P-51 Mustang is a single-engine fighter aircraft originally designed and produced by North American Aviation for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and later adopted by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF). The P-51 is widely regarded as the finest all-around piston-engined fighter of World War II to be produced in significant numbers. The Mustang was designed and produced in 120 days by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Mustang first flew in October 1940, entered production in May 1941, and began combat operations with the RAF in April 1942. The most interesting thing regarding Mustang that the plane’s designer was a German immigrant, Edgar Schmued.

Allison engines were used in the first production of Mustang. Although excellent at lower levels, Allison engines severely limited performance at high altitude. In the meantime, the British had experimented with Mustangs fitted with the powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and they discovered that the Merlin’s efficient mechanical supercharger gave the fighter outstanding high-altitude performance. The engine produced under license by Packard in America is Packard Merlin V-1650. 12 cylinder liquid cooled, V piston engine is 1700 hp. The perfect fit of the engine on Mustang has created the P-51D Mustang, one of the most iconic and potent fighters of all time. P-51D is the most widely produced version. It has a Hamilton Standard 24D50 propeller and Plexiglas “bubble” canopy for all-around vision. Approximately 10,000 of these low-wing aircrafts with laminar flow were produced. Currently, there are only 90 Mustangs remaining airworthy.

Ferocious Frankie has fought in the WWII and took second place in the Reno Air Races (without modification). There are 8 nazi swastikas on the left side of the canopy that represent the number of enemy aircraft dropped by Ferocious Frankie in WWII. From the 1980s to the present day, she has appeared in the five Hollywood blockbusters including “Empire of the Sun, Hart’s War, Memphis Belle, Saving Private Ryan and Fury”. With all these characteristics, Ferocious Frankie has an enviable place in the aviation history. She took her famous name from its pilot’s wife, Frankie. The pilot named it Ferocious Frankie since she is as ferocious as his wife.

Airworthy 1944 model Mustang P-51D Ferocious Frankie with serial number 44-73149 was brought to M.S.Ö. Air & Space Museum in January 2018 by Ali İsmet ÖZTÜRK.