A World War II fighter instrumental in securing victory for the Allies in Europe will once again take to the skies over Great Bend at next month’s Great Bend Airport Airfest.

The P-51 Mustang “Gunfighter” is owned by the Commemorative Air Force, a Dallas, Tex.-based non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic U.S. military aircraft, and to teaching the public about the historical roles of those aircraft.

Larry Lumpkin, the aircraft’s coordinator for the CAF, said the P-51 Mustang helped turn the tide of World War II late in the war due in large part to tactical advantages over previous U.S. fighter planes.

Lumpkin said the plane had superior altitude capabilities than the P-40 fighter due to the P-40’s engine limitations, and possessed superior range to the P-47, two planes which predated the P-51. These advantages, he said, made the P-51 ideal for accompanying Allied bombers on bombing runs from England to Berlin, and the return trips. This additional range, around 1,300 miles, made for better protection for the bombers.

Lumpkin, one of four pilots tasked with flying the plane, is a retired pilot and flight instructor with more than 40 years and 27,000 of military and civilian flight experience. Over 1,200 of those hours are in the P-51D Mustang he will be flying at Airfest.

In addition to being on static display throughout the duration of the three-day event, the P-51 gunfighter is scheduled to fly acrobatic routines both Saturday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 19. Lumpkin said a limited amount of rides will be available in the aircraft throughout the event. For information on booking a P-51 ride, email greatbendairport@ruraltel.net or call 620-793-4168.

Lumpkin said one of the CAF’s main objectives is to educate the younger generation on the history of World War II through the display of aircraft that were vital to the Allied victory in that war.

He also hopes these displays will inspire young people to pursue a career in aviation.

“It doesn’t have to be flying,” Lumpkin said. “It could be maintaining your airplane, or working for airlines. There are several fields in the aviation industry.”

In that vein, Lumpkin said there will be multiple representatives on hand to answer questions about the aircraft throughout the event.

“We encourage people to ask questions about the plane,” he said. “(We’re there) to share information about the airplane.”

The plane’s history

According to the plane’s official website, www.p51gunfighter.com, The P-51D plane coming to Great Bend, known as “Gunfighter” is one of only roughly 150 airworthy P-51s still in existence, either in museums, flying or under restoration. The aircraft is a P-51 “D” model, serial number 44-73264. It was one of over 15,000 P-51s produced during World War II, over 8,000 of which were “D” models.

The plane on display at Airfest was built in an Inglewood, Calif., plant and entered service in the United States Army Air Force, as the branch was known at the time, in March 1945. That month, the plane shipped to England, where it was assigned to the “Mighty Eighth” Air Force. 

In July 1945, Following the end of the European theater of the war, the plane returned to the U.S. and was assigned to Olmstead Field in Pennsylvania. In 1947, it was transferred to the Air National Guard and served in units in Wyoming, New Mexico, Illinois and Kentucky. In 1956, the plane was decommissioned after being declared surplus, and was sold on the civilian market.