How to Fly the P-51 Mustang video covers the North American P-51 fighter of World War II. Included are six films and the P-51 pilot's manual.
Film #1 - Flight Characteristics of the North American P-51 Mustang. Covers all aspects of the theory & practice of P-51 operations, including takeoffs, landings, aerobatics, dive limits, and laminar wing airflow theory. Oscar nominee Lee J. Cobb plays Mustang designer 'Dietz' in this detailed pilot training film. Often called the best all around piston engine fighter of World War 2, Chuck Yeager became an ace in the '51. The Mustang's very high speed and all 'round qualities as a fighter coupled with extreme range for use as a bomber escort and interdicting fighter bomber were crucial factors when the 8th Air Force turned the tide of the Air War over Europe. In B+W with a run time of about 31 minutes.
Film #2 - The 354th Fighter Group 'Mustang Pioneers' Color Scrapbook. Exclusive production. Rare color footage of the legendary 354 Fighter Group, with over 700 Kills, the highest scoring American unit in Europe. You'll see great aces like G.T.Eagleston and B.W. Carr at work and at play in their newly captured base in Germany in Spring, 1945, only a few months before war's end. Nice shots of the groups well known P-51Ds too, including "Margie Maru" and "Angel's Playmate." This was the first group to fly P-51s in the ETO. In color with a run time of about 9 minutes.
Film #3 - Fight for the Sky. Hard-to-find 40-minute version. In February of 1944, General Jimmy Doolittle 'turned loose' his fighters for the first time to go after the Luftwaffe where they lived. This marked a radical change in strategy from the disastrous tactics of 1943 that kept escorting fighters chained to bombers. Now, US fighters, including the super long range P-51, probed deep into Germany, catching the opposition on the ground, inflicting mortal damage. This tactic marked a turning point in the war in the air in the ETO, and contributed to critical total air superiority over the beaches of Normandy. This feature combines thrilling combat footage filmed by 8th Air Force combat cameramen with some of the most action packed, down and dirty World War II gun camera footage you'll ever see! In B+W with a run time of about 40 minutes.
Film #4 - A Day with the A-36s. Unique extended color version with newly discovered footage. Very rare color combat footage of an A-36A 'Invader' (the ground attack version of the P-51 Mustang) fighter/bomber squadron in action in Sicily. The A36A was equipped with the Mustang's original Allison engine (as opposed to the Rolls Royce Merlin adapted so successfully in the escort versions) which worked just fine for low level work. This exciting film includes incredible cockpit views of actual ground attack runs as well as fascinating views of a captured air base. Note the quad 20mm cannons on this fast and powerful attack plane, very unusual on an American fighter. You'll also see ground crews doing their critical support work, including fueling, rearming and maintaining these sleek birds. One of the hidden gems in this film are up close views of captured or destroyed Axis aircraft, including an He 111, FW-190, Ju 88, and a rare view of an intact Italian Macchi 202 "Folgore" in full desert cammo. In color with a run time of about 14 minutes.
Film #5 - Air Attacks Against Italy. More exciting 'from the cockpit' views of A-36 bombing & strafing attacks near Rome in 1944. This is a short film, but it's nonstop action! Some of the best footage of US dive bombing attacks you will find anywhere. In B+W with a run time of about 6 minutes.
Film #6 - Luftwaffe Finis Bonus feature. Exclusive production. Newly discovered color footage of top Luftwaffe leaders and pilots taken as they fell into Allied hands at the end of World War II. You'l see startlingly realistic color footage of Herman Goering, Adolf Galland, Hans Ulrich Rudel and many more. Captured aircraft are shown as well, including an Me 262, the first jet fighter, and an FW 190. You'll be amazed when you see these color images. In color with a run time of about 12 minutes.
A 112-page P-51D pilot's manual is included on the DVD. It is in .pdf file format with detailed photos, systems diagrams, performance charts, procedures & more. The manual can be accessed on a computer equipped with a DVD drive.
The DVD is in NTSC format and region-free. It is packaged in a plain clear plastic C-Shell DVD case without paper graphics.
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