P-51D MUSTANG – WD-C
Built at the North American Aviation production line at Inglewood California in mid 1944 with the serial number 44-73877.
Assigned to the USAAF from July 1945 – 1951. It then served with the Royal Canadian Air Force 403 ‘City of Calgary’ Squadron until April 1959 when it was retired.
WD-C then passed into private ownership before undergoing a major restoration. It was then a regular on the airshow circuit carrying a number of markings. In April 2020 WD-C took the colours of Col Donald Blakeslee, Commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Group, the Debden Eagles.
Colonel Blakeslee flew more combat missions than any other American fighter pilot, and stood credited with 15.5 confirmed kills. Blakeslee’s personal standing among Allied pilots was considerable. British ace Johnnie Johnson described him as “One of the best leaders ever to fight over Germany”.
- Built by North American Aviation in July of 1945, serial# 44-73877
- Served with the USAAF at several training units before it was transferred to the Canadian Air Force 1951-1959
- It was bought by Anders Sæther in 1980 and painted as “Old Crow”
- The Mustang has starred in several movies including Memphis Belle
- In 2012 it was sold from Nordic Warbirds to Shaun Patrick. And was on the English register as G-SHWN
- The Mustang sported a RAF colour scheme until the Spring of 2020, and was often referred to as “The Shark” which served with 112 Squadron in Sicily and Southern Italy at the end of WWII
- 2020 current markings applied as personal aircraft of Col Donald Blakeslee , 4th Fighter Group
- Now registered as G-CMDK and provides passenger flights at Biggin Hill and joins the Rolls Royce Heritage Flight based at East midlands Airport
See the Mustang in Action
Our P-51D over Kent
Flights in a Two Seat WWII veteran P-51D Mustang ‘W-DC’ from Biggin Hill
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