The P-51 Mustang that Secretly Flew an Allied Commander

A P-51 Mustang’s Secret Mission ✈️

A month before D-Day, a modified P-51 Mustang carried out a secret mission over the beaches of France, with none other than Dwight D. Eisenhower on board. The legendary aircraft gave the Supreme Allied Commander a firsthand view of the terrain for one of the largest operations in history. Later, the modified P-51 was renamed to “The Stars Look Down” in honor of the mission.

This little-known mission highlights just one of the many roles the P-51 Mustang played in WWII and the high stakes mission that helped change history. Check it out! 👇

[RTS]

I have never heard this story. Thanks for sharing it.

[alonzowinston]

Great history FYI, never heard this before!

[t.j.payeur]

My father was in Normandy 12 hours before the beach landings. He was a glider pilot who flew in the Pathfinders who set up radio beacons for the paratroopers to follow to their objectives.

[tomhooper]

The world owes are success to individuals like Eisenhower

[LandR]

He was steeped in the fundamentals of an operations system. “The Commander MUST recon the terrain”. You reduce your ability to make good orders without it. WWI was an excellent example.

[MarkHorton-nt]

General Eisenhower was the only man who could have held the allies together. He was a politician and a diplomat. He held it together.
Omar Bradly was one of the greatest logistics generals to ever live. He got everyone and their supplies where they needed to be when they needed to be there.
Montgomery was a competent blowhard with a massive ego. The decision to have him instead of Patton finish Romel's forces in North Africa. His troups earned it
Patton was also a super ego blowhard.But he was also the best armored forces tactical general who has ever lived. He studied his enemy. He read Rommel's book and knew Rommel's tactics before Rommel did.
Rommel was the student of the WWI general who invented armored tactics.He was the best and closest to a decent human being Germany had. But he wrote a book, and Patton read it.

[screwybruce]

Ike was lucky to have ACTUAL great Generals to advance his behind the front lines orders.

[carlgratton]

My Dad was a Crew Chief in the 9th Airforce and worked on this plane !

[JDWDMC]

June 6, 1944, France. Shows C47s flying the "Hump." From Burma to China.

[craigbeatty]

Months of planning? No, years of planning.

[jamesford]

I saw this story Before years ago, I always wondered what happened to the P-51 They converted to use on this Mission.

[jamesmusisca]

what did the americans tell the germans WE'RE NOT LEAVING

[droman]

A long name for a plane. What happened to it?

[brianclark]

Bad story. He flew in July to check on the invasion progress.

[firatfirat]

Jesus, Americans ability to turn every unimportant thing into a story is impeccable

[jumpinjehoshaphat]

This never happened. And is nonsensical. No doubt the beaches were thoroughly reconnoitered, but not putting the supreme commander (and the security of Overlord) at risk.

[oldedwardian]

What happened!
We used to have presidents of the caliber of Eisenhower, Roosevelt, Kennedy.
But now we have a GOON, NAMED DUMP.

[FoStealth]

Sometimes, the success of failure of a mission is not at the individual troop level, but at the HQ level. Eisenhower chose to give his boys the best shot at success as he could give them because he was able to change things that needed to be changed to ensure failure did not happen