‘Ground Attack’

P-51 Mustang MARGIE MARU, JULIENNE HI!, Beantown Banshee
353rd F.S. Lashenden , Kent, D-Day 6th June 1944.

P-51B-5-NA 43-6425 / MARGIE MARU of Maj Jack T Bradley, CO of the 353rd FS

A long-lived P-51, by the time 43-6425 was salvaged on 8 November 1944, it had destroyed 16 aircraft during the course of 125 missions. Initially issued to Bradley, who named it after his wife, the fighter was used by him to score most of his 15 kills. With 12.666 damaged claims, as well as three probables, Bradley maintained that if he had been a better shot he could have been the ETO’s top ace!

P-51C-10-NT 42-1037987 / JULIENNE HI! of Lt John G Montijo Jr, 353rd FS

This P-51 was named in honour of Julienne High School, in California, whose students had raised part of the money to pay for its manufacture. With its painted name, nose ring and invasion stripes, 42-103798 made for a most colourful Mustang.

P-51B-7-NA 43-6S33 / Beantown Banshee of Capt Felix M Rogers, 353rd FS

Although Beantown Banshee was used by Ken Dahlberg to score his first two kills, the fighter was actually assigned to seven-kill ace Felix ‘Mike’ Rogers. 43-6833 was Rogers’ second Beantown Banshee, the first being identically-marked P-51B-1 43-12161. Adorned with full D-Day stripes, the fighter’s yellow spinner provides the only unit identity beyond its ‘FT’ codes – the black nose ring is a vestige of the recognition markings applied to P-51s in the ETO. 43-6833 was a rare P-51B-7-NA, fitted with an extra 75 US gal fuel tank in the fuselage. It was also amongst the first 769 delivered in OD and grey (43-7083 was the first P-51B sent from the factory unpainted).

Source : Osprey Aviation Books, Aviation Elite 7. ISBN 1-84176-315-2

Scale 1:72    Base Size 23.5″ x 14.5″ (600mm x 370mm)
Limited Edition of 50 only
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