Ford Eagle Squadron Mustang GT Honors Fighter Pilots in WWII

Ford has created a special Mustang to honor American fighter pilots who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT will debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed before heading to the auction block.

The special Mustang GT features the Eagle Squadron emblem on the hood in addition to other unique details throughout the body. The three Eagle Squadrons consisted of American volunteer pilots who fought in the skies over northern Europe, including the British coast and France, before the U.S. entered the war.

Thanks to a Ford Performance supercharger, the bespoke Mustang GT delivers 700 hp from its 5.0-liter V-8. To further customize the vehicle, Ford partnered with world champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his company RTR Vehicles, giving the mustang a special RTR carbon fiber wide-body kit. The model also receives a Tactical Performance suspension package.

Gittin will pilot the Eagle Squadron Mustang GT at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. on July 12. After this event, the muscle car will make its way to a fundraising fly-in event hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on July 26. Here, it will go up for auction, and all proceeds will support EAA’s youth education programs for the next generation of pilots. The highest bidder will also take home a plaque autographed by Gittin and members of Ford’s design team, as well as tickets for the upcoming Ford Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.

“Supporting young pilots through the EAA charity auction reflects Ford’s aviation history, tracing back to the company’s early days and the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII,” said Darrell Behmer, Ford Mustang design chief, in a statement. “The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT build with Vaughn and the Ford design team is a great way to honor our heroes and keep the spirit of aviation alive for the next generation of American pilots.”

Ford has a history of introducing special edition vehicles with the EAA. Last year, Ford auctioned off a bespoke F-150 Raptor that paid tribute to the Lockheed F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft. Other bespoke creations include an Apollo Edition Mustang and the Mustang F-35 Lightning II Edition that was inspired by the Lockheed Martin F-25 Lightning II fighter jet.

Source: Ford

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