P51-B Mustang Fighter,
similar to the one flown by Charles F. Gumm.

Above: Photograph from Stars and Stripes Vol. 4, No. 62 January 1944.

  armaments

  six 0.5 in. cal. machine guns
  and ten 5 in. rockets or
  2,000 lbs. of bombs.
 

The Mustang P-51B In New Condition
(Artist's Impression)

The P-51A Mustang was designed by Raymond Rice and Edgar Schmued for the North American Aviation Company in 1940. Its design specifications were based upon the British requirements for a new fighter and its first flight took place on 26th October, 1940. The first P-51A Mustang arrived on 24th October 1941 at Liverpool docks, England for test flights. The maiden flight of its successor, the XP-51B, took place on 30th November, 1942 piloted by Bob Chilton. The first production P-51B flew on 5th May, 1943 and delivery to England started later that year. Assembly, modification for operational use and flight testing were carried out at the US 8th Airforce  Base Area Depot (BAD) No. 2 at Warton (recorded as 'Wartun' in the Domesday Book) in Lancashire. During the Second World War Warton's principal function was to receive a full range of new aircraft, including the P-51B,  from the USA and modify them for operational use. Between 2,000 and 3,000 aircraft would be continuously on site. Following assembly, the P-51Bs were assigned to the 354th Fighter Squadron. Then, following a short period of  intensive training, enemy combat missions started in December, 1943. Warton was closed as an American base at the end of the war.