P-51 Mustang - Shark Mouth

Richard Paver captures a well-known P-51 Mustang in its new and striking colours 

Choosing a colour scheme for a warbird takes lots of consideration. It should evoke the heritage of the subject and turn heads. Shaun Patrick has achieved both with P-51D Mustang N167F, and its debut on the European airshow circuit will be one of this season’s highlights. Ferried to the UK from Sweden on August 31, 2012 the Mustang was initially based at Shoreham. It was overhauled and a lot of work was carried out in order to gain a British Permit to Fly. Meanwhile Shaun set about selecting the colours that the P-51 would wear.

P-51 Mustang Shark Mouth

He settled on 112 Squadron RAF, made famous from its nickname, the '‘Shark Squadron’'. The unit adopted the distinctive ‘'shark mouth’' for its Curtiss Tomahawk IIbs in North Africa’s Western Desert in the summer of 1941. Aces Clive Caldwell, Billy Drake and Neville Duke served with 112 during 1941 and 1942. In late 1941 the squadron took on its first Curtiss Kittyhawks, in turn Mk.Is, IIIs and IVs, which were also adorned with shark mouths.
The unit moved to Sicily in July 1943 and crossed to mainland Italy in September. In June 1944 the Kittyhawks were replaced by Mustang IIIs (the RAF equivalent of the USAAF'’s P-51B and ’C) and from February 1945 upgraded to Mk.IVs (P-51Ds) and Mk.IVAs (P-51Ks).
Settling for a Mustang of 112 Squadron, Shaun chose Mk.IVA KH774, coded ‘GA-S’. This  machine was flown on ground attack sorties over the Balkans and along the Adriatic coast by 2nd Lt E F Blatchford.

112’'s' last ‘'OP'’ 

Detailed research into the new scheme was carried out for Shaun by Steve Atkin of Warbird Colour Services. This revealed that Blatchford’s 44-11602 was built at North American Aviation’s Dallas plant in 1944 as a P-51K- 5-NT and delivered to the RAF as Mustang IVA KH774. It is believed that basic RAF roundels and fin flashes were applied in the USA and it was camouflaged when it was accepted by 159 Maintenance Unit, headquartered at Capodichino, Naples. It received its ‘GA-S’ codes and shark mouth once it arrived at 112 Squadron.
Blatchford flew 112 Squadron’'s last operational sortie when he took off in KH774 from Lavariano on May 5, 1945 at 16:50 on a recce patrol over Dobbiaco-Lienz-Spittal- Villach-Tarvisio and Pontebba. The squadron flew no further '‘ops'’ from then until May 8 - VE-Day. Shaun acquired a copy of the unit'’s Operational Record Book chronicling this historic sortie, which includes the unit’'s CO, Flt Lt P M Forster signing off. Having moved through the extent of Italy, 112 Squadron disbanded at Treviso in the northeast on December 30, 1946. Mustang KH774 was struck off charge on February 27, 1947.
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