07/31/2023. Remarks by Bob Bourlier: "Built under the USAAF serial 41-37322, this P-51 was another of the 58 Mustang Mk.IAs withheld from a British order for 150 aircraft in 1942. Of these 58, 55 aircraft were retained by the USAAF, while two aircraft went to North American for conversion with Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The third aircraft, 41-37426, went to the Navy under BuNo. 57987, see page 14199.
Of the 55 aircraft retained by the USAAF, 47 were modified with cameras for the Tac-R (tactical reconnaissance) mission, retaining its full armament. North American modified one, 41-37327, this was designated P-51-1-NA, while 41-37320 was modified by Wright Materiel Command, as the Tac-R prototype, at Wright Field Dayton, Ohio. The remaining 45 were modified at Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Mid-Continent Airlines, and were designated P-51-2-NA. Initially intending to designate the modified aircraft as F-6As this was cancelled in October 1942 just one month after the modifications began. The F-6A designation was never reinstated for these aircraft. The eight unmodified aircraft were designated P-51-NA.
Named "Mah Sweet Eva Lea", the pictured aircraft was received by the USAAF July 28, 1942 and was operated at Esler Field, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, and at Will Rogers AAF1, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, until delivered to Mid-Continent Airlines' modification center at Minneapolis on October 15, 1942. After the Tac-R modification it was shipped via England to the 12th AF in Africa on December 5, 1942, arriving at Oran, Algeria, in March 1943. It was operated by the 154th Observation Squadron, 68th Observation Group until the Deutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps) surrendered in May 1943, subsequently it was transferred to the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.
On March 16, 1944 Lieutenant Humphrey was flying the 41-37322 when it was hit by Flak, severing the rudder cable. Humphrey was able to belly land at the airfield and exited the airplane without injury. The airplane was condemned/salvaged at Pomigliano, Italy."
