(Honolulu) – The iconic North American P-51 Mustang, arguably the best fighter aircraft of WWII, will soon be seen flying over the island of Oahu. However, instead of escorting B-17s over enemy territory and dicing it up in aerial combat, the aircraft will be giving fans the opportunity to fly in a real WWII hero. “Wings Over Pearl” is set to launch March 15, 2020.
Guests will fly in a piece of living history, an immaculately restored warbird, and see the historic battle sites that brought the U.S. into World War II. The tours are one-on-one with the pilot. In addition to Pearl Harbor, the tour encompasses other scenes of wartime activity including Wheeler Army Airfield, the location of the former Haleiwa Fighter Strip, Bellows Airfield, the Marine Air Station base in Kaneohe Bay and the Opana Radar site at Turtle Bay where American operators first spotted the approaching squadrons of Japanese fighters and bombers. Guests will see Pearl Harbor, the USS Missouri and the Arizona Memorial from the air in a Mustang with its roaring Rolls Royce V-12 engine.
The P-51 being brought to Hawaii is owned by the Erickson Aircraft Collection of Madras, Oregon. “The P-51 is one of the most historically significant aircraft of World War II,” said Mike Oliver, General Manager of the Erickson Collection. “The aircraft’s clean design gave it unparalleled range, allowing it to escort American bombers deep into German territory and, later, over Imperial Japan. It also had the speed and agility to overcome nearly every foe in a dogfight. Some say that the P-51 was the decisive factor for the U.S. in the battle for air superiority.”
For more information about “Wings Over Pearl” please visit https://wingsoverpearl.com or call (808) 469-1937.
