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North
American P 51D Mustang
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The Mustang
fighter that became the first fighter to accompany bombers to Berlin in
World War Two was the fortuitous combination of North American
airframe and Rolls Royce powerplant. The RNZAF received 30 Mustangs in
late 1945 of what would have been 370 replacements for the Corsairs then
operational in the RNZAF. War's end led to the cancellation of the
remainder, and the activation of the aircraft in 1951 for the Territorial
Airf Force. ZK-TAF present today was imported into New Zealand from the
United States by Tim Wallace and painted as NZ2145, a machine with the TAF
at Wigram. ZK-TAF has returned the distinctive Merlin sound to air show
crowds. The aircraft moved from the Alpine Fighter Collection to ownership
in Auckland with Warbirds, the former organisation have since obtained
another. |
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