About North American Aviation P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts.
From late 1943, P-51Bs and Cs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944.] The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft.[
At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters, including the F-86, took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbird and air racing aircraft.
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About crash
The American pilot a captain Raymond F. Reuter was shot down in these places on April 17, 1945. On the same day, another pilot of the lieutenant William R. Preddy was shot down also. He died after transfer to hospital.
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17.4.1945 se zucastnila 339. FG doprovodu bombardéru 8. AF nad strední Evropu. Stíhaci 503. FS napadli letište Eisendorf a Klatovy. Poté se premístili do vzdušného prostoru kolem Prahy. Dvojice Capt. Raymond F. Reuter a 1./Lt William R. Preddy se pustila do pronásledování dvou letounu Me 262 Schwalbe které odstartovaly z Prahy- Ruzyne. Nemectí letci se do souboje nepustili a vysokou rychostí zamírili na jih. Americtí piloti se pustili do pronásledování a tím nechtene spadli do lécky. Dvojice Schwalbe s americany za zády zamírila k letišti v Ceských Budejovicích .Pravdepodobne byla rádiem uvedomena obrana letište a tak behem pruletu nad letištem nemectí letci "naservírovali" americké Mustangy budejovickému flaku.Oba Mustangy byly težce zasaženy. Stroj Capt. Reutera se zrítil u Boršova nad Vltavou, pilot zahynul pri explozi stroje na zemi. Letadlo bylo rozmetáno na okraji Farského lesa, místo následne uzavreli cetníci, které pozdeji vystrídali nemectí vojáci. Telo Capt. Reutera, respektive to, co z nej zbylo bylo pochováno na hrbitove v Boršove nad Vltavou, po válce byly jeho ostatky prevezeny a pohrbeny va vojenském hrbitove v Lorraine ve Francii. Na míste havárie je dnes vybudován dustojný pomník a informacní tabule, které pripomínají osud letce, který zahynul na samém konci války ve veku 28 let.