Classic aircraft P51 Mustang Norfolk Island

This week on Tuesday 5 November, you may have heard the roar of a visiting classic WWII plane as it stopped over at the Norfolk Island International Airport. The P51 Mustang was flown by Stephen Death from New Zealand and departed around 11am to Australia. This is not the first time Stephen has flown a classic aircraft to Norfolk Island and across the ditch to Australia. In June 2022 he flew another P51 Mustang “Dove of Peace” and I was very lucky along with other locals and was able to enter the airport and take photographs of this stunning restored aircraft.

On Tuesday morning I saw the P51 Mustang as it flew across Kingston around 11am and did an amazing turn as it flew back towards the airport. My husband Stephen was near the airport, so he stopped and watched and took photographs as the pilot taxied and took off. Then the P51 Mustang returned and flew low along the runway and did a barrel roll, which shows the great skills of pilot Stephen Death and the ability of the WWII aircraft.

I have found information online relating to the aircraft serial NZ2415. The plane was shipped from United States and arrived in Hobsonville New Zealand 1945, in storage until 1952, damaged on landing in 1954, sold in 1958 and scrapped.

The webpage listed below has list many classic P1 Mustang aircrafts and a brief history.

NZDF-Serials Mustang

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzmustang.htm

NZDF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History

RNZAF North American P-51D Mustang
NZ2401 to NZ2430

Serial - NZ2415

NAA.C/N - 124-48258

US. Serial - 45-11505
Aircraft history

Shipped from the US on the "Dominion Park".
Received at the Aircraft Assembly Depot Hobsonville on 27 August 1945.
Placed in rubberised storage at Hobsonville in early 1946.

Transferred to Ardmore by barge and road in February 1947.
Remained cocooned until early 1952.
With No.3 (Canterbury) TAF Squadron 10 June 1952-04 May 1954.
Damaged in landing accident at Wigram after losing power on approach on 23 January 1954.
To Woodbourne for repair but remained there until sold, badly damaged and minus engine to ANSA Co, Nelson for 25 pounds in May 1958 and scrapped.
The aircraft flying in New Zealand and painted as NZ2415 is actually an ex USAF/Philippine Air Force P51 c/n 44-74829.

Here are a few photographs my husband Stephen took on Tuesday morning, 5 November 2024, plus others I took in June 2022 of the P51 Mustang “Dove of Peace”.

Betty Matthews

8 November 2024