Before being sold, Vaughn Gittin Jr. will drive it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
For its latest aircraft-inspired Mustang, Ford and Vaughn Gittin Jr. team up to pay tribute to the fighter pilots who served in the Royal Air Force to defend Britain during World War II. The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT took its inspiration from the liveries of the P-51 Mustangs that shot down Messerschmitts to keep the U.K. safe.
The single teaser image of the Eagle Squadron Mustang GT shows off its fighter-style paint scheme with block of olive drab and dark green. An RAF roundel appears on the hood, and a white strip spans the tail. Yellow highlights provide pops of color to the front end and mirrors.
This Mustang can chase down bogeys on the road, too. It packs a 700-horsepower (522 kW) 5.0-liter V8 with a Ford Performance supercharger. RTR supplies a carbon fiber widebody kit, and there's an upgraded suspension from Tactical Performance.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. will drive the custom Mustang at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 12, and then it will go to auction at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture Gathering of Eagles in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 26. The sale will support a charity that gives young people an opportunity to learn to fly. The buyer will also get an all-inclusive trip to the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit for a handover ceremony, including signed plaque from Gittin and the Ford design team
"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," Darrell Behmer, Ford Mustang design chief, said in the model's announcement.
Ford has supplied eleven custom vehicles to EAA Airventure and supported the event for 20 years. Generally, the vehicles have been modified Mustangs, but last year the company shook things up by building an F-22 fighter jet-inspired F-150 Raptor. The auctions have raised over $3 million.
Source: Ford
Ford, Vaughn Gittin Jr. Salute American WWII Pilots Who Defended
Britain with Eagle Squadron Mustang GT Ahead of Charity Auction
DEARBORN, Mich., June 15, 2018 – Ford and world champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. are
paying tribute to American fighter pilots who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II,
inviting Gittin to pilot the one-off Eagle Squadron Mustang GT at this year’s Goodwood Festival
of Speed in the UK on July 12.
Co-created by Ford Performance and Gittin’s RTR Vehicles, the camouflaged, fighter aircraftinspired
Mustang GT fastback debuts at Goodwood before heading back to the U.S. for the
Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture Gathering of Eagles in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
which draws more than 1,000 aviation enthusiasts annually.
The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT will be auctioned off to support the EAA Young Eagles charity
July 26.
“Supporting young pilots through the EAA Young Eagles 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. “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.”
2018 marks the 20th year Ford has supported the EAA AirVenture event. All proceeds will be
donated to the Young Eagles youth program to encourage and support the next generation of
pilots. In all, Ford has donated 11 custom-designed vehicles and helped raise more than $3
million.
The one-of-a-kind Eagle Squadron Mustang GT features a 700-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 with a
Ford Performance supercharger, RTR carbon fiber wide-body kit and Tactical Performance
suspension package.
Powerful and menacing-looking, this one-of-a-kind beast takes its inspiration from World War II
Royal Air Force Eagle squadrons that flew over the fields of Goodwood nearly 80 years ago.
The three Eagle Squadrons included a diverse group of American volunteer pilots who risked
their lives fighting in the skies over northern Europe, including the British coast and France prior
to the U.S. entering the war.
The car’s highest bidder also receives an all-inclusive package for two to attend the 2018 Ford
Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit in August to take delivery of the car along with a plaque
autographed by Gittin and members of the Ford design team.
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