, 3 Airplane Models of WW1 and WWII planes he made as a teen still adorned his desk. In the 90's i gave my retired folks train tickets to come visit me in NorCal and my biggest regret is not taking him for a ride on a WWII Plane that was offered in the Stockton area at the time. My 2 older brothers went into teachining like my father, but I'm an Enginerd and never appreciated the Value of History until i quit chasing the almighty dollar. Thanks to all for giving us these Videos and for the History Lessons Made FUN. Never Forget the World's Greatest Generation....
When I was a kid growing up in west Phoenix, a lot of us kids would ride our bikes on Saturdays to Avondale, Az. to where hundreds of WW2 aircrafts were mothballed. We would play all day in the PBY's and Mustangs. We loved it. I went into the army in 1965 from Phoenix, Az. In 1972, I came home on a Furlow for 30 days and drove back out there to see the WW2 planes only to find empty fields. No aircrafts. I went home, asked my dad as to what happened. He said: "One day they came out, set up, and chopped up every last one of though beautiful plane."
@Roo H you pedantic little pr--k ! My mum was a butterfly girl - only the Lord knows all my daddies ! At least one of them was from Tierra del Fuego - judging from my dappled skin and green hair ?
The Spitfire was the most beautiful fighter of WW2 but the P51 looked like the angeI of death, and became so to many unfortunate Luftwaffe crews. Respect from 🇬🇧
I am the son of a South Vietnamese navigator during the Vienam warWell kudos to those pilots whose lives were lost in WW2...we wont have enough words to thank you for your ultimate sacrifice. God Bless your family!
The best generation of all time. Thank You for what you've done for America & allowing my family & families across America to live the life we live. God Bless.
The P51 sucked until it was mated with the Merlin... When Packard started manufacturing the merlin under license, it was game-on. So many awesome fighter aircraft: spitfire, hurricane, p38, p47, and more... Each had a place. The greatest generation! Thank God for them all!
My grandpa was a P-51 pilot and a Corsair Pilot. He loved his P-51 over the Corsair. He said the P-51 could outturn and out maneuver the Corsair. Yet they claim the kill ratio of the Corsair was greater. Why? Because by the time the Corsair came out, there was literally very few experienced Japanese fighter pilots. They just thru pilots in with zero to little experience hoping sheer numbers like mosquitoes would make the difference. That said, everyone who does air races always choose the Mustang. And celebrities like Tom Cruise has a Mustang. We have a Mustang. But only museums have corsairs. This comment is offered because many ask which fighter was better, the Mustang or Corsair? Hands down, the Mustang. Fly both. You’ll agree.
My father flew the F4U Corsair off the USS Saipan in Korea. He called the plane his "flying coffin". He lost his first plane trying to land in heavy swells and drove the landing gear right through the wings. The second was lost over the 39th Parallel, shot down doing strafing runs. He survived both.
I love your take on this. My dad and Uncle have been arguing about this since the dawn of time.. my dad thinks the Mustang is better than the corsair. My uncle vice versa. I have my own thoughts on the subject. When I was younger, we had a flight simulator game for PC. You did fly the Mustang or the corsair. The mustang always have better handling and was better in versus mode. When fighting air To air.
Thats the whole point ! The americans and the british and also the russians working together to win that war , even tho some people hate to admit , the russians sacrificed so many of their people we wouldnt have won without all 3 working together
I've known a man that was in the air crew of a bomber, I guess a pilot, he flew a little private plane and a helicopter, his name was Dink Deussen I seen all his photographs in his hanger, he always chewed on a cigar and said to the girls how you doing Blondie. What a brave man, all of these men. I just wish I could go thank him again!
absolutely the best video on P51 action...the testimonies of the pilots are priceless - "its a long time - seconds" - just love their stories -thanks !!!
As a kid, I was a ferocious reader of WWII air battle books. I was infatuated with the men and machines of that era. My interest was so intense my mother and sixth grade teacher once became a bit concerned and met to discuss my (imaginary) immersion into the world of air combat. I had vivid dreams of being a P-51 pilot in combat, maneuvering my plane in battle. My mother often therorized that I'd once been a fighter pilot who was killed in battle (an incredible thought for a devote Catholic). To this day (I'm now 67), I still have dreams of flying and an avid interest in aviation. Though I never did become a fighter pilot (I'm partially color blind) I did have an opportunity to fly mock ACM dog fights via Air Combat USA. It was an incredible experience, and I felt I was back in my natural element. The guy I flew against didn't stand a chance! I hope if i have another shot at human life, i come back as a fighter jock... if they still exist. Damn UAS development! Speaking of which, I now "fly" an FPV quadcopter. 😂
My father flew the P-51 with the 354th FG from a base first in Britain and later Nancy, France. The Yanks by that time had the good fortune of being able to extensively train stateside in relative peace. They had air superiority by then but it was still a dangerous business.
@@nitemunky76 the bulk of Commonwealth training occurred in Canada. About 30,000 aircrew were trained with the program peaking in 1943 with 107 schools and 184 other supporting units at 231 locations all across Canada
The P-51 is the sexiest fighter ever built in my opinion. The Mustang looks fast just sitting still in the flight line. Absolute marriage of art, engineering and science.
Big Respect to the pilots and respect to everyone...the crews, the engineers, etc that were brave and fought with honor. This is a fantastic doc. I got choked up even. Plus - i never thought about it. But wow - 10,000 guys in the sky - flying everyday!!! Also Army fighting, Naval battles, submaries....i mean...Geezz I just cant imagine World War II....the scale of it. what it was really like
Outstanding documentary. Oral history pilot interviews, cinematography, writing, all marvelous. I wonder though, for those VLR missions, if the P-51 had an autopilot.
My uncle (a P-51 pilot in the USAAF - then part of of the us army) once told me that he flew many types of planes during ww2 and the P-51 was his favorite.
12:30 - "All i could think of was he's got plenty of time to say his prayers on the way down," Such an accurate yet horrifying description of a young man's final minutes. You knew he had ABSOLUTELY no chance of survival. If that was me freefalling, i sure would've been hoping i was passed out unconscious before i hit the ground. Jeez.
I remeber living in Los Angeles in the early 1990's and one day i could here this plane approaching overhead and I actually ran out of my house to catch a view and sure enough it was a Beautiful P-51D Mustang with that AMAZING Roar of the RR Merlin engine! Nothing sounds like that!
Thank God for all those pilots, the war in the air was becoming the #1 part of war in general, as we know today, but back then it was the ground war, which is and always will be important, but air superiority is vital. 🙏🇺🇸🇬🇧
A time when men were men and answered the call, i'm sure these guys didn't struggle identifying what gender they were or what correct pronouns they wanted to be addressed as. God bless the greatest generation, job well done.
FFS, young people still answer the call, including women and those in-between. Even in WWII, such people enlisted, even if most hadn't worked out who they were. Don't fall for the myth that nonstraight people are anything new. Nor do they ask to be born as they just as you and I never asked to be straight. We just pop up as we are. Best wishes. No ill will on my part, I just want to stick up for facts, however unwanted.
No matter how good the machine was or who made which part best, it was nothing without a well trained man inside, filled with confidence, courage & above all, competitiveness. The best fighter pilots hate losing. At anything.
Wow! Epiphany time... For years and years, I have believed that I had been a Fighter Pilot, shot down in WW2... and died. I didn't know why I was drawn to watch this Doc, so much, until this viewing... I've seen it about 5 times. Little bits here and there, hit home, this time. I have always been an arrogant Ass... Feeling I was the best of the best. I watch "Midway", over and over, "The Coral Sea", same thing and I'm Canadian... Sheesh! One Fighter Pilot in the Doc, said something so profound it made me cry. He said, "I dream about what I regret, what I could have done"... etc. or in so many words... I felt his grief. As we get older, we feel the same sort of regrets... "Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda". I pray he no longer carries regrets and he is resting easy. ALL People, not just Fighter Pilots are plagued by thoughts of what might have been, if only... As the Twilight years come upon us, we have to accept that we did all that could have been done... All of those Flyers are Blessed. 🙂
Wow, I've felt that way all my life also. My dad was a Navy aircraft mechanic (Hellcats) at the end of WWII. He was also an avid reader and model builder. I'm sure he had every book written about the air war, and we boys read them all and built dozens of plastic models of WWII aircraft. The worst day of my life was the day I had to get glasses because I knew I could not become a fighter pilot.
This is a very important film to many of us; to listen to those who flew. And those of two nations who were responsible for creating such a remarkable weapon. I am a retired professional photographer who sees and photographs Mustang P51Ds flying every year at Jones’ Beach Long Island air shows. They are photogenic in spades.
P51 the result of the co-operation between the United Sates and the United Kingdom. Produced an unprecedented fighter of which its capabilities were somewhat overlooked. Richard Candelaria, just one of many kegacys of pilots, that shared its outstanding performance
It got no respect, The British pilots laughed at it when they first seen it and wanted nothing to do with it. They made jokes about it and called it a worthless pig. Did British pilots ever even fly P47's ? @@u2mister17
@@u2mister17 You are not giving the Spitfire its due respect. After all, Goring said to Hitler, give me the Spitfire to win the war. And it was the spitfire that broke the German Luftwaffe's back during the battle of Britain. But in the end, as great and important as the planes were, it was the men flying then that made the difference. Even the canvas covered Hurricane got an incredible number of kills against the far superior ME-109. That was definitely due to the pilots rather than the aircraft.
What men go through during war, i don't remember hearing them talk much about feeling, i don't blame them, they have nothing to feel bad about, they wouldn't be human if they didn't, I'm very proud of all of them, the women at home went through hell, thank god for all of them, very proud of my country n it sad to see our young not seeming to care about the American way, i do and I'm proud of our history...
They don't talk about their feelings because that is only acceptable in today's culture. You don't go through a war like they did by being emotionally frail.
The P-47 may have "gulped" fuel, but it still had better range than any other single-engined fighter and actually did do escort duty along with the P-38 until there were enough late model Mustangs to take over. It had around 900 mile range, not 300, and the P-38 could go even further. The Mustang being developed because of the need of bomber escort is false. The british had already suggested replacing the allison engine with their engines after testing from the very beginning. What really changed the bombing campaign wasn't fighter escort, it was sending in the fighters first, THEN sending the bombers after, with the defending fighters already dealing with challenging the attackers or risk getting strafed on the runways.
400 prowling fighters (with long range tanks) and highly trained jockeys- flying inferior aircraft will defeat even a tiny number of unreliable ME 262s or anything else flown by children - if one goes off on a shooting spree - just wait for it to come home - then pounce - locate their bases with PR XIX SPITFIRES- then bye bye Heinz !
The P47 when the know all hot shots and politicians finally allowed the long range tanks - was equal in range to the P51 - with the added bonus - superior pilot survival - and 8 50s. Many readers might think that our dear leaders gave the brave men the best equipment- that ain't necessarily so ! Any intelligent person can realise that slow cumbersome bombers with no matter how may 50s or even cannon - can't survive large numbers of enemy fighters diving passes with cannon - then climbing up and doing it again - the top scoring fighter pilots didn't involve themselves in low speed - low altitude cat fights - however- many aces still ended in heaven - killed sometimes by their own heap of junk and it's treacherous behaviour !
There I was at 40,000ft PR XIX. Day light- no guns - range 1550 miles cimbing towards me a 262 - hopefully he can't get this high - I'll head towards 50,000ft - done it before - he'll head back to his base - the P51s will be flying circles -waiting like vultures - pouncing - one more of the hundreds shot down ! Adenoids vunder veapon ?
in 1943 the P-47 range with internal fuel was 200 miles. With drop tanks, it could maybe reach the german borden if meeting bombers on the second leg. The internal fuel wasn't increased until mid 1944 with the D-25. That's what allows for longer combat range and it still didn't get to Berlin as an escort fighter. Bombers suffered as a result.
Yes the best fighter plane, with the Mosquito the best fighter / bomber! The Packard Merlin Engine also a tribute to US manufacturing and collaboration with the Brits. A great documentary!
@@jacktattis The Tempest was more powerful, however the Mustang was used for long range bomber escort because it had better fuel economy. Spitfires had initially been honed to take off quickly, after the home guard radar identified incoming hostiles, blast them and get back to base. The Mustang p51 designed as a escort and high altitude fighter, with ground straffing capability.
@@jacktattis Hi Jack. As I am involved with moulded products. I wonder whether the merlin and Gryphon engines / the Packard Merlin should be recast? with modern technology this would involve scanning an existing engine, then casting and making all the components. the greatest issue with veteran aircraft remaining airworthy is that after 80 or so years it may not be safe to assume the airframe and components are airworthy? Crowd funding to cast new blocks out of lighter stronger aluminium. There is a huge demand for Mustangs and Spitfires if an exact replica could be produced?
@@wilburfinnigan2142 Packard is a defunct company and i wonder the intellectual property rights on an invention like a Merlin or Gryphon Engine only last 25 years? Alternatively it could be done ion collaboration with Rolls Royce, with participants making parts around the globe?
@@hans-1940 The German Tanks in Russia other than the STUG were complicated and needed an overhaul every 12 hours running time. When the Russians T34 in larger numbers could not hit a target, even at close range had trouble destroying a German Tank. They found by accident that after they could make the German Tanks run around and need a service, the German's had to abandon their tanks in short order. The German air resupply of Stalingrad was a total failure, because the German luftwaffe did not have good heavy lift transports like the DC-3 which was not a technological marvel other than being able to maintain level flight on one engine, it was a robust workhorse. The Heinkel 111 was advanced during the Spanish Civil war, but obsolete by the time of the Battle of Britain. The German engineers produced the Bismarck, a massive ship and a massive obsolete target with the Tirpitz a huge misallocation of manufacturing resource. German technology included the Heavy Panzer tank which was over complicated and also broke down after a few hours, Had they mass produced the STUG, a robust utilitarian tank, they would have won leningrad and Stalingrad and occupied Moscow. Germany produced the V1 and V2 pulse jet and rocket and the gyroscope which was a technological breakthrough. Not enough of these to change the course of the war, and not accurate enough. The ME Jet was also a marvel, but too late and still having teething issues and not effectively deployed and with all the pilots lost, not enough to fly the jets. England did have jet squadrons at wars end, not used in WWII other than small engagements. Germany produced high technology but low quality, low endurance tanks. The final versions of the submarines were technically brilliant, but not produced in a timely manner and most of the Sub crews had been blown out of the water, with radar the Subs lost their advantage. The ME109 was superior when it was first deployed but soon eclipsed by new versions of Spitfire and the Mosquito, mustang aircraft. the English and USA had much better bomber aircraft and developed the Flying Fortress which was a technological marvel, but also had many technological flaws. Britain had the tempest, but the most formidable plane in fact was again the robust and reliable Hurricane, not as fast or manoeuvrable as the ME109 or other German fighters, but easy to fly and easy to mass produce, also there were 600 more of these as the Hawker company began production without a confirmed air ministry order. the Bismarck was sunk by a torpedo bi-plane. So then as now reliability in the field, mass production and tactics proved more important than technological prowess. The jet engine, rocket propulsion, submarine advances, radar and other technologies were quickly incorporated into the victorious countries arsenal. Hitler missed his opportunity to develop the nuclear devices of the Manhattan project. Without the Jewish scientists Germanies war effort was less advanced than the USA and britain by war's end. Hitler had one half completed aircraft carrier. America had 8 or so when Pearl Harbour was attacked, and was building dozens by wars end. Britain had a number of aircraft carriers which made a difference.
Well I actually saw some of the last operational F-51's(P-51) in the world . While visiting the Dominican Republic back in the early 1980's their Air Force still flew the F-51's . We where playing golf at the Casa de Campo resort in la Romana and where watching them flying loops over the golf course . Well one pilot screwed up and wasn't quite high enough and buried his plane into the fairway. Sad but true .
The Mustang P-51D variant was and still is an amazing fighter. If it had existed early in the war I believe it would have changed history as we know it
When everyone was drooling over the spitfire I fell for the P51, 65 years later I still love the mustang and yes I kno it’s the merlin that made the plane it became
In my humble opinion: They are both unique in their own way (as most ww2 planes are). The Spit would be the charming gentleman, while the P51 is the rock'n'roller (Brits vs US). One of personal favorites would the Dehavilland Mosquito (not a fighter as such, I know).
@@phunkeehone All three were icons and magnificent aircraft in their own way. Each played a basically different roll at different times but all had the Merlin engine in common.
@@neilpountney9414 Absolutely, and it can't be denied that the Brits did an excellent job with the RR Merlin engine. I'm not much of an mechanic (only know basic stuff), but from what I know, it really worked wonders with upgrading fx the p51 to what it became. Liquid cooling instead of air cooling, etc. So hats off to the Brits.
Ya it wasn't that simple.....The USAAF didn't allow pursuit aircraft like the p47 to have drop tanks initially even though it was capable from very early on. This always gets barried. Fast forward to late 43' and butts need to be covered for the terrible bomber and life losses in the bombing campaign....and to this day we're told that thank heavens the 51 came along.....the truth is two fold...The p51 was fantastic by 1944' but the P47 " in 1943 could have gone much further and been far more affective had they equipped it properly.
An excellent and captivating documentary. The hero pilot interviews were inspiring and reverent of them as young heroic men thrust into the arena of air warfare at such a young age. Liked the crew chief telling the pilot ‘he’d seen worse’, which gave him his confidence back. I wondered what the Germans first thought when the P-51s didn’t turn around on escort duty but continued all the way to and back from the target with the bombers. I also recall that the Tuscaloosa Airmen which came up from Italy to escort bombers never lost any bomber in a group they escorted during the war. S great documentary!
Excellent presentation. Thankfully “Miss Helen “ was a available making it possible to add attending footage for continuous footage. Their is footage of Kermit Weeks Mustang Preddy/Cripes A’Mighty 3rd Preddy’s last 328th FS “Cripes A’Mighty” available. Sorry no mention of Major Preddy as having the distinction of being highest scoring P-51 Ace serving in WW -2. Thank you for an excellent documentary about the “Mustang”’
It does have to be said that the P-51 was an unloved, unwanted , asthmatic aircraft until the British Rolls Royce Merlin engine was bolted on the front. ( Later built under licence by Packard ) So, yes it contributed to saving Europe, but the RR Merlin also saved the P-51.
@@wilburfinnigan2142 I could be wrong but it was Eastern Airlines and wasn’t as big as a DC 6. The 6s were later. It’s been a long time but I think the flight went from NYC to Atlanta I couldn’t have been older than 6 myself. Those were the days when you walked up on the tarmac to enter the plane.
Yes, that was incredible. It’s like comparing a horse and buggy to a Lamborghini. If the war would have taken another three years with the speed that technology was growing. Both sides would’ve had a decent jet fighter..
I love watching these WW2 vets. By now in time, it almost been sadly lost to further explore with them, so these videos are all they have left to teach us.
I know the Mustang may be a thoroughbred, and I think it’s a beautiful airframe, but I know a lot of pilots given the choice of either flying a Mustang or a JUG behind enemy lines, and able to get you home safely after loads of punishment. They would choose the Jug. The P-47 was the ultimate sting and attack aircraft for ground targets, and was able to take the punishment from return fire. Both planes had different areas of excellence, and I think I would choose a P-51 if I was flying high and after bombers and other fighter aircraft. But I would definitely choose a P-47 if my mission was grounding attack!
The Spitfire and Concorde were the most beautiful planes ever built. The Mustang only became a decent plane once it had the Merlin V16 engine from the Spitfire installed.
The early marks of Halifax's were dangerous because they went into an inverted spin if dived etc. Actually you mentioned that towards the end. Cheshire stated there was an awareness of this even at the time. The mkIii version in the end cured most problems they also had a longer wingspan when the rounded wings were added. Improving ceiling which was poor in the early versions
My Nana and Pop were children in occupied Holland. She told me the story of being on a train that was buzzed by an Allied Fighter near the end of the war. The train stopped and everyone got out and ran into the field before the fighter shot the Engine up.
American and british air forces really put the mustang up in the sky, Ford+RollsRoyce, to win many battles, but also Mr koga's Zero that was captured and studied to know its secrets helped alot
So Henry Ford gave money and trucks to Adenoids Hynkel for the Mustangs to shoot up - Ford refused to build Merlins to be used against his friends in Germany - lt was Packard- and good engineers they were ! NOT FORD ! Ford demanded compensation for his slave labour factories that the Allies bombed - he and GM were paid compensation for damage Mustangs and others did to their German Factories !
I can imagine these guys in a bar with a few beers under their belts. Each one bragging and in the faces of the others. The fact that they are still alive, have some stories to relate, and ready at moments notice to put their life on the line kept their ego fed to the point of an immediate brawl with another of their own side. I’m sure the MPs had to be tough guys too, hoping the guy they had to arrest was drunk enough to subdue. LOL! I can just hear the volume in the bar escalating as the arguing and cockiness escalated and the fists got going.
Unbelievable what these men went through, I was born 25 years to late and now battling woke bull s..t. Was the greatest generation. Thanks to all who gave and the ones who came home.
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Wonderful coverage
I was an Huey 1,2 & 3 pilot and would have love to fly p-51. What a great ship it was. Thank you all for your service for us.
The beauty of a Mustang is like no other aircraft I've ever seen.....
I truly enjoyed hearing the memories of those brave men who were privledged to fly them in combat.
God bless them all!
A fantastic tribute to a beautiful airplane, flown by the bravest men of the greatest generation.
Thankyou for mentioning Rolls Royce contribution to turning a good plane into a great plane. I've only ever once had the pleasure of seeing one in the air. A beautiful sight and sound. Unforgettable.
Come to America they fly the airshow circuits along with a lot of other warbirds.
@@David-th2ug exceptional 2 stage supercharger that was kept compact enough to fit inside the convines of the relatively slim fuselage engine cowling by combining 2 carefully engineered different diameter centrifugal impellers on a single driveshaft and low profile gearbox for gearing up to handle altitudes to maintain a performance envelope at a strategic bombers altitude thus making it the rangy escort fighter that the bomber generals initially denied the need of but now desperately needed. It wasn't plagued with unforgiving bad habits that killed green pilots and though not quite perfectly tops in all aspects of performance it did everything well enough to make Aces of green pilots in record time. A classic warplane by any measure.
I am from Uruguay, 85. I was privileged to see P-51s in real service with the Uruguayan Air Force in the early fifties. The UAF (FAU) had about 15 Mustangs bought from the US. I often spotted them overhead at high altitude, leaving white trails behind. Somehow all P-51s were sold to Bolivia when F-80 and T-33 jets were acquired by our Air Force. But I still recall the buzzing of the Merlin-Packard engines.
MP or RR (Rolls Royce) engines?
My Pa was a P-51 pilot in WW2, Pacific Arena. Only 21 years old . Brave man
As a kid born in 1971, and a father who was in the 126th Air Refueling Wing and enlisted from 1966-96! The first time I saw the P-51 at an open house event at O'hare Airport, that was my favorite airplane. To this day, I try to make it to every single air show near me, it's the one plane that I must see!
These veteran airmen are 100% badass. Hearing their documented stories and the emotions directly from them is a great insight into the greatest generation. No bullshit, no politics, just one common mission achieved by working together. What a time.
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why would they talk politics? thats just everyone today doing that
War is politics.
This modern "no politics" obsession is idiotic, short sighted, and absolutely blind to reality. The biggest political question of the time was should America enter the war. Everything about WW2 is drenched in politics. You can't just separate that because you want to justify your modern political apathy. History doesn't work like that.
you will hear the same from Korean War pilots and Vietnam pilots and Afghan/Iraq pilots nothing has changed. Every generation can be great.
My respect for those airmen is endless.
I've seen a few low passes of P-51s at various air shows, and it never, ever gets old. It's like every single horsepower of that Merlin engine is pounding you in the chest when the tip shock waves reach you. Wow. That gentleman's voice cracked a bit when he described the sound as "like nothing else." I felt the same way, hearing him say that.
I am forever greatful for our country's fighting men and women who gave their all. Lest we never forget.
My dad spent five years in the Pacific and loved his jug. They didn't get any mustangs he said because they were mainly in Europe. They transitioned into lightings as a surveillance unit but ended back with his loved jug. He said both the 38s and 47 jugs they were just fine there. He flew escort on some missions were the Japanese ran from his lightings and they had no problem catching them usually. The jug may be the best by him and his buddies/pilots. I was blessed in learning to fly by him and his buds.
P-51s were in the Pacific especially the Allison models.
General Kenny did a lot with his P47s. Not knocking the Merlin Mustangs, a necessary weapon for green pilots in securing air superiority in Europe. But one thing that Kenny did was to prove what drop tanks could've done for the 8th AAF had they been employed months earlier in the escort fighters available in '43. Some well researched P47D Pacufic Theater missions are described in a video by Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles titled: "P47 Pacific Theater Missions". I'll invite anyone to watch it before commenting on much debated range or drop tank issues concerning P47s.
Probably the most moving words from the pilot who every time he came under ground fire and the tracer rounds were heading his way: "Like being in the dentist's chair, it won't hurt for long". Brave, brave men.
these Documentaries are Pure Gold. the best part is the footage of our HEROS who survived and hearing their stories that move every emotion including tears for those who didn't survive. I tip my hat with the utmost respect to the World's Greatest Generation. Most are gone now, but God Bless your Survivors and Family.
The timbre in his voice …
Missouri.
@jack tattis it hurts for a long time if your gonads are blown off by a ME 109 K. Last words - f---aaaaa rk !
Another great documentary. My Uncle Dale Spencer was an ace in a P-51 flying escort missions over Europe. Amazing stories. Great plane, flown by great men.
👍🙏♥️
That’s amazing, they were a whole different breed of American. I couldn’t have more respect for him.
Bomber crews….the bravest of the brave.
If the Krauts didn't kill you - your evil handling contraption might !
My father was born in '28, in boot camp when the War ended and missed shipping out by 15 days. he went on to become a History Professor and my favorite books in his library were the 3 oversized Time/Life WWII Books that were 50% photos. He loved Airplanes and to the day he died, 3 Airplane Models of WW1 and WWII planes he made as a teen still adorned his desk. In the 90's i gave my retired folks train tickets to come visit me in NorCal and my biggest regret is not taking him for a ride on a WWII Plane that was offered in the Stockton area at the time. My 2 older brothers went into teachining like my father, but I'm an Enginerd and never appreciated the Value of History until i quit chasing the almighty dollar. Thanks to all for giving us these Videos and for the History Lessons Made FUN. Never Forget the World's Greatest Generation....
Thank you and God bless your family.
@@Dronescapes Thank You Sir, We've been blessred.
@@cacornhusker2940 So God was on our side - is that a fair suck of the sauce bottle ? A fair slice of the pineapple ? No wonder we won !
When I was a kid growing up in west Phoenix, a lot of us kids would ride our bikes on Saturdays to Avondale, Az. to where hundreds of WW2 aircrafts were mothballed. We would play all day in the PBY's and Mustangs. We loved it. I went into the army in 1965 from Phoenix, Az. In 1972, I came home on a Furlow for 30 days and drove back out there to see the WW2 planes only to find empty fields. No aircrafts. I went home, asked my dad as to what happened. He said: "One day they came out, set up, and chopped up every last one of though beautiful plane."
All three of my grandfathers flew it and two of them were aces. Great to live vicariously through such heroes.
Your math is bad. You have 2 grandfathers. Your dads dad and your moms dad, that's it.
@@rooh5825 adopted
@@mattjbg7025 Still makes no sense, that would mean you have 2 + 2, even then that's a stretch.
@Roo H you pedantic little pr--k ! My mum was a butterfly girl - only the Lord knows all my daddies ! At least one of them was from Tierra del Fuego - judging from my dappled skin and green hair ?
Three? I got two.
those pilots are just wonderful characters so authentic testimonies...thanks
It has that beautiful, iconic fighter-plane look. Such a cool looking airplane.
These planes may have been magnificent but every one of those men , from bombers to fighters were hero’s and at such a young age ! ❤
The Spitfire was the most beautiful fighter of WW2 but the P51 looked like the angeI of death, and became so to many unfortunate Luftwaffe crews.
Respect from 🇬🇧
I am the son of a South Vietnamese navigator during the Vienam warWell kudos to those pilots whose lives were lost in WW2...we wont have enough words to thank you for your ultimate sacrifice. God Bless your family!
The best generation of all time. Thank You for what you've done for America & allowing my family & families across America to live the life we live. God Bless.
The P51 sucked until it was mated with the Merlin... When Packard started manufacturing the merlin under license, it was game-on. So many awesome fighter aircraft: spitfire, hurricane, p38, p47, and more... Each had a place. The greatest generation! Thank God for them all!
I like it that North American also designed & built the F86 fighter jet...two beautiful aircraft.
My grandpa was a P-51 pilot and a Corsair Pilot. He loved his P-51 over the Corsair. He said the P-51 could outturn and out maneuver the Corsair. Yet they claim the kill ratio of the Corsair was greater. Why? Because by the time the Corsair came out, there was literally very few experienced Japanese fighter pilots. They just thru pilots in with zero to little experience hoping sheer numbers like mosquitoes would make the difference. That said, everyone who does air races always choose the Mustang. And celebrities like Tom Cruise has a Mustang. We have a Mustang. But only museums have corsairs. This comment is offered because many ask which fighter was better, the Mustang or Corsair? Hands down, the Mustang. Fly both. You’ll agree.
They were built for different missions. The Corsair was built as a naval fighter the Mustang was not.
My father flew the F4U Corsair off the USS Saipan in Korea. He called the plane his "flying coffin". He lost his first plane trying to land in heavy swells and drove the landing gear right through the wings. The second was lost over the 39th Parallel, shot down doing strafing runs. He survived both.
@@farmrrick they both fought, air to air, and air to ground. one is better than the other all around
I love your take on this. My dad and Uncle have been arguing about this since the dawn of time.. my dad thinks the Mustang is better than the corsair. My uncle vice versa. I have my own thoughts on the subject. When I was younger, we had a flight simulator game for PC. You did fly the Mustang or the corsair. The mustang always have better handling and was better in versus mode. When fighting air To air.
All europe and Asia have a debt with these guys, Freedom and progres
Context is king. The P-51 would not have been a long-range fighter if it wasn't for the British RR engine.
The alison engine was massively underpowered. Think how good the P40 could have been with a merlin in it instead.
The engine isn't what gave it the range - it's enormous fuel capacity is.
The laminar flow wings definitely played a part. If it were the engine the spitfire wouldn’t have the worst range of fighters in the war
Thats the whole point ! The americans and the british and also the russians working together to win that war , even tho some people hate to admit , the russians sacrificed so many of their people we wouldnt have won without all 3 working together
@@gradymcgowan6764 smaller fuel tanks lol
I've known a man that was in the air crew of a bomber, I guess a pilot, he flew a little private plane and a helicopter, his name was Dink Deussen I seen all his photographs in his hanger, he always chewed on a cigar and said to the girls how you doing Blondie. What a brave man, all of these men. I just wish I could go thank him again!
Thanks to all the fighter pilots I wish I was growing up at that time
Don't forget the Redtails
absolutely the best video on P51 action...the testimonies of the pilots are priceless - "its a long time - seconds" - just love their stories -thanks !!!
Thank you to all of these Men that made the world a Safer place and Risk their lives and a special Thank you to the Men that didn't come home.
Mustang is a legend that will not be forgotten long after retirement and even after
As a kid, I was a ferocious reader of WWII air battle books. I was infatuated with the men and machines of that era. My interest was so intense my mother and sixth grade teacher once became a bit concerned and met to discuss my (imaginary) immersion into the world of air combat. I had vivid dreams of being a P-51 pilot in combat, maneuvering my plane in battle. My mother often therorized that I'd once been a fighter pilot who was killed in battle (an incredible thought for a devote Catholic). To this day (I'm now 67), I still have dreams of flying and an avid interest in aviation. Though I never did become a fighter pilot (I'm partially color blind) I did have an opportunity to fly mock ACM dog fights via Air Combat USA. It was an incredible experience, and I felt I was back in my natural element. The guy I flew against didn't stand a chance! I hope if i have another shot at human life, i come back as a fighter jock... if they still exist. Damn UAS development! Speaking of which, I now "fly" an FPV quadcopter. 😂
@18:14 - this sums it all up. "...the enemy was defeated, in our mind, when we crawled into the cockpit."
The P-51 is another example of the outstanding collaboration of the US and UK throughout WW2.
The best propeller airplane I've ever flown.
What's the best plane you've flown?
@@michaelkinville177 The one I'm flying since 2000; 747-400 and 747-8.
Or back in the 1980's... hang gliders...
My father flew the P-51 with the 354th FG from a base first in Britain and later Nancy, France. The Yanks by that time had the good fortune of being able to extensively train stateside in relative peace. They had air superiority by then but it was still a dangerous business.
RAF pilots were also trained in huge numbers in the US. IIRC there were around 6 flight schools for training RAF fighter and bomber pilots.
So - he was a Nancy boy ?
@@jacktattis did you fall asleep?
@@nitemunky76 the bulk of Commonwealth training occurred in Canada. About 30,000 aircrew were trained with the program peaking in 1943 with 107 schools and 184 other supporting units at 231 locations all across Canada
The P-51 is the sexiest fighter ever built in my opinion. The Mustang looks fast just sitting still in the flight line. Absolute marriage of art, engineering and science.
My grandfather was an amazing man who flew and survived. He was a no shit war hero.
A MK 14 Spitfire Would run rings around the Mustang in most parameters - vastly faster climb - higher altitude - and cannon and more agile !
I have a lot of respect for all of the men who fought in the wars throughout history
This documentary really makes you think but I can't forget that last comment "I was 20 and had the time off my life". That's youth for you !
Big Respect to the pilots and respect to everyone...the crews, the engineers, etc that were brave and fought with honor. This is a fantastic doc. I got choked up even. Plus - i never thought about it. But wow - 10,000 guys in the sky - flying everyday!!! Also Army fighting, Naval battles, submaries....i mean...Geezz I just cant imagine World War II....the scale of it. what it was really like
Outstanding documentary. Oral history pilot interviews, cinematography, writing, all marvelous. I wonder though, for those VLR missions, if the P-51 had an autopilot.
My uncle (a P-51 pilot in the USAAF - then part of of the us army) once told me that he flew many types of planes during ww2 and the P-51 was his favorite.
12:30 - "All i could think of was he's got plenty of time to say his prayers on the way down,"
Such an accurate yet horrifying description of a young man's final minutes. You knew he had ABSOLUTELY no chance of survival. If that was me freefalling, i sure would've been hoping i was passed out unconscious before i hit the ground. Jeez.
I remeber living in Los Angeles in the early 1990's and one day i could here this plane approaching overhead and I actually ran out of my house to catch a view and sure enough it was a Beautiful P-51D Mustang with that AMAZING Roar of the RR Merlin engine! Nothing sounds like that!
Probably the best aviation doc I have viewed to date. Superb work!
Definitely the Greatest Generation
American twaddle. This so called "greatest generation" you speak of includes all the evil people on the other side as well.
Thank God for all those pilots, the war in the air was becoming the #1 part of war in general, as we know today, but back then it was the ground war, which is and always will be important, but air superiority is vital. 🙏🇺🇸🇬🇧
Meiner persönlichen Meinung nach waren Mustang-Kampfflugzeuge eine Legende in der Luft
Piston engines, not jets.
A time when men were men and answered the call, i'm sure these guys didn't struggle identifying what gender they were or what correct pronouns they wanted to be addressed as.
God bless the greatest generation, job well done.
👍❤👍
Excellent answer 😉👍
@@odarge thank you, have a wonderful day.
@@Dronescapes thank you and have a great day as well.
FFS, young people still answer the call, including women and those in-between. Even in WWII, such people enlisted, even if most hadn't worked out who they were.
Don't fall for the myth that nonstraight people are anything new. Nor do they ask to be born as they just as you and I never asked to be straight. We just pop up as we are.
Best wishes. No ill will on my part, I just want to stick up for facts, however unwanted.
No matter how good the machine was or who made which part best, it was nothing without a well trained man inside, filled with confidence, courage & above all, competitiveness. The best fighter pilots hate losing. At anything.
Wow! Epiphany time... For years and years, I have believed that I had been a Fighter Pilot, shot down in WW2... and died.
I didn't know why I was drawn to watch this Doc, so much, until this viewing... I've seen it about 5 times. Little bits here and there, hit home, this time. I have always been an arrogant Ass... Feeling I was the best of the best. I watch "Midway", over and over, "The Coral Sea", same thing and I'm Canadian... Sheesh! One Fighter Pilot in the Doc, said something so profound it made me cry. He said, "I dream about what I regret, what I could have done"... etc. or in so many words... I felt his grief. As we get older, we feel the same sort of regrets... "Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda". I pray he no longer carries regrets and he is resting easy. ALL People, not just Fighter Pilots are plagued by thoughts of what might have been, if only... As the Twilight years come upon us, we have to accept that we did all that could have been done... All of those Flyers are Blessed. 🙂
Wow, I've felt that way all my life also. My dad was a Navy aircraft mechanic (Hellcats) at the end of WWII. He was also an avid reader and model builder. I'm sure he had every book written about the air war, and we boys read them all and built dozens of plastic models of WWII aircraft. The worst day of my life was the day I had to get glasses because I knew I could not become a fighter pilot.
This is a very important film to many of us; to listen to those who flew. And those of two nations who were responsible for creating such a remarkable weapon.
I am a retired professional photographer who sees and photographs Mustang P51Ds flying every year at Jones’ Beach Long Island air shows. They are photogenic in spades.
The wing design is so much more advanced to other comparable piston engine fighters
P51 the result of the co-operation between the United Sates and the United Kingdom. Produced an unprecedented fighter of which its capabilities were somewhat overlooked. Richard Candelaria, just one of many kegacys of pilots, that shared its outstanding performance
I originally thought that the fighters were the aggressive arm but my father told me that the bombers take the fight to where the enemy don't want.
I like that they gave the P-47 it's due respect in this P-51 documentry
The P-47 had done the heavy lifting before the Mustang got there.
It got no respect, The British pilots laughed at it when they first seen it and wanted nothing to do with it. They made jokes about it and called it a worthless pig. Did British pilots ever even fly P47's ? @@u2mister17
@@u2mister17 You are not giving the Spitfire its due respect. After all, Goring said to Hitler, give me the Spitfire to win the war. And it was the spitfire that broke the German Luftwaffe's back during the battle of Britain. But in the end, as great and important as the planes were, it was the men flying then that made the difference. Even the canvas covered Hurricane got an incredible number of kills against the far superior ME-109. That was definitely due to the pilots rather than the aircraft.
What men go through during war, i don't remember hearing them talk much about feeling, i don't blame them, they have nothing to feel bad about, they wouldn't be human if they didn't, I'm very proud of all of them, the women at home went through hell, thank god for all of them, very proud of my country n it sad to see our young not seeming to care about the American way, i do and I'm proud of our history...
They don't talk about their feelings because that is only acceptable in today's culture. You don't go through a war like they did by being emotionally frail.
The P-47 may have "gulped" fuel, but it still had better range than any other single-engined fighter and actually did do escort duty along with the P-38 until there were enough late model Mustangs to take over. It had around 900 mile range, not 300, and the P-38 could go even further. The Mustang being developed because of the need of bomber escort is false. The british had already suggested replacing the allison engine with their engines after testing from the very beginning. What really changed the bombing campaign wasn't fighter escort, it was sending in the fighters first, THEN sending the bombers after, with the defending fighters already dealing with challenging the attackers or risk getting strafed on the runways.
400 prowling fighters (with long range tanks) and highly trained jockeys- flying inferior aircraft will defeat even a tiny number of unreliable ME 262s or anything else flown by children - if one goes off on a shooting spree - just wait for it to come home - then pounce - locate their bases with PR XIX SPITFIRES- then bye bye Heinz !
The P47 when the know all hot shots and politicians finally allowed the long range tanks - was equal in range to the P51 - with the added bonus - superior pilot survival - and 8 50s. Many readers might think that our dear leaders gave the brave men the best equipment- that ain't necessarily so ! Any intelligent person can realise that slow cumbersome bombers with no matter how may 50s or even cannon - can't survive large numbers of enemy fighters diving passes with cannon - then climbing up and doing it again - the top scoring fighter pilots didn't involve themselves in low speed - low altitude cat fights - however- many aces still ended in heaven - killed sometimes by their own heap of junk and it's treacherous behaviour !
There I was at 40,000ft PR XIX. Day light- no guns - range 1550 miles cimbing towards me a 262 - hopefully he can't get this high - I'll head towards 50,000ft - done it before - he'll head back to his base - the P51s will be flying circles -waiting like vultures - pouncing - one more of the hundreds shot down ! Adenoids vunder veapon ?
in 1943 the P-47 range with internal fuel was 200 miles. With drop tanks, it could maybe reach the german borden if meeting bombers on the second leg. The internal fuel wasn't increased until mid 1944 with the D-25. That's what allows for longer combat range and it still didn't get to Berlin as an escort fighter. Bombers suffered as a result.
Yes the best fighter plane, with the Mosquito the best fighter / bomber! The Packard Merlin Engine also a tribute to US manufacturing and collaboration with the Brits. A great documentary!
@@jacktattis The Tempest was more powerful, however the Mustang was used for long range bomber escort because it had better fuel economy. Spitfires had initially been honed to take off quickly, after the home guard radar identified incoming hostiles, blast them and get back to base. The Mustang p51 designed as a escort and high altitude fighter, with ground straffing capability.
@@jacktattis Hi Jack. As I am involved with moulded products. I wonder whether the merlin and Gryphon engines / the Packard Merlin should be recast? with modern technology this would involve scanning an existing engine, then casting and making all the components. the greatest issue with veteran aircraft remaining airworthy is that after 80 or so years it may not be safe to assume the airframe and components are airworthy? Crowd funding to cast new blocks out of lighter stronger aluminium. There is a huge demand for Mustangs and Spitfires if an exact replica could be produced?
@@wilburfinnigan2142 Packard is a defunct company and i wonder the intellectual property rights on an invention like a Merlin or Gryphon Engine only last 25 years? Alternatively it could be done ion collaboration with Rolls Royce, with participants making parts around the globe?
@@jacktattis”Spitfire was king” Doubtful, but go on... “dived as far”. Flawless logic right here 😂
@@hans-1940 The German Tanks in Russia other than the STUG were complicated and needed an overhaul every 12 hours running time. When the Russians T34 in larger numbers could not hit a target, even at close range had trouble destroying a German Tank. They found by accident that after they could make the German Tanks run around and need a service, the German's had to abandon their tanks in short order. The German air resupply of Stalingrad was a total failure, because the German luftwaffe did not have good heavy lift transports like the DC-3 which was not a technological marvel other than being able to maintain level flight on one engine, it was a robust workhorse. The Heinkel 111 was advanced during the Spanish Civil war, but obsolete by the time of the Battle of Britain. The German engineers produced the Bismarck, a massive ship and a massive obsolete target with the Tirpitz a huge misallocation of manufacturing resource. German technology included the Heavy Panzer tank which was over complicated and also broke down after a few hours, Had they mass produced the STUG, a robust utilitarian tank, they would have won leningrad and Stalingrad and occupied Moscow. Germany produced the V1 and V2 pulse jet and rocket and the gyroscope which was a technological breakthrough. Not enough of these to change the course of the war, and not accurate enough. The ME Jet was also a marvel, but too late and still having teething issues and not effectively deployed and with all the pilots lost, not enough to fly the jets. England did have jet squadrons at wars end, not used in WWII other than small engagements. Germany produced high technology but low quality, low endurance tanks. The final versions of the submarines were technically brilliant, but not produced in a timely manner and most of the Sub crews had been blown out of the water, with radar the Subs lost their advantage. The ME109 was superior when it was first deployed but soon eclipsed by new versions of Spitfire and the Mosquito, mustang aircraft. the English and USA had much better bomber aircraft and developed the Flying Fortress which was a technological marvel, but also had many technological flaws. Britain had the tempest, but the most formidable plane in fact was again the robust and reliable Hurricane, not as fast or manoeuvrable as the ME109 or other German fighters, but easy to fly and easy to mass produce, also there were 600 more of these as the Hawker company began production without a confirmed air ministry order. the Bismarck was sunk by a torpedo bi-plane. So then as now reliability in the field, mass production and tactics proved more important than technological prowess. The jet engine, rocket propulsion, submarine advances, radar and other technologies were quickly incorporated into the victorious countries arsenal. Hitler missed his opportunity to develop the nuclear devices of the Manhattan project. Without the Jewish scientists Germanies war effort was less advanced than the USA and britain by war's end. Hitler had one half completed aircraft carrier. America had 8 or so when Pearl Harbour was attacked, and was building dozens by wars end. Britain had a number of aircraft carriers which made a difference.
Well I actually saw some of the last operational F-51's(P-51) in the world . While visiting the Dominican Republic back in the early 1980's their Air Force still flew the F-51's . We where playing golf at the Casa de Campo resort in la Romana and where watching them flying loops over the golf course . Well one pilot screwed up and wasn't quite high enough and buried his plane into the fairway. Sad but true .
Kept it straight.
General Trujillo bought the Mustard P51’s and the Dominican air force became the most formidable force within the Caribbean area.
The Mustang P-51D variant was and still is an amazing fighter. If it had existed early in the war I believe it would have changed history as we know it
When everyone was drooling over the spitfire I fell for the P51, 65 years later I still love the mustang and yes I kno it’s the merlin that made the plane it became
In my humble opinion: They are both unique in their own way (as most ww2 planes are). The Spit would be the charming gentleman, while the P51 is the rock'n'roller (Brits vs US). One of personal favorites would the Dehavilland Mosquito (not a fighter as such, I know).
@@phunkeehone All three were icons and magnificent aircraft in their own way. Each played a basically different roll at different times but all had the Merlin engine in common.
@@neilpountney9414
Absolutely, and it can't be denied that the Brits did an excellent job with the RR Merlin engine. I'm not much of an mechanic (only know basic stuff), but from what I know, it really worked wonders with upgrading fx the p51 to what it became. Liquid cooling instead of air cooling, etc. So hats off to the Brits.
@@phunkeehone Many thanks old boy !!!!
These MEN were actually MEN!!! I will always stand back in awe for these real heroes!
👍👍👍
Let's see you land a TomCat on a tossing Carrier at night in a rain squall - near death experience ! And women can do that as well !
They went from 300 miles with the thunder bolt too 2000 miles with the mustang ! Thats amazing
Ya it wasn't that simple.....The USAAF didn't allow pursuit aircraft like the p47 to have drop tanks initially even though it was capable from very early on. This always gets barried. Fast forward to late 43' and butts need to be covered for the terrible bomber and life losses in the bombing campaign....and to this day we're told that thank heavens the 51 came along.....the truth is two fold...The p51 was fantastic by 1944' but the P47 " in 1943 could have gone much further and been far more affective had they equipped it properly.
What's more amazing was that the p47n did the longest escort missions
100%! Facts!
The Mustang P-51D the most beautiful plane ever built. Bomber pilots had huge balls of steel. My respect for those airmen is endless.
Fantastic and emotionally strong. Thank you from Belgium 🇧🇪
🙏♥️👍
An excellent and captivating documentary. The hero pilot interviews were inspiring and reverent of them as young heroic men thrust into the arena of air warfare at such a young age. Liked the crew chief telling the pilot ‘he’d seen worse’, which gave him his confidence back. I wondered what the Germans first thought when the P-51s didn’t turn around on escort duty but continued all the way to and back from the target with the bombers. I also recall that the Tuscaloosa Airmen which came up from Italy to escort bombers never lost any bomber in a group they escorted during the war. S great documentary!
Excellent presentation. Thankfully “Miss Helen “
was a available making it possible to add attending footage for continuous footage. Their is footage of Kermit Weeks Mustang Preddy/Cripes A’Mighty 3rd Preddy’s last 328th FS “Cripes A’Mighty”
available. Sorry no mention of Major Preddy as having the distinction of being highest scoring P-51 Ace serving in
WW -2. Thank you for
an excellent documentary about the “Mustang”’
Glad you enjoyed it!
These men will never be forgot! America!
You dont often think about,how young these guys were.And they were young
The most beautiful airplane ever built...it just screams muscle and speed
It does have to be said that the P-51 was an unloved, unwanted , asthmatic aircraft until the British Rolls Royce Merlin engine was bolted on the front. ( Later built under licence by Packard ) So, yes it contributed to saving Europe, but the RR Merlin also saved the P-51.
Thankyou for that input at least someone knows what they are talking about unlike the smart arsed Wilbur f-nut.
When it was introduced it was faster than any spitfire at the time
I used to see RR engines on many commercial planes when I traveled as a kid. I was never afraid once I saw that RR on the cowling outside my window.
@@Slaktrax The mark V was in a different class as a dog fighter.
@@wilburfinnigan2142 I could be wrong but it was Eastern Airlines and wasn’t as big as a DC 6. The 6s were later. It’s been a long time but I think the flight went from NYC to Atlanta I couldn’t have been older than 6 myself. Those were the days when you walked up on the tarmac to enter the plane.
P51 MUSTANG .. Awesome
Design .. engineers and
Technician s ... 👍
what a time to be alive. Thanks for the video.
🙏👍
Thanks for sharing what I didn't know the Merlin was built in America under Packard anyway, perfect match. Sawadee 🤠
You bet
P51 mustang is just Amazing, the sound and its power
What amazes me is in the span of 40 years how much the airplane improved to a highly precision machine.
Yes, that was incredible. It’s like comparing a horse and buggy to a Lamborghini. If the war would have taken another three years with the speed that technology was growing. Both sides would’ve had a decent jet fighter..
....I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE...WHAT BRAVE PILOTS....
I love watching these WW2 vets. By now in time, it almost been sadly lost to further explore with them, so these videos are all they have left to teach us.
Little wonder it was called the cadilac of the sky with that quality Rolls Royce engine !! ✌️💯🇬🇧🇺🇲
When the Yanks and the British use their engineering skills together they produce machines like the P51 and the AC Cobra . Respect
I know the Mustang may be a thoroughbred, and I think it’s a beautiful airframe, but I know a lot of pilots given the choice of either flying a Mustang or a JUG behind enemy lines, and able to get you home safely after loads of punishment. They would choose the Jug. The P-47 was the ultimate sting and attack aircraft for ground targets, and was able to take the punishment from return fire. Both planes had different areas of excellence, and I think I would choose a P-51 if I was flying high and after bombers and other fighter aircraft. But I would definitely choose a P-47 if my mission was grounding attack!
Imagine drinking a beer in Berlin, looking up and seeing 1,000 trails of the bombers ...
❤❤❤ Georg from Europe, Thanks, Thanks, Pilots ❤ Tschechoslovakai vrom Prag
Wow, what an AIRCRAFT! John P.
The Spitfire and Concorde were the most beautiful planes ever built. The Mustang only became a decent plane once it had the Merlin V16 engine from the Spitfire installed.
The early marks of Halifax's were dangerous because they went into an inverted spin if dived etc. Actually you mentioned that towards the end. Cheshire stated there was an awareness of this even at the time. The mkIii version in the end cured most problems they also had a longer wingspan when the rounded wings were added. Improving ceiling which was poor in the early versions
My Nana and Pop were children in occupied Holland. She told me the story of being on a train that was buzzed by an Allied Fighter near the end of the war. The train stopped and everyone got out and ran into the field before the fighter shot the Engine up.
An excellent presentation, thanks.
American and british air forces really put the mustang up in the sky, Ford+RollsRoyce, to win many battles, but also Mr koga's Zero that was captured and studied to know its secrets helped alot
So Henry Ford gave money and trucks to Adenoids Hynkel for the Mustangs to shoot up - Ford refused to build Merlins to be used against his friends in Germany - lt was Packard- and good engineers they were ! NOT FORD ! Ford demanded compensation for his slave labour factories that the Allies bombed - he and GM were paid compensation for damage Mustangs and others did to their German Factories !
@jack tattis good on yer - and the zero had no secrets - just a light weight death trap - with no long term future ( for its pilots)
@@jacktattisGood grief. If British military power matched the size of British arrogance, Britain could have single-handedly won the war.
Glamorous Glennis.
Don Blakeslee: what a legend. RIP, sir.
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Thank you! Best video about the P-51 Mustang that I’ve ever seen.
Thank you
My God. Flying war machines at 20 years old 💪
thank you for all that served. hopefully it was volunteered.
I can imagine these guys in a bar with a few beers under their belts. Each one bragging and in the faces of the others. The fact that they are still alive, have some stories to relate, and ready at moments notice to put their life on the line kept their ego fed to the point of an immediate brawl with another of their own side. I’m sure the MPs had to be tough guys too, hoping the guy they had to arrest was drunk enough to subdue. LOL! I can just hear the volume in the bar escalating as the arguing and cockiness escalated and the fists got going.
Fighter pilots have to be aggressive otherwise they wouldn't be fighter pilots. Young kids wouldn't understand - too emotionally frail.
Unbelievable what these men went through, I was born 25 years to late and now battling woke bull s..t. Was the greatest generation. Thanks to all who gave and the ones who came home.
Not sure how/why your political battles are relevant or comparable to what these pilots and crew did but you be you.
Great plane! As is the F4u Corsair. The Corsair wins for me, though.
little buddies...angel on our side...