10/01/2023
The CAC Mustang is an Australian variant of the North American P-51 Mustang. It was built under license by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in the final stages of World War II, and though it was too late to see combat, it did participate in the Occupation of Japan after VJ-Day.
CA-17/CA-18/CA-21 Mustang
In December 1942, the Australian War Cabinet made arrangements for the local production of the P-51D Mustang. These arrangements were finalized in November 1943, with Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation to build 690 aircraft through kits supplied by North American Aviation (NAA). Only the first 100 unassembled aircraft were delivered, and four reportedly had the "razorback" style canopy pof the P-51B/C variant. 80 of the kits were assembled under the designation CA-17 Mustang Mk 20 with Packard V-1710-3 Merlin engines, the remainder being used for spare parts.The end of the war led to most of the orders being canceled.
In late 1946, CAC received a contract to build 170 (later reduced to 120) Mustangs locally from scratch. These aircraft carried the new designation CA-18, with the first 40 being designated Mustang Mk 21 and powered by Packard V-1710-7 Merlins. 66 Mustang Mk 23s followed with British-built Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 or 70 engines. 14 Mustang Mk 22 reconnaissance aircraft were built with F24 cameras, and a further 14 were converted from Mk 21s. Additional orders for the CA-18 and 250 two-seat variants to be produced as the CA-21 were canceled in favor of US-supplied P-51D/Ks.
Snifter proudly displays the markings, chosen at the discretion of her owners of a North American P51d laid on a CAC build. In addition she also proudly sports ‘Snifter’ who was an Australian wartime comic strip character drawn by Hartmut “Hottie” Lahm, with famously inconvenient toileting habits! ‘Snifter’ helped to bolster the moods of our diggers during the WWII Wartime Effort.
To ‘Keep Her Flying’ Come and say Hello to Us at Mustang Flights Australia to learn all about our beautiful Mustang; she is a sight to see and hear!
You’ll fall in love too…