North American P-51D Mustang -“Tuskegee Airmen”
In mid-1942, training of the USAAF’s first group of African-American pilots began at an airfield in Tuskegee, Alabama. The first of these “Tuskegee Airmen” formed the 99th Fighter Squadron and under the command of Lt. Col. Benjamin Davis, they were deployed in June 1943 to North Africa in P-40s. After completing training in October 1943, the 100th, 301st, and 302nd fighter squadrons formed the 332nd Fighter Group, with Davis as the group’s commander. The 332nd was deployed to the Italy with P-39s in February 1944 but soon converted to the P-47 in April. The unit scored its first aerial victory while escorting bombers to Munich in June before converting to P-51B/Cs later that month. This was followed by a final conversion to P-51Ds in November as the 332nd, which by this time also included the 99th FS, continued to escort bombers against targets in Southern Germany and Eastern Europe. Col. Davis stressed to his pilots that their job was to protect the bombers and due to this mindset, in 100 missions the 332nd only lost 25 B-17 and B-24 bombers that they were tasked to escort. This was impressive considering a loss rate of 25 bombers per mission was common at the time, and bomber crews came to call the 332nd the Red-Tail Angels, since they would remain with the bombers at all times.
Specifications and Features
Parts for 2 kinds of canopies and 75 gallon drop tanks are included
Includes canopy masking stickers
The following decal markings are included:
1) 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Piloted by Captain Roscoe Brown
2) 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Piloted by First Lieutenant W. Williams
3) 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group
