X-1 Mustang now on display at museum

The X-1 Mustang is now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The car toured the United States for a decade with the Air Force Recruiting Service educating the public on opportunities for officers and enlisted Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ken LaRock)

The X-1 Mustang is now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The car toured the United States for a decade with the Air Force Recruiting Service educating the public on opportunities for officers and enlisted Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ken LaRock)

An X-1 Mustang named after the first aircraft to break the speed of sound is now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The Mustang was one of two custom-built cars commissioned by the Air Force Recruiting Service in 2009 for its Project Supercar recruiting campaign.

Built by Galpin Auto Sports of Van Nuys, California, this fully customized Ford Mustang showcases U.S. Air Force ingenuity, state-of-the-art technology and innovation.

The cabin is styled after a fighter cockpit with an ejection seat in the center and a short shifter, a flight stick and an advanced instrument panel. Other features include a concealed, motorized steering wheel, custom foot pedals, GPS transponder and night and thermal vision displays. The X-1 Mustang was powered by a 500-horsepower, 4.6-liter engine.

The car toured the United States for a decade with the Air Force Recruiting Service educating the public on opportunities for officers and enlisted Airmen.

Museum visitors can see the X-1 in Kettering Hall, along with two other former Air Force Recruiting Service vehicles: the Vapor Special Operations SuperCar and Air Force Orange County Chopper.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is the world's largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year more than 800,000 visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.

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