Anthony Buechler’s P-51D | EAA Warbirds QR Code Website

History:
This P-51D model “Mustang”, serial 44-72942,was built in fall of 1944 by North American Aviation in Inglewood, California. It was delivered to Army Air Force in Feb 1945 and shipped to the 12th Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in Europe. It was transferred to the 15th AF and would have served in the 332nd, 325th, 31st or 52nd fighter groups in Italy and into southern Germany in the spring of 1945. The exact disposition of “942” is not known while in combat service in Europe. Of particular interest though is that the 332nd FG was the red tail Tuskegee Airmen.

In September of 1945 this Mustang was one of the few aircraft from a combat theater to be shipped back to the United States,the vast majority being left overseas. It served in several ANG units until 44-72942 was dropped from USAF inventory as surplus and sold on September 20, 1957 to Dale Newton for $755. The aircraft passed thru several brief owners until October 1962 when it was purchased by Robert E. Fulton,Jr, inventor of the Fulton Airphibian and Skyhook Air Rescue System. Bob flew this Mustang extensively over the next 22 years finally selling the somewhat tired P-51 to Gordon Plaskett in 1984. The aircraft underwent a complete restoration and was painted in the colors of Lt.Col.John C. Meyer, commander of the 487th FS, 352nd FG, 8th AF in Europe.

I purchased the aircraft in 1985 and have flown it more than 2,600 hours over the last 33 years. It has been remarkably reliable and has never had a major mechanical failure or in flight emergency of any kind. Wonderful airplane.

During WWII, about 15,500 Mustangs were built of which about 175 are flyable today. Maybe another 100 are in museums worldwide on static display. But of surviving examples only a handful are known to have actually served in a combat theater. Almost all of the P-51s that exist today were new in boxes at the end of the war, ready for shipment.

Tony Buechler June,2018

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Specifications

Registration Number	Date of Manufacture
N5427V	1944
Aircraft Role	Nickname
Fighter	Mustang
Aircraft Type:	Wingspan:
North American P-51 “Mustang”	37 feet .5 inches
Overall length:	Empty weight:
32 feet 9 inches	7125 pounds
Gross weight:	Fuel capacity:
12,100 pounds	1300 miles
Oil capacity	Engine type:
21 gal	Single 1695 hp Packard Merlin V1650-7 V12 piston engine
Propeller type:	Max Speed
Hamilton Standard, 4 blade	437 mph
Rate of Climb	Cruise Speed
	235 mph
Service Ceiling	Number of Crew
41,900 feet	Single
Armament	Bomb Load
Six 12.7 mm wing mounted machine guns	Two 1000 lb bombs or Six Rockets
Number Built	Number Surviving
15018	175 flyable, 100 in museums