The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the Unites States Army Air Forces. They were most commonly associated with the North American P-51 Mustang . The pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their planes red, hence the nickname “Red Tails”. They were active between the years 1941 to 1945.