P-51 Mustang Series: Part 4 - Low Level P-51 Flight Over Germany

[@jamesfenton3751]

Rare to see a Mustang ride video where the reporter understands and appreciates the history with the ability to convey the wartime experience. Could almost feel the turbulence and imagine what it was like to come back after a very long mission and fight the weather to hopefully find your home base. Excellent series on the P-51, thank you for your work!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you James, it was a lot of fun but always with the thought in mind of what those young men had to achieve just to make it home day after day! The P-51 is an amazing aircraft still to this day and I hope I did the aircraft the justice it deserves! Thanks again for watching the series!

[@johnhayes9547]

I was lucky enough to fly in the BBMF Lancaster when I was in the Air Force. That was 11 years ago and I’m still smiling 😊

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Oh wow!!!!!! Now I am very jealous of that!!! I bet that was a fantastic experience! Did the loadmaster let you move around the Lanc in flight or did you have to man one specific section or crew position?

[@johnhayes9547]

It was a 2 and a half hour sortie, half in the Rear turret half in the Mid upper. Great channel just found it and haven’t done much work today. 😂

[@WW2Wayfinder]

That’s incredible!!!! I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like. Several years ago I was lucky enough to ride in the Lancaster at East Kirkby which was amazing but to fly in a Lanc would be my dream!!! I’d love a pax trip and to man the rear turret. Having read so many stories about those lads manning the guns at the back of the aircraft, isolated from the east of the crew and essentially being the first line of defence against the night fighters, they will always have my respect!

[@Pandrnchicken]

Great ride!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Garrett, as always thank you for your support, it means a heck of a lot!

[@TheHistoryWonderer]

So cool! That sums it up!!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you! It was so incredible to experience it!

[@SteveMrW]

That looked amazing.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thanks Steve, it was an incredible experience especially with the cloud base being as low as it was. Really gave a sense of just how bad the weather could be over North West Europe from 1944-45!

[@ricksmith4874]

Excellent! I have enjoyed your series on the P-51 but this video takes the cake. Also thanks to the pilot for the ride.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you Rick, Wilhelm is an excellent pilot and really knows how to get the best from that amazing aircraft. Glad you enjoyed the series!

[@jgonzalez101]

WOW, how exciting to be flying in a P-51 Mustang, and especially in the skies of Germany! You can't get any more authentic than that! 👍❤️🇺🇸 🛫

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was incredible! It was so low it felt like we were skidding over the fields!

[@cgpapineau]

Extremely cool! I also want to thank you for having no background music other than the glorious Rolls Royce/Packard Merlin. Thank you for this series that gave the viewer as much realism and detailed information as possible. The Louisiana Kid is strikingly beautiful!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Charles you’re most welcome and no amount of music beats a V12😉 Would be a huge injustice to cover up that glorious sound! The Louisiana Kid is a beautiful P-51 and her owner Wilhelm is true gentleman and incredible pilot. It was a real privilege to be able to fly with him. Thanks for watching!

[@chadhaase1516]

Great video!! Thanks for putting this together

[@WW2Wayfinder]

No problem Chad, glad you enjoyed watching it! Definitely something I could get used to doing if I had the chance!!!! Just as long as the Luftwaffe wasn’t after me!

[@machien321]

Must be a dream come true...the sound of this machine...no words to discribe it!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was epic, truly an experience of a life time and real gave a great impression of just how demanding these machines were and still are to operate - and I was just a passenger!

[@machien321]

@@WW2Wayfinder I bet it was emotional too...I had the privilege of seeing and hearing one at an airshow in Holland. It brought tears to my eyes when it roared over with this siren like compressorsound. The scream of freedom...thank you for sharing this!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

You’re welcome 😃

[@benjisterchi5195]

Hat’s off to the owner and his piloting skills. More importantly, keeping this piece of history airworthy.

[@ruthirace4134]

Great video - glad you enjoyed your ride and view. Love the engine sounds of the old warbirds! You're right - they sound totally different on the inside vs outside! Thanks again!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you! Sitting in the back and skimming low over the fields was an experience that still makes me smile when I think of it today!

[@SondraD7676]

Amazing flight and perspective! It was exciting to ride along with you! It immediately strikes me the efforts it had to have taken to design, build, fuel and maintain the P-51. Then multiply that by every piece of equipment over the war years. The collective efforts of the people in each country, each facing the enemy on so many levels are astounding. I cannot imagine a country or the world uniting in this way today. Enjoyed the P-51 series!!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

The story of the 8th Air Force and all the Air Forces that operated the P-51 is truly incredible isn’t it. One vast team effort spread across thousands of miles. Quite astonishing when you step back and try and look at it all! Glad you enjoyed the series, I’ll have to find another iconic Warbird for the next one 😬😃

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder If I had one, I’d let you fly it! Sadly… 😂

[@alantoon5708]

People had a lot more practical intelligence in those days.

[@JKCHAPMAN1]

Incredible 👏 I’m glad you got to experience your dream! I flew out to Oregon this year to for full mine! a ride in a B-17 ♥️

[@WW2Wayfinder]

I bet that was amazing! I'd love to be able to ride ina B-17 one day and try and get a small sense of what the various crew positions were like. Which B-17 did you fly on?

[@NDB469]

Incredible! Awesome you got to that!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was an amazing experience and one I won't forget!

[@TribeTaz]

My new favorite video. The look on your face taking off was classic. I will be going to the National Museum of The United States Air Force next weekend. I am pretty sure they have a P51 there. Will take a picture, if they do, and send to you

[@garysimpson3900]

What a noise. What an experience.

[@richardmardis2492]

Bubble canapé is well demonstrated- wow!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

The view is amazing, must have been a huge game changer for the pilots who transferred from the B/C models.

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder Yeah, with that greenhouse 🤣

[@spyroslazarides8189]

Very good presentation! All the best. Keep on !!!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you so much!

[@TravelingToHistory]

That is so cool man!! I bet that was in the top 3 life experience. I wouldn't be able to sleep for days because of the adrenaline. Cool video as always Bud 😉

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thanks mate, it was truly epic! It really made me realise how incredible the Mustang truly was!

[@larryburwell8550]

amazing flight

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was incredible! Wilhelm is a great pilot and it was amazing skimming under the clouds at such a low level! Thank you for watching!

[@larryburwell8550]

thank you for sharing@@WW2Wayfinder

[@duanelawrence78]

So very cool!!✌️🇺🇲

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you Duane, the P-51 is definitely my all time favourite warbird!

[@steveb5341]

This was brilliant mate looked a great ride 👏🏻

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thanks Steve! It was incredible, and a major bucket list item ticked off! Made me realise how much hard work must have gone into flying an escort mission to Berlin and back and how exhausted they’d be after getting back to England.

[@stevenrafters7817]

Absolutely awesome. I had a friend named Cap Bates who was a p51 pilot on d day and throughout the war. I knew him 10 years before I ever knew of his war experience. What a great gentleman. Thanks

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Oh wow! Do you know what fighter group he served with? WW2 Aviation (specifically RAF and USAAF) are my passions so would love to know who he flew with if possible! Thanks for watching too, it’s really appreciated!

[@stevenrafters7817]

@@WW2Wayfinder I will find out

[@stevenrafters7817]

I was wrong Cap flew P 47 thunderbolt. If you look up on KZbin there is a wonderful interview Larry Caputo did with Cap. Enter voices of history presents-lt. Col elbridge Cap Bates P47 fighter pilot WW2. I hope this works please let me know if you get to view it or I'll figure another way to get it to you

[@stevenrafters7817]

That doesn't work so I'll send it to your email but ww2wayfinder doesn't work

[@stevenrafters7817]

High I need your email to send the video of my friend Cap Bates thanks

[@notarokescientist3003]

I would be so excited on that ride the pilot relief tube would get a workout

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was incredible, I was grinning for days afterwards! Thanks for watching 😃

[@highestsprings]

Really enjoyed this series. Great insight and what an experience. It just shows the skill these pilots flying such planes had at such a young age.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thanks for watching it all, I’m really passionate about the Mustang so was great to be able to share that. And it really does make you wonder how they managed to fly and fight and make it home!

[@highestsprings]

@@WW2Wayfinder Yes, I can't decide which I prefer more the Spit or the P50. Both served their specialist jobs when required at a time of need. One thing is for sure, they are both beautiful and I don't think anything has been made as captivating since! The people that flew/ maintained them were both brave and dedicated.

[@MrTumbleweed22]

Brilliant sequence of videos. Really enjoyed watching them and looking forward to seeing the next one 👍

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Thank you! Hoping to do something similar later next year, just trying to get everything in place for it!

[@MrTumbleweed22]

Sounds great. Will look forward to it😁👍

[@richardmardis2492]

Wow- that was incredible! Do it again!!!

[@Gitarzan66]

That was so cool it gave me chills. I would have been like a dog in the car with the window down.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was one of those amazing experiences for sure! Hard to really put into words but it helped me gain a new level of appreciation for what those fighter pilots did, day in, day out during the war!

[@alantoon5708]

In WW2, especially the Pacific, the long range flights were physically exhausting to the pilots often to the point where they had to be helped out of their cockpits upon their return. And, pilots of that era also lost a lot of their hearing as well! I have had only one fighter flight, in an F-4D Phantom, in 1986. It was not designed for tall people. Thank you for showing what a flight in a typical WW2 fighter is like...it was really not as glamorous as portrayed. It is both mentally and physically challenging.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Wow I bet that back seater ride in the Phantom was incredible!!! The Mustang was cramped but comfortable but like you say those guys had to be helped out of their cockpits after a long haul mission. Mine was a 20 minute joy ride! Also hard to imagine having to monitor and manage the engine and keep your head on a swivel!

[@33rdusa]

Probably not your main area of interest as the B-29 Superfortress was used in the Pacific Theater, but one flew low overhead a couple of weeks ago coming in for a landing at the Millington, Tennessee airport. There are only two airworthy B-29's here, Doc and Fifi and this was Fifi of the "Commerative Air Force". Those four large rotary engines sure get your attention. Rides are available - for a price! I was at Duxford a few years ago and they happened to hear the Sally B being fired up. Very nice as well. If she is still there and flying maybe you could book a ride?

[@WW2Wayfinder]

A friend of mine helps to crew one of the B-29’s when he travels to the US! I need to tag a long with him on one of his trips to see those mighty aircraft for myself! Sally B is still going strong at Duxford fortunately and is now Europes only airworthy B-17 so we are extremely lucky to have her! I don’t think they offer trips unfortunately but I’d love to fly in a B-17 one day.

[@quirkygreece]

The highlight of your year, I bet! I knew it would be loud inside the aircraft, but I didn’t realise just how loud. I almost wanted to shout “Bandits at four o’clock”, but I don’t think anyone would have heard me, haha.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Haha, it’s amazing the different engine note from the inside to the outside of the cockpit, it doesn’t sound anything like as nice as it does from the ground but it does have a nice rhythmic hum!

[@menschemaschine]

Just reminds me of Jeremy Clarkson in an F15..........without the sick bag 😁

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Haha I remember that episode well! Fortunately no need for one on this trip - I wouldn’t want the hassle of cleaning it up! 😂

[@dnldcow]

I can't imagine the thrill of flying over Germany in a P 51 Mustang , only thing better would be flying dog fight maneuvers in a P 51 mustang.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It was incredible even with the clouds so low!

[@33rdusa]

OK, you've done it. Done many a man's fantasy. Now how are you going to possibly top that?

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It’s definitely a bucket list item Jack that I can tick off! Not quite sure what’s next after that if I’m honest, perhaps a B-17?!😬 If I’m really lucky 😃

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder Dude- you are lucky !

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Lots of perseverance and a huge chunk of luck for sure!

[@jmflyer55]

What another great video, and beautiful aircraft. Being from Louisiana myself and being a pilot, that aircraft reminds me of Doug Weber’s P51 out of Baton Rouge Louisiana some years ago. Is it the same aircraft? Perhaps your buddy purchased it from Doug? Anyhow, as a pilot I know how a ragged low ceiling feels, and you guys were bumping right along through it. A wonderful low level scenic flight! And the speed of that aircraft, even with the manifold pressure pulled by to 36” is very impressive. The only other question I would have is you mentioned it had a Merlin Engine. I thought for sure that particular aircraft (if it’s the same one) has a Rolls in it? But perhaps my memory has failed me.. Lol. Any how, and either way, a wonderful video. I bet you had the time of your life! Especially if it was your first time up! 👍

[@MrTumbleweed22]

It's a Packard built Merlin

[@WW2Wayfinder]

I think it is the same aircraft as it did come from Louisiana (hence the name it was given when it arrived in Germany). That’s so cool know the aircraft! The engine is a Packard Merlin built under license in the US from Rolls-Royce😃

[@geraldoram2453]

Such a fantastic set of videos. The forth one was especially amazing. Getting the feel of what it was like to be in a fighter airplane, albeit without enemy trying knock you down! That must have been so exhilarating for you. Think I’d rather be ground crew 😂

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Glad you enjoyed the series! The P-51 is a stunning aircraft and from a technical perspective my favourite warbird, although aesthetically the Spitfire is ahead by a nose (those elliptical wings get me every time!) It’s definitely a thrill to sit in the back and experience the power of the P-51 and leaves a very big grin on your face!!!

[@A14b19]

Ohhh envey😊🎉🎉

[@richardmardis2492]

That German sky always grey to this Arizonan- made me realize how much desert sand had scratch my eyes.

[@WW2Wayfinder]

🤣 it should have been hot and sunny but someone forgot to tell Germany that day 🤣

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder 🤣🤣🤣 When was this footage taken- I assumed it was late winter

[@WW2Wayfinder]

@@richardmardis2492 May!

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder Darn German weather! This Arizonan was there during the coolest winter of that century- out “camping”🤣🥶

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder Wow- crazy weather anymore! Went to Paris during winter- hot as hell! Only brought thick warm clothes to wear🤣

[@whu26]

What is with the light blue on the top of the wings? that can't be original WW2 colour scheme, right?

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Some P-51’s from the 361st FG did wear blue. A great account exists of a first hand account from Michael Bowyer in July 1944 ‘These were among those Bottisham Mustangs that had acquired a most superb blue upper decking to the wings and fuselage, a really royal blue’. That and other aviation historians, notably Dana Bell have viewed the original colour slide in the National Archives of the famous Bottisham Four showing the upper surface of the fuselage of Lou IV with this Royal Blue paint applied.

[@whu26]

@@WW2Wayfinder very interesting - I know that there were some fancy colour schemes on the nose, such as checker patterns, but usually the rear fuselage and wings would be olive drab or plain metal - clearly the 361st pilots wanted to draw major attention to themselves, either that or the Luftwaffe prowess was massively diminished by that point. Thanks for the videos - very good!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

I think by that stage in the war (if they were using blue as has been strongly suggested) I think the flamboyant nature of the pilots and the ever growing strength of the USAAF combined with the decimation of the Luftwaffe on the western front as you say, some pilots were happy to have bright aircraft. Probably the same reasons the US Navy Phantom and Tomcat pilots would have have brightly coloured aircraft in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

[@michaelwalton1033]

Hoping to see how the hell you got into that rear seat

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Haha, it’s just a small jump seat and the pilots seat folds toward a small way to allow access to the rear seat.

[@MalcolmRuthven]

You can fly a P-51 yourself from the rear seat with full controls at Stallion 51 in Florida. Here's a KZbin flight from there. No, I haven't yet done it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaCudXaVet50n6s

[@WW2Wayfinder]

That would be fun! There’s a similar company in the UK where they have a dual control TF-51 too!

[@jmcallion2071]

If you were doing that where you were it wouldn't have been good for the health!😊

[@markspence3750]

May I ask how much money does it cost to fly/own one of these planes? How much flight school does one need? How did Tom Cruise get to do all this?

[@bryanturner683]

Tom cruise owns one, thats how much money it takes.

[@RiadAhmed-ce6qo]

Spitfires cockpit is toio clumsy compared mustang

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It’s not. It’s what pilots were used to. The blind flying panel on the Spit was also used albeit in a slightly different way on the P-51. The P-47 is an utter mess of a cockpit with all the gauges spread everywhere.

[@markspence3750]

I am 54 years old. I cannot imagine what it was like to shoot at another German aircraft in a plane like that... just mind blowing....

[@richardmardis2492]

When I was into the American Civil War, I always hated how the reenactors didn’t look the part. You look like like you belong in a WW2 fighter plane!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

Best compliment I’ve heard in a long time! And one I’ll gladly take 🫡 Although the guys back then had far more charm and good looks than I could ever hope to have!

[@richardmardis2492]

@@WW2Wayfinder You got that rugged thing going on- I’m jealous🤣 Me: I look at home in a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer🤣

[@kahlilwoodard4401]

Promo-SM 🎶

[@maliburallye350]

Very noisy interior!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

And a completely different sound from inside to the outside when you hear a Merlin engine aircraft flypast! A good headset is a must!

[@eamo106]

Americans love the 'Packard Merlin' nomenclature .. you too ? It was a Rolls Royce Engine and two stage supercharger, designed by RR built under licence by Packard when the Allison . The V-1710 failed as a main engine, Respect your history and not Americanization ! Airframe NA Aviation 10/10! Engine RR British Merlin 10/10 and they copied the Merlin from RR and the Spitfire ! The P-51D a real combination of the USA and UK in the war! NOT 100% AMERICAN as they tried to say!

[@WW2Wayfinder]

It’s a Packard V-1650-7 Merlin

[@eamo106]

@@WW2Wayfinder Oh historian, you bought the Wiki lie ! but no issue, America won the war and history.