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North American P51-D Mustang

Awesome Whistle And Roar As The Mustang Swoops Low

The P51-D Mustang is without doubt a favourite of warbird enthusiasts worldwide, and there's nothing quite like the roar and whistle that the Merlin-powered aircraft creates when it's being displayed at low altitude...


When this photo was taken in 2014, 'Marinell' was owned and operated by the Hardwick Warbirds group in the East Anglia area of the UK. The aircraft was seen taking off prior to a display at Little Gransden.     Photo: Historical Aviation Film Unit

'Marinell' is the name given to this aircraft (s/n 4413521) by Capt Bradford Stevens of the 504th Fighter Squadron in 1944. In August that year the aircraft was being flown on a low level mission over France by 2nd/Lt Meyer Winkelman when it was hit and damaged. Winkelman attempted a belly landing of the aircraft just north of Paris, but unfurtunately he did not survive the attempt. The aircraft was eventually recovered from a scrapyard and spent some time as a museum exhibit in France before being purchased for restoration by Maurice Hammond of the Hardwick Warbirds. The aircraft's first post-restoration flight took place in 2008.

This video shows the P51 at low level, displaying at the Little Gransden airshow in the UK.

There appears to be much debate as to what part of the P51 actualy causes the whistling sound. Some enthusiasts claim it's the supercharger, while others say it's the sound of the airflow across the gun ports, while yet others say it's the cooling ducts under the wings. Whatever the truth of the matter is, it's simply an awesome sound to hear in conjunction with the roar of a v-12 Rolls Royce (or Packard-built) Merlin engine.


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