P-51B/C Mustang

Chris Bucholtz embarked on a writing career after a six-year stint in the US Navy. His books include bestselling titles for Osprey's AEU and ACE series. An avid scale modeller, he runs his own scale model detail parts company, Obscureco. Chris, a California native, lives with his wife Elizabeth and his daughter Amelia in Alameda.The illustrators for this volume are Gareth Hector (cover and battlescene), Jim Laurier (armament views) and Tim Brown (ribbon diagrams).

• Chapter 1In BattleThe story of the Medal of Honor-earning mission of Col James Howard on 11 January 1944, in which he defended bombers single-handedly for 30 minutes and scored three victories, plus a probable.Chapter 2Setting the SceneThe development of the Merlin/Mustang combination, manufacturing, the P-51B/C’s introduction into combat and the transition of existing USAAF fighter units from the P-47 to the Mustang.Chapter 3Path to CombatThe careers of two Mustang pilots – Kelly Gross of the 354th FG, who went five months without a victory (but later became an ace) and named his plane ‘Live Bait!’ after the instructions given to him by his commanding officer, and William Whisner of the 352nd FG, who destroyed six of his eventual 16.4 German aircraft in a P-51B christened ‘Princess Elizabeth’ after he met the future monarch. Chapter 4 Weapon of warA brief technical appraisal of the P-51B/C, detailing its development and the weaponry it employed, including issues that needed to be resolved with its 0.50-calibre guns and fuselage tank, and performance differences between the P-51B/C and the later P-51D/K.Chapter 5 Art of WarExamination of the various co-operative tactics employed for dealing with Bf 109 and Fw 190 escorts, Werfer-Granate 21-firing Bf 110s, Do 217s and Ju 88s, and Sturmbocke bomber-destroyer Fw 190s; “zoom-and-boom” energy attacks; and tactics for maintaining formation discipline when opposing high-speed diving attacks by German fighters.Chapter 6 CombatIn this chapter, Mustang pilots discuss combat against the Bf 109, Fw 190 and bomber-destroyer types, as well as the declining quality of their opposition from ‘Big Week’ through to D-Day.AftermathAppendicesAcknowledgmentsSelected SourcesIndex

Chris Bucholtz, an accomplished author who has written for Osprey before, delves thoroughly into the development, introduction, and combat employment of this groundbreaking legendary fighter plane that came at a time when United States Army Air Forces (USAAAF) bomber losses due to lack of the escorting fighter’s range had risen at alarming rates.