The magnificent formation flight of three WWII P-51 Mustang fighters in Switzerland

The North American P-51 Mustang fighter made its first flight on October 26, 1940, and first entered service in 1942.

A great report showing how a P-51D Mustang was inside and how it worked
Just like old times: P-51 Mustang fighters escorting a B-17 bomber

This excellent aircraft, with a Packard V-1650-7 inline engine (derived from the famous Rolls Royce Merlin of the British Spitfires), reached a maximum speed of 765 km/h and had a range of up to 2,755 km. Its formidable performance made it one of the best fighters of the Second World War.

More than 15,000 P-51s were built, and were used during that war by military forces in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Republic of China, and Poland. Hundreds of P-51s still survive today, and many are still airworthy. This Thursday, Matthias Haenni posted an excellent video of a display of three of these aircraft in Bern, Switzerland. I recommend listening to it with the volume turned up – the roar of their engines is pure poetry:

You can see here some screenshots from the video with some data on these three planes:

P-51B Mustang 324823 "Berlin Express". This aircraft was built in 1944 with serial number 43-24837. It currently flies under the US civil registration N515ZB. It is owned by Comanche Maverick Air, of Houston, Texas. It is one of only three P-51Bs left in the US in flying condition.

P-51D Mustang 413305 "The Hun Hunter\Texas". Built in 1944 with serial number 44-74391, it currently flies under the US civil registration NL351MX. It is also owned by Comanche Maverick Air. There are 119 airworthy P-51Ds in the US, making it the most numerous World War II aircraft still flying in that country.

P-51D Mustang 472927 "Frances Dell". It was built in 1944 with serial number 44-13903. It currently flies under the US civil registration N51ZW. It is owned by Sky West Aviation Inc Trustee, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.