P-51 Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail Squadron
Description:
Base:
Red Wing, MN
Website:
| P-51 Specs | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | North American Aviation |
| Introduced | Jan 1942 |
| Power | 1 × Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled V-12, with a 2 stage intercooled supercharger, 1,490 hp |
| Length | 32 ft 3 in |
| Height | 13 ft 4½ in |
| Wingspan | 37 ft 0 in |
| Range | 1,650 mi with external tanks |
RIDE INFO Rides in the P-51 Tuskegee Airmen can be scheduled by calling the Logistics Director at (802) 371-8838 or via email at logistics@cafriseabove.org. Rides are about 20 minutes and cost $2500. (Pricing and availability are subject to change. Please contact the Logistics Director for the most recent/accurate information.
HISTORY The CAF Red Tail Squadron’s P-51C Mustang, named Tuskegee Airmen, is an authentic and fully restored operational fighter from the WWII era. This awe-inspiring aircraft sparks conversations to educate young and old alike about the often-overlooked history of the Tuskegee Airmen who flew this same model as their signature aircraft in World War II. It is quite simply a museum without walls… and an awe-inspiring one at that!
Our P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen, tail number N61429, saw service stateside as a trainer in 1945, then declared surplus after the war ended. It was displayed at Montana State College (now Montana State University) for 40 years before being donated for restoration. The CAF took possession of the aircraft in the late 1980s and was initially restored to flying condition in 2001.
The P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used in World War II, the Korean War, and other conflicts. Designed in 1940 by North American Aviation, it was developed for the British Purchasing Commission, which initially sought licensed production of Curtiss P-40 fighters. Instead of adopting an older design, North American proposed a more advanced fighter, leading to the creation of the Mustang—one of the most effective and iconic aircraft of its era.
