By Randy Malmstrom
North American P-51D-20-NA, s/n 44-63701, N26PW. Briefly, and from what I have seen, this aircraft was built at the North American plant in Inglewood, California, and delivered to the U.S. 8th Air Force on the 28th of November 1944. On February 13, 1945, it was ferried by (Lt.) Bill Ciocchi on a route that went due north from Station 366 Air Transport Command European Depot Air Base at Metfield, Suffolk, England, far out over the North Sea to a point where a straight run could be made up the Skagerrak Strait to the west coast of Sweden and then across the peninsula to Stockholm; Star and Bar markings and codes were painted on the aircraft, but other than black anti-glare finish to the upper part of the engine cowling, it and other aircraft in the group carried no other insignia, even though some of the aircraft had been previously assigned to 8th Air Force Fighter units.
(Bill and Lieutenant Dante G. Ciocchi had reported to base operations at Metfield where they were assigned quarters, stripped of all identification including their dog tags, and then, with their fellow volunteers, they had outlined to them a series of flights were to be made to Sweden ferrying P-51 Mustangs under the code name of “Project Speedy” by which Sweden – a neutral country – would purchase four aircraft at $25,000 each and another 46 aircraft at $70,000 each, in a basically covert effort to assist the Allies in pushing the Germans out of Norway; and since these aircraft would have to be delivered through enemy airspace, combat experienced pilots would have to fly them. About half the volunteers were tour-expired volunteers, the remaining volunteers were assembled by taking two from each active 8th Air Force fighter unit.
The Swedish Air Force flew it as Fv26015 from April 1945 until 1952. It was sold to the Dominican Republic Air Force or “Fuerza Aerea Dominicana” (FAD) and flew as FAD 1904 where it served between October 1952-1984. It exchanged private hands thereafter. It is painted as s/n 44-63702 “Grim Reaper” flown by Captain Lowell K. Brueland of the 355th Fighter Squadron, the “Pugnacious Pups,” 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force. In September 2000, Col. Brueland was present at the Reno for a 354th FG reunion and was able to come to the Reno Air Races on one of the days. The FAA registry is under Almanor Aviation Inc. in San Jose, California, and is fitted with a Packard V-1650 Merlin engine and, at the time I took these photos, was on display at Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.
About the author 
Randy Malmstrom grew up in a family steeped in aviation culture. His father, Bob, was still a cadet in training with the USAAF at the end of WWII, but did serve in Germany during the U.S. occupation in the immediate post-war period, where he had the opportunity to fly in a wide variety of types that flew in WWII. After returning to the States, Bob became a multi-engine aircraft sales manager and, as such, flew a wide variety of aircraft; Randy frequently accompanied him on these flights. Furthermore, Randy’s cousin, Einar Axel Malmstrom, flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the 356th FG from RAF Martlesham Heath. He was commanding this unit at the time he was shot down over France on April 24th, 1944, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war. Following his repatriation at war’s end, Einar continued his military service, attaining the rank of Colonel. He was serving as Deputy Wing Commander of the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing at Great Falls AFB, MT at the time of his death in a T-33 training accident on August 21, 1954. The base was renamed in his honor in October 1955 and continues to serve in the present USAF as home to the 341st Missile Wing. Randy’s innate interest in history in general, and aviation history in particular, plus his educational background and passion for WWII warbirds, led him down his current path of capturing detailed aircraft walk-around photos and in-depth airframe histories, recording a precise description of a particular aircraft in all aspects.
