Skip to main content

Cleared for takeoff: Ford to auction fighter jet-inspired Mustang at EAA Airventure

The automotive world is no stranger to custom Mustangs. Between the Saleen S302, Need For Speed widebody, and the monstrous, 1200-horsepower Shelby, the iconic muscle car is clearly comfortable wearing different clothes.

The latest bespoke Mustang is inspired by the F-35 Lightening II aircraft, according to Mustangs Daily. It features a blue and yellow-accented titanium paint job, a carbon fiber front splitter, V8 power and Recaro racing seats.

The F-35 is a stealth-capable multi-role fighter that has vertical landing capability. It’s powered by a Pratt & Whitney turbofan that can hit Mach 1.6 (over 1200 mph), and features an internally-mounted 25mm GAU-12 Equalizer cannon.

Makes sense, right?

In reality, the fighter jet-inspired ‘Stang will be built for auction at EAA Airventure, an aviation festival happening July 28th to August 3rd in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Ford has auctioned off several custom Mustangs at the event, all aeronautically-themed of course.

Most recently was the SR-71-themed pony car, which pays homage to the world’s fastest plane with a Whipple supercharger, integrated roll cage, and sleek exterior. It was auctioned in 2010 for $375,000.

Last year was the USAF Thunderbirds Mustang, sporting a red and white color scheme, trick wheels and a glass roof. The Thunderbird’s Navy equivalent, the Blue Angels, had their own blue and yellow painted Mustang auctioned in 2011, and it was fitted with all of Ford Racing’s performance goodies: a supercharger kit, Brembo brakes, and custom aerodynamics.

One of the most memorable special editions to appear at EAA was the Red Tails 2013 Mustang, which honored the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII. The 332nd Fighter Group was made up of solely African American pilots, and they put up one of the most impressive combat records of the European theater.

Their plane of choice? The P-51 Mustang.

Proceeds of the auction go to the EAA Young Eagles program, a nonprofit that provides free flights to young people in hopes of creating a new generation of aviators. The Young Eagles program has flown, educated, and trained over 1.8 million youths since 1992.

(Photos via Mustangs Daily)

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E will offer Active Drive Assist hands-free driving tech
Ford Active Drive Assist

Ford is serious about making the 2021 Mustang Mach-E its most tech-forward vehicle to date. The electric crossover will inaugurate a technology named Active Drive Assist that will allow drivers to safely and legally take both hands off the steering wheel when the right conditions are met. It won't turn the Mach-E into an autonomous car, however.

Bundled into a suite of electronic driving aids named Co-Pilot360, Active Drive Assist is an evolution of adaptive cruise control with lane-centering designed to take over on divided highways. The system relies on cameras, radars, and sensors to scope out the road ahead, but Ford's approach to the technology is similar to Cadillac's because it only works on pre-mapped highways. This safety-first solution ensures the car knows exactly where there's a bend or a hill, but it also means motorists won't be able to use Active Drive Assist if they're traveling on a road that the technology doesn't know. Ford already mapped over 100,000 miles of highways in all 50 states and in Canada.

Read more
Mechanics will use Bosch’s VR tech to learn how to fix the Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford Mustang Mach E front view

The electric Mustang Mach-E due out by the end of 2020 is Ford's most high-tech car to date, and the mechanics who will work on it will undergo a suitably futuristic training process. The company teamed up with Bosch to create a virtual reality-based training course to teach technicians how to keep the crossover in tip-top condition.

Instead of traveling to a workshop, mechanics will learn how the Mach-E's electric powertrain is put together using an Oculus Quest headset programmed with instructions. Bosch and Ford placed a major focus on the high-voltage electrical system, which was developed specifically for the model and isn't currently found in other cars. VR will teach technicians how to remove, diagnose, repair, and reinstall the lithium-ion battery pack, for example.

Read more
Most Ford Mustang Mach-E reservation holders go for extended-range battery
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E and 2020 Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the most anticipated new cars of the upcoming year. Treated to a glitzy unveiling at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, the First Edition of the new electric car sold out in a matter of days. Now we have more information on what the first production cars will look like, and when they will arrive.

The Mach-E First Edition was listed as sold out on Ford's website by the end of November -- shortly after order books opened November 18. Ford finally confirmed that reservations for the First Edition are full, without saying how many First Edition cars it plans to build. Customers can still place reservations for other models. However, as the name implies, First Edition models will roll off the assembly line and into customers' driveways first.

Read more