AVI-8 Honors The Tuskegee Airmen With A Limited Edition P-51 Mustang Chronograph

AVI-8 has been around for the past decade producing watches that heavily draw on aviation inspiration. Their collection is filled with sure-fire pilot’s watches including the likes of big crowns and chronographs furnished with bold numerical markers around their signature expansive dials. Each watch not only integrates physical elements of a specific aircraft within its design, but pays tribute to the various historical events of military aviation and the remarkable people that were a part of it. AVI-8 continues this tradition with the recent announcement of their limited edition P-51 Mustang Chronograph that honors the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.

The P-51 Mustang Tuskegee Airmen Chronograph comes in two distinct variations. The first, a black dial with red and yellow accents known as the ‘Illinois’. And the second, a silver dial with navy blue subdials, as well as red and yellow accents dubbed the ‘Alabama’. Both names are derived from the airfields where the Tuskegee Airmen did their training; The Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama, and the lesser known airfield, Chanute Field in Illinois, which was where the 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first ever unit of the Tuskegee Airmen, were activated before the start of World War II.

This limited edition P-51 Mustang Chronograph sports a dial that looks like a dash instrument taken right out of a cockpit. The bold outlined numerals at the cardinal hours jump right off the dial, with a distinct “0” as opposed to the traditional “12” marker. The subdials at 6 and 9 are enclosed in a square body as if they were each their own instrument display on the dial’s dash. The remaining subdial at 3 sits in the upper right quadrant of the watch that’s elevated from the rest of the dial adding a layer of depth. This portion of the dial separates itself by its lighter tone and direction of finishing. Looking closely at the dial, most of it comes in a vertical finish whereas the aforementioned upper quadrant has a horizontal finish on its plateau surface.

The pull-out crown is protected by an enclosed custom crown guard and flanked by the chronograph pushers nestled into the case. The crown protector appears to be one whole mechanism that pulls out along with the crown, akin to that of Hamilton Navy Frogman. Paying homage to the Redtails, the crown guard itself is designed after the P-51 Mustang engine exhaust, and an accompanying cushioned leather strap inspired by the seat in the long range fighter-bomber.

With how the dial is constructed, every millimeter of the 43mm case is going to be felt on the wrist. A trade-off one might take for a watch that has exceptional legibility. For a watch on the larger side, it should feel light and flat on the wrist with its 90g weight and its 13mm thickness. The P-51 Mustang Chronograph manages to keep the thickness to a reasonable size thanks to the meca-quartz M-SII-VK68-D4.5BKW movement powering the watch from within.

This limited edition P-51 Mustang Chronograph by AVI-8 was created in partnership with the Tuskegee Airmen Inc (TAI). With each watch sold from this release, part of the proceeds will be donated to the TAI and their mission to support educational programs that introduce younger generations to the wonders of aviation and science. The P-51 Mustang Tuskegee Airmen Chronograph is limited to just 300 pieces and will retail for $350. If you’re an aviation-head and looking to support a good cause such as the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., check out this limited edition release by AVI-8 that will be available for purchase at the end of this week. AVI-8