NA P-51 Mustang in Somali service

In 1941, Italian Somalia, officially the Governorate of Somalia, was occupied by the troops of the British Empire during the Allied Campaign in East Africa, who took over the administration of the Italian colony. On November 21, 1949, the United Nations General Assembly approved resolution no. 289, with which it assigned the territory of Italian Somalia in fiduciary administration to Italy, although this was not yet part of the organization, to gradually bring it to independence. This is the only case of trusteeship assigned to a defeated nation in World War II.

The British continued to administer the area until Italy, on 1 April 1950, assumed direct control of Somalia (an act ratified by the United Nations General Assembly on 2 December 1950), then it kept until 1 July 1960, when the former colony became independent.

In 1962 8 AMI P-51D Mustangs were sold to the Somali Air Force, thus constituting the first fighter squadron.
2022-10-22