North American P-51 Mustang Cavalier Mustang

In 1957 newspaper publisher David Lindsay founded Trans Florida Aviation to convert surplus military P-51s into two-seat executive aircraft with new avionics, leather interiors and civilian paint. The first Executive Mustang flew in 1958; over the following decade roughly 20 airframes were built across five models (Cavalier 750/1200/1500/2000/2500, named for approximate range in miles), with FAA-approved improvements such as 360 l wingtip tanks and a taller vertical stabilizer. Between 1964 and 1965 the company overhauled more than 30 Dominican Air Force F-51Ds. In 1967, by then Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, the company was contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense to build military-specification Cavalier F-51Ds for export: nine single-seat and two dual-control TF-51D aircraft were built, mostly transferred to Bolivia under the 'Peace Condor' program, with two sold to the U.S. Army as chase aircraft. That same year Cavalier developed the Mustang II, with improved avionics, wing reinforcement for four extra hardpoints and a Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650-724A engine: five for El Salvador (1968) and six for Indonesia (1972-1973, 'Peace Pony' program). In 1968 Cavalier mated a Rolls-Royce Dart 510 turboprop to a Mustang II airframe, the Turbo Mustang III or 'Enforcer', a privately funded prototype with no military buyer that was sold to Piper Aircraft in 1971, when Cavalier Aircraft Corp. closed. Many civilian and re-imported military conversions have since been restored to P-51D configuration for the U.S. and European warbird circuit. The documented specifications are for the Cavalier F-51D: Rolls-Royce Merlin 724 engine of 1,831 kW, maximum speed 708 km/h, range 3,218 km, service ceiling 11,465 m.