Wartime Mustang IV photo query

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:04 am

OK folks, here's one I found in the Royal Australian Air Force Museum's archive. It's a Mustang Mk.IV (P-51D equivalent) and the caption just says 'Italy, 1945'. I'm not a Mustang man, they being so common and all, but the markings are new to me. It's a grainy pic, so I doubt I'd be able to get better out of it. The presumption I'm working on is that it's a RAAF machine, perhaps 3 Sqn?

Any input gratefully received.

dollar65 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:08 am

Hi James,

There's a picture of a landing Mustang III, with "nose art" under the cockpit and white tail tip, similar to yours, in the book "Mustang, a documentary history" by Jeff Ethell. The caption says the plane belonged to n°5 squadron, n°7 SAAF Wing.

HTH,

Laurent

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:46 am

JDK wrote:

I'm not a Mustang man, they being so common and all,

Oh, you hateful, petty man... :wink:

T J

ZuluEcho · **Joined:** Mon Aug 28, 2006 6:03 am **Posts:** 115

I'll go through my books on Mustangs but i'm pretty sure its not SAAF..
dollar would you be able to post a scan of that photo? cheers

David W3 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:16 am **Posts:** 16

It is definitely not 3 or 450 RAAF. 5 SAAF had MkIVAs with white fin/rudder tips and similar art.

L2Driver · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:52 pm

RAAF 3 Sqdn Mustangs had blue rudders with the stars for the southern cross on them. This would apply to both the natural metal and camo painted aircraft.

19 Sqdn RAF flew Mustang IVs and had white tips to the vertical stabilizers.

Only part of the serial number is visible. To me, it looks like 741. From my notes, the only Mustang IVs using these numbers would be KM-series aircraft. Mustang IV (P-51D) in this series include KM493 thru KM743. Obviously KM741 would be inclusive.

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:53 pm

Thanks chaps, a lot further than I'd have got unaided. Any positive ID appreciated. Anyone agree there's a *A741 to be read as the serial?

Buz · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:48 am

Hi

This Mustang is indeed from 5SAAF and was taken in Italy during early 1945.

It's serial number is KM741 and is marked as GL-I

regards

Buz

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:15 am

Thanks Buz.

And I should add that the Lizzies are on hold, but will happen in an issue or two - before which you will hear from me!

Cheers

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:14 am

sorry to interfere.... it's KH741, a Dallas-built P-51K-1-NT with USAAF serial 44-11508..... delivered November 1944

KM741 was a P-51D-25-NT, serial 44-84718... built late in the war and definitely not delivered under lend-lease to the RAF before the end of hostilities in the ETO....

just to keep things clear

cordially
Martin

L2Driver · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:40 pm

Swiss Mustangs wrote:

sorry to interfere.... it's KH741, a Dallas-built P-51K-1-NT with USAAF serial 44-11508..... delivered November 1944

KM741 was a P-51D-25-NT, serial 44-84718... built late in the war and definitely not delivered under lend-lease to the RAF before the end of hostilities in the ETO....

just to keep things clear

cordially
Martin

Thanks, Martin!

Anyone know where KH741 was assigned??? According to notes, the Mustang Mk. IV/IVA became standard equipment with 19, 64, 65, 112, 118, 122, 154, 213, 149, 260, 303, 306, 442 and 611 Squadrons.

I don't know how accurate the squadron list is. RAAF squadrons would be in the 400-series and the only one listed, 442 Sqdn, was RCAF.

Buz · **Posted:** Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:21 pm

Before retreating back into the safety of P-40's (sorry Martin, I stand corrected with the serial, and now back into my box...lol)

Mustang IV's were used by 3 Sqdn RAAF, and by 5 Sqdn SAAF, 450Sqdn flew some Mk.III's , but not IV's (may have been one but unproven at this time).

3Sqdn Received it's first MK.IV's 10th Dec 1944, and delivered their last ones to 380MU 10th Aug 1945.

Getting back int my box, and safely snuggling up to P-40's again

Buz

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:15 am

L2Driver wrote:

Anyone know where KH741 was assigned???

No. 5 Sqdn SAAF as given by Buz is correct.....

Martin

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:55 am

Not sure where you guys are getting KM of KH from... whatever the second letter is, it's most assuredly an A, (as James mentioned) not an H or an M. Where does this lead us?

Cheers,
Richard

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:17 am

RMAllnutt wrote:

Not sure where you guys are getting KM of KH from... whatever the second letter is, it's most assuredly an A, (as James mentioned) not an H or an M. Where does this lead us?

Cheers,
Richard

it leads us nowhere - it definitely is KH741 -

the photo is grainy, the edge of the flap distorts the serial even further....

believe me.... before I do post an ID like here, I've done my homework....

Martin
P-51 historian
http://www.swissmustangs.ch

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Wartime Mustang IV photo query

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