A new chapter in British warbird aviation began in early 2025 when flyaspitfire.com announced the arrival of a legendary 1944 P-51D Mustang, ‘Moonbeam McSwine,’ to its fleet at Biggin Hill. The two-seat Mustang, newly imported from the United States, has been meticulously reassembled and prepared for passenger experience flights by the company’s engineering arm, The Spitfire Company (Biggin Hill) Ltd. The aircraft’s journey to the United Kingdom began shortly after its acquisition, with shipping taking three and a half weeks from departure in the U.S. to arrival at Biggin Hill in March 2025. On March 11, engineers and staff from The Spitfire Company gathered to welcome the long-awaited delivery. As the container doors were opened by Managing Director Peter Monk, the team was greeted with the sight of ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ carefully packed inside—its wings, fuselage, and propeller secured on custom shipping jigs, resembling a life-sized Airfix model kit.
The reassembly process began immediately. Using cranes and precise engineering coordination, the one-piece Mustang wing was positioned horizontally and mounted on a trestle before the fuselage was lifted into place. Once the fuselage was mated to the wing and the airframe was on its wheels, the aircraft was rolled into the hangar to begin the detailed restoration and flight preparation process. Over the following three to four months, the engineering team reassembled and refined ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ to meet UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval standards for passenger experience flights. The aircraft received a full polish by aviation detailer Adam, restoring its signature mirror finish. On July 29, 2025, veteran pilot Pete Kynsey conducted the aircraft’s successful first post-restoration flight.
Just days later, on August 2, 2025, the Mustang carried its first passenger during a weekend of experience flights at Cotswold Airport. The event also marked the debut of flyaspitfire.com’s combined Mustang and Spitfire formation flight experiences, offering a rare opportunity for air-to-air photography of these iconic World War II aircraft. Later that month, professional signwriter Linus the Painter hand-painted the “Moonbeam McSwine” nose art on the aircraft, recreating the look and craftsmanship of wartime markings from 80 years ago.
Since returning to British skies, ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ has appeared at several major airshows, including Eastbourne, Clacton, and the Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow in September 2025. The Duxford appearance was particularly significant, marking the aircraft’s return to a venue where it had previously flown under the ownership of French pilot and display veteran Fred Akary. Akary, who flew more than 1,500 hours and performed 80 displays in ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ before selling the aircraft in 2018, praised its exceptional handling and enduring charm. Following its successful debut season, flyaspitfire.com has expanded its Mustang flight operations to include Blackbushe (Thames Valley) Airport, alongside its existing bases at Biggin Hill and Cotswold Airport.
Passengers interested in experiencing a flight in the historic ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ can book through the company’s website. The Mustang also features in the flyaspitfire.com hangar tours at Biggin Hill, available Thursday through Saturday, offering visitors an up-close look at one of World War II’s most celebrated fighter aircraft—reborn for a new generation of enthusiasts.
