Our Aircraft’s History

North American P-51 “Mustang”~ Our fiberglass Mockup of the P-51 came from the MARC group and was previously up in Cleveland at the 100th Bomb Group Restaurant. However, due to a storm, the P-51 was damaged.  She was donated and retrieved to MAPS Air Museum for restoration in the spring of 2011.

As part of a presentation held on October 2, 2013, a dedication of the P-51 was held to honor 2nd Lt. Robert “Bob” Withee, a WWII P-51 pilot from Jackson, Ohio.  Bob flew over 200 missions during WWII in both the P-40 and P-51 in the South Pacific.

The ceremony was also to honor the first unit to fly out of the Akron Canton airport (CAK) after WWII, the 112th Fighter Squadron, (now part of the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, Toledo airport). 

Bob Withee, Jean Ann II and Bob’s flag that flew over every duty station where he served.

 

Specifications/Performance (P-51D)

  • Role: Fighter
  • Manufacturer: North American Aviation
  • First flight: October 26, 1940
  • Introduction: January 1942
  • Retired: 1984 (Dominican Air Force)
  • Built: More than 15,000
  • Unit cost: $50,985 (1945); $570,000 (2018)
  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 32 ft 3 in
  • Wingspan: 37 ft
  • Height: 13 ft 4.5 in
  • Empty weight: 7,635 lb
  • Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb
  • Engine: 1 x Packard V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1,490 hp
  • Max speed: 440 mph
  • Cruise speed: 362 mph
  • Range 1,650 mi
  • Service ceiling: 41,900 ft

Armament, notable

  • Guns: 6 x .50 caliber AN/M2 Browning machine guns (1,840 total rounds)
  • Bombs: 1,000 lbs on each wing (1 hardpoint each)
  • Rockets: 6 or 10 x 5.0 in T64 HVAR rockets

Museum display notes: paintings and markings are to replicate Mr. Withee’s P-51 Mustang during WWII, “Jean Ann II” (in honor of Bob’s wife). The “Mustang” is located at the entrance to the museum off of Massillon Road.

Designed to replace: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Replaced by: the stop-gap FJ-1 “Fury”, but eventually the North American F-86 Sabre

Bob Withee’s plaque at the P-51 Memorial

Bob Withee with his plane, the “Jean Ann II” P-51 Mustang

And today.