Photo by John Lackey  #avgeek    

Originally shared by Fly By Photography

Mustang Monday!

Today’s Mustang Monday is a bit of a twofer. In my photo you see the P-51D Mustang “Excalibur” flown by Capt. Dale “Snort” Snodgrass USNRet. with an F-86 Sabre flown by Ed Shipley in tight trail formation photographed at the 2007 NAS Oceana Airshow.

Both aircraft are products of the North American Aviation Company. Both used cutting edge technology of the time. Both fought in wars in which they gained and maintained air superiority over the enemy. Both were used simultaneously during the Korean War, albeit in different roles.

The P-51 was first flown in 1940. Designed at an escort fighter it saw combat with the USAAF in 1943. It had a top speed of 437 mph, a service ceiling of 41,900 ft and a range of 1,650 miles.

The F-86 was first flown in 1947. It entered service with the USAF in 1949 and first saw combat in the Korean War in 1953. It had a top speed of 687 mph, a service ceiling of 49,600 ft and a range of 1,525 miles.

Both the Mustang and Sabre fought in the Korean War. The Sabre was used as a fighter. The Mustang, now obsolete in the fighter role, was loaded with rockets, bombs or photo-reconnaissance gear and used as a strike and close air support aircraft.

“Dueling Mustang and Sabre”
http://goo.gl/EehRqD
Capt. Dale “Snort” Snodgrass in the P-51 Mustang in the lead with Ed Shipley in the F-86 Sabre on his wing.