Operations of the P-51 Mustang 1948 - 1958
The North American P-51D Mustang were assigned to the Militia Fighter Squadrons of the 3rd Flight Regiment, these being the Fl.St. 18, 19, 20 und 21, (Fl.St. = Fighter Squadron). In addition to these, the Surveillance Wing Ue.G St. IV (later Fl.St. 16), whose professional pilots also acted as Flight Instructors, was equipped with the P-51. The Conversion training of the Militia Squadrons was accomplished in June and July 1948 during the Summer-Training of the 3rd Flight Regiment.
The Conversion training didn't cause any headaches with the experienced Militia Pilots, since all of them had previous service on the K+W D-3800/D-3801 Morane Fighters, similarly equipped with a 12 cylinder inline-Engine.
The P-51 Mustangs of course was a bit more tomperamental, but the seasoned Figher pilots quickly familiarized themselves with the characteristics of the Mustangs.
Below you will learn more on the decade of service of the Swiss Air Force P-51 Mustangs.
Airfields
During the service period of the P-51 Mustang numerous military airfields were used periodically, others saw infrequent usage for use as off-field landing-strips.
Dübendorf near Zürich was the homebase of the Surveillance Wing (Ueberwachungsgeschwader = (Ue.G.) and therefore constant flying activities took place. Dübendorf also was used for conversion training courses to the P-51 Mustang.
Payerne in Western Switzerland was home to the aviation school for ground troops (Flieger-RS = Rekrutenschulen für Bodentruppen) and a training station for both career- and militia-pilots. In addition to that, the airfield mainly was used during shooting and bombing trainings at Forel on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel.
Emmen near Lucerne was home to the Eidgenössisches Flugzeugwerks (F+W = Federal Aircraft Works), und was a training station, which periodically was used during training courses of the Militia Fighter Squadrons.
Altenrhein was home to the Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) and was important during the conversion of the Swiss Mustang fleet to rocket-launchers for the unguided 8 cm WMO-rockets.
Buochs below the famous Bürgenstock was the technical department for all matters relating to the P-51 Mustang fleet, where most of the P-51 Mustangs purchased from USAAF surplus-stocks were overhauled prior delivery to the Swiss AIr Force. At buochs repairs and modifications were performed, and in addition to that was Buochs an airfield for War-use with tunnels located in the cliff-walls near Ennetbürgen. Die Pilatus Aircraft Works at Stans were another user of this airfield. At the end of the Mustang's service time in Switzerland, beginning from 1956, most of the remaining P-51's were put into open storage at this airfield, and after being struck off charge in April 1958, scrapped in situ.
Alpnach was a proper war-airfield, and usually in operations during training courses and Maneuvres.
Mollis in glarnerland also was a war-airfield used for training and Maneuvers.
Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland also is a war airfield used for trainings and maneuvers, and often was staging point for shooting training at Axalp near Brienz.
Sion located in the beautiful Valais was another training airfield, which also was used for annual trainings and during maneuvers.
Raron, located in Valais, too, was a typical war airfield, which sporadically was used for training courses and maneuvers.
Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland was yet another war airfield, which was used for trainings and espcially as staging point for shooting trainings at the Axalp.
Samedan located within the pretty Engadine, also know as one of the highest airfield in Europe [1'707 m (5'602 ft)], often was used for stop-overs during high-altitude trainings.
Other airfields, such as Thun, Turtmann and Magadino were rarely used, while Airports like Berne-Belpmoos, Geneva-Cointrin or Lausanne-Blécherette only were visited for airshows. Zürich-Kloten only was used once for an emergency landing throughout the entire Mustang-era. The use of other military airfields (Turtmann, Münster, Saanen, Kägiswil, Lodrino, Frutigen, Ulrichen, St. Stephan, San Vittore, Reichenbach) by P-51 Mustangs could not be proven.