Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
I've collected so many different Mustang related photos over the last 4 years, and thought I would share some random favorites of mine.
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OT: Cool Mustang Photos
- Thread starter Bomber_12th
- Start date
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Not related to the Mustang this time, here are some favorites of mine in regards to warbirds in general.
"Battle of Britian" movie set, 1968 - Spitfires, Spanish-built Me 109's and He 111's, galore:
Oshkosh, 1970's (I like the guy's pants):
Just part of the Rod Lewis warbird collection:
"Battle of Britian" movie set, 1968 - Spitfires, Spanish-built Me 109's and He 111's, galore:
Oshkosh, 1970's (I like the guy's pants):
Just part of the Rod Lewis warbird collection:
fsxar177
Long-Time Enthusiast
John, awesome set of photos!
That's the first I've seen of Jimmy with that mustang. Unless it's N5528N?
I believed he purchased it in '53, was previously raced. He also had connections with the other #90, "Magic Town", of which I am so fond. "Magic Town" being the title of a movie that Stewart played in at the time.
Joseph
That's the first I've seen of Jimmy with that mustang. Unless it's N5528N?
I believed he purchased it in '53, was previously raced. He also had connections with the other #90, "Magic Town", of which I am so fond. "Magic Town" being the title of a movie that Stewart played in at the time.
Joseph
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Hi Joseph,
The aircraft is indeed N5528N, which was first Race #90 "Thunderbird" and then became "Mr. Alex".
Here's a more complete set of images of Jimmy Stewart, owner of the aircraft, and Joe De Bona, the pilot. Most of these photos were taken before the "Mr. Alex" name was added to the nose.
And in its prior scheme as "Thunderbird":
The aircraft is indeed N5528N, which was first Race #90 "Thunderbird" and then became "Mr. Alex".
Here's a more complete set of images of Jimmy Stewart, owner of the aircraft, and Joe De Bona, the pilot. Most of these photos were taken before the "Mr. Alex" name was added to the nose.
And in its prior scheme as "Thunderbird":
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
For how much I like Jimmy Stewart, and how much I like P-51B's, you can only imagine how cool it was to find these!
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Wow, so your grandfather must have been part of either the 445th or 453rd? One of my grandmother's brothers (great uncle?) was a B-24 pilot in the 453rd, out of "Old Buc".
"Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot" is one of the few books I've read cover to cover (that doesn't deal directly with aviation). : )
BTW, if anyone wants any information or details about any of these photos posted above, please let me know!
"Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot" is one of the few books I've read cover to cover (that doesn't deal directly with aviation). : )
BTW, if anyone wants any information or details about any of these photos posted above, please let me know!
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Some more random selections:
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Excellent images, John, I love your photo postings.
Let me tell you that many of them compliment your detailed model and texturing work! With such a image repository, as well as your talent and passion, it is no wonder that the WBS Mustang is almost second to none. I'm looking forward to the Airacobra, by the way
Best,
Mark
Let me tell you that many of them compliment your detailed model and texturing work! With such a image repository, as well as your talent and passion, it is no wonder that the WBS Mustang is almost second to none. I'm looking forward to the Airacobra, by the way
Best,
Mark
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Thank you, Mark! There are many details, especially as seen in the cockpit in the photos immediately above, that would not be copied in most of my work, as they aren't authentic (like the folding seat mount/faux armor plate, odd hydraulic release handle, instrument panel shroud padded guard (it should be two separate pieces, stopping on either side, providing room for the K-14 installation), missing fuel shut-off lever, etc.), but if I were to reproduce that particular restored example, those details would be copied.
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
One of the current Mustang projects going on at this time, that I find very interesting, is the re-restoration of the combat vet P-51D-20-NA 44-64122 "Kansas City Kitty III" owned by Wes Stricker. The aircraft was assigned to the 353rd FG (yellow and black checker nose) in January 1945, and became the personal mount of Capt. Charles L. McGraw. Capt. McGraw shot down 3 Bf-109's on April 7, 1945, so this aircraft was very likely the one he was flying on that mission. At this time, those heading the project would love to find any WWII-era photos and documentation of this aircraft, so that it may be used to accurately reproduce the markings on the aircraft, and to know more about its service life during WWII.
According to Jim Cooper, project lead (who also managed the restoration of Wes Stricker's amazing Seafire Mk.XV, as seen at Oshkosh a couple of years ago):
"The Kitty went to Sweden postwar as 26130, and sometime later ended up in El Salvador. From there it found its way to Connie Edwards of Texas, where the current owner purchased it. It is registered N339th (a tribute to the owner's dad, who was a flight surgeon in the 339th. Also, the airplane was painted in a representative scheme of the 339th, but named Kansas City Kitty in it's 339th colors.)
The original service card on 44-64122 shows it being built as a P-51D. This particular Mustang was also fitted with the 5 inch rocket rails, and the chem/rocket release charging switch panel, left side of the cockpit.
The Mustang was converted to F-6D field conversion, having an access hatch on the left and right sides of the fuselage, presuming a downward camera in the lower fuselage panel. There are no signs of side or oblique mounted lens modifications, nor are the control cables re-routed as they would be for the factory F-6D. In April 1947, this aircraft was transferred to Sweden.
The US American insignia on the sides of the fuselage were etched into the metal, so even when the paint was removed, the etching of the original paint remains. Also etched into the skins is an original stencil, left side of the fuselage, the main placard identifying serial, crew weight, fuel, etc. This identifies the aircraft as an F-6D, but is not in the original location as the original factory stencils.
On the fuselage insignia etching, you can see a scribed line, over the top of the camera panels, rear fuselage, where the red bars were added in 1947 when the USAAF became the USAF. It was after that that the airplane went to Sweden.
ANY photos of this airplane while in service is what I'm looking for. The 353rd is a well-photographed outfit, but I have found nothing of Kansas City Kitty III. I have already contacted the son of Capt. McGraw, who lives in Kentucky. He is searching for any photos or documents, logbooks, etc from his dad, but not sure if these still exist."
When the aircraft was last painted, about 10 years ago, it was finished in the markings of a 339th FG Mustang, as a memorial to the owner's dad who had served in that Group, though the historic name attached to the airframe had been kept, through some imagined nose art.
Here are some before and after, and some work-in-progress photos posted by Jim Cooper on another forum:
Left gear well before:
And right gear well just about completed, following recent restoration work:
The firewall before:
And now the firewall after being removed, repainted, and reinstalled:
According to Jim Cooper, "We are not de-skinning the airplane, but going through the entire thing. The lower longerons are new now, after finding corrosion. Wings are currently at Odgaard Wings in North Dakota."
"These are two photos of the etching which occured into the sheetmetal of the original paint. On the data stencil, you can clearly see that it identifies the airplane as an F-6D, but the original data plate identifies the plane as a P-51D-20-NA, and was delivered as such according to the delivery sheet.
The National insignia photo clearly shows the etching into the metal also. You can see the "red" bars which were added in 1947, and these are actually scribed into the metal, where the other insignia colors have no such scribing (star, bars, surround). Also of note is the right side raised access panel, clearly visible on the aft bar of the insignia. Interestingly, the scribe lines of the 1947 red bars are also scribed onto the "etched" insignia on the access hatch, proving that this hatch was added prior to the aircraft being turned over to Sweden in 1947. I would guess that this F-6D conversion was accomplished post-war...possibly to help in photo-documenting the destruction of Germany, and of course the secret innovations of that regime. No placarding was installed into the cockpit to denote that the "once P-51D" was a "now F-6D". We have no maintenance records during the US Military history for this airplane."
According to Jim Cooper, project lead (who also managed the restoration of Wes Stricker's amazing Seafire Mk.XV, as seen at Oshkosh a couple of years ago):
"The Kitty went to Sweden postwar as 26130, and sometime later ended up in El Salvador. From there it found its way to Connie Edwards of Texas, where the current owner purchased it. It is registered N339th (a tribute to the owner's dad, who was a flight surgeon in the 339th. Also, the airplane was painted in a representative scheme of the 339th, but named Kansas City Kitty in it's 339th colors.)
The original service card on 44-64122 shows it being built as a P-51D. This particular Mustang was also fitted with the 5 inch rocket rails, and the chem/rocket release charging switch panel, left side of the cockpit.
The Mustang was converted to F-6D field conversion, having an access hatch on the left and right sides of the fuselage, presuming a downward camera in the lower fuselage panel. There are no signs of side or oblique mounted lens modifications, nor are the control cables re-routed as they would be for the factory F-6D. In April 1947, this aircraft was transferred to Sweden.
The US American insignia on the sides of the fuselage were etched into the metal, so even when the paint was removed, the etching of the original paint remains. Also etched into the skins is an original stencil, left side of the fuselage, the main placard identifying serial, crew weight, fuel, etc. This identifies the aircraft as an F-6D, but is not in the original location as the original factory stencils.
On the fuselage insignia etching, you can see a scribed line, over the top of the camera panels, rear fuselage, where the red bars were added in 1947 when the USAAF became the USAF. It was after that that the airplane went to Sweden.
ANY photos of this airplane while in service is what I'm looking for. The 353rd is a well-photographed outfit, but I have found nothing of Kansas City Kitty III. I have already contacted the son of Capt. McGraw, who lives in Kentucky. He is searching for any photos or documents, logbooks, etc from his dad, but not sure if these still exist."
When the aircraft was last painted, about 10 years ago, it was finished in the markings of a 339th FG Mustang, as a memorial to the owner's dad who had served in that Group, though the historic name attached to the airframe had been kept, through some imagined nose art.
Here are some before and after, and some work-in-progress photos posted by Jim Cooper on another forum:
Left gear well before:
And right gear well just about completed, following recent restoration work:
The firewall before:
And now the firewall after being removed, repainted, and reinstalled:
According to Jim Cooper, "We are not de-skinning the airplane, but going through the entire thing. The lower longerons are new now, after finding corrosion. Wings are currently at Odgaard Wings in North Dakota."
"These are two photos of the etching which occured into the sheetmetal of the original paint. On the data stencil, you can clearly see that it identifies the airplane as an F-6D, but the original data plate identifies the plane as a P-51D-20-NA, and was delivered as such according to the delivery sheet.
The National insignia photo clearly shows the etching into the metal also. You can see the "red" bars which were added in 1947, and these are actually scribed into the metal, where the other insignia colors have no such scribing (star, bars, surround). Also of note is the right side raised access panel, clearly visible on the aft bar of the insignia. Interestingly, the scribe lines of the 1947 red bars are also scribed onto the "etched" insignia on the access hatch, proving that this hatch was added prior to the aircraft being turned over to Sweden in 1947. I would guess that this F-6D conversion was accomplished post-war...possibly to help in photo-documenting the destruction of Germany, and of course the secret innovations of that regime. No placarding was installed into the cockpit to denote that the "once P-51D" was a "now F-6D". We have no maintenance records during the US Military history for this airplane."
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Another project that I've been following closely, is the restoration of the cockpit on Peter Teichman's combat vet P-51D-20-NA 44-72035 "Jumpin Jacques". This aircraft is fairly unique, in that it has never been taken apart/stripped down since original manufacture. In the years since WWII, however, the cockpit had been modified/upgraded in some areas, with a new/modern instrument panel and switch panels, modern avionics, a new floor, some grey paint in areas, and some brown vinyl in a few other small areas. Around the time we were working on reproducing this aircraft for Warbirdsim's P-51D Restored Part 2 product, early last year, we had heard from Peter Teichman already then, that he had plans for restoring the cockpit completely back to original stock WWII condition (though would keep the second seat in-place). This project was started within the last couple of months, with all of the modern items in the cockpit stripped out, and all of the original hardware that still remained is being re-finished in authentic primers and paints, and all of the missing pieces are being sourced or being re-manufactured, following the original NAA factory drawings (the same as used for the Warbirdsim P-51D's). When the cockpit was stripped out, a lot of the original interior green paint was still found to exist, and they even found some original decals still on the cockpit walls, from when it was original manufactured. As the original hardware is being added back into the cockpit, they are also finding all of the original holes that are still present in the skins and the structure of the aircraft, where those parts and brackets were all originally fitted. Some first images of the work were posted to the Hangar 11 Collection news page last month: http://hangar11.co.uk/news.html
The hope is to have the project finished within the next couple of months. One of the current projects, within this project, is the reproduction and reinstallation of the K-14 gun sight, gun sight mounting brackets, controls, and spare bulbs shelf. This is a bit tricky, however, as there were a few different configurations for all of this, depending on exactly when the K-14 was installed (with early and late layouts). It is believed that 44-72035 was originally manufactured with an N-9 gun sight fitted, though was later upgraded in the field with the installation of the K-14 sight - the mounting holes for the K-14 voltage regulator bracket were found still in-place on the right upper longeron, just in front of the instrument panel.
The hope is to have the project finished within the next couple of months. One of the current projects, within this project, is the reproduction and reinstallation of the K-14 gun sight, gun sight mounting brackets, controls, and spare bulbs shelf. This is a bit tricky, however, as there were a few different configurations for all of this, depending on exactly when the K-14 was installed (with early and late layouts). It is believed that 44-72035 was originally manufactured with an N-9 gun sight fitted, though was later upgraded in the field with the installation of the K-14 sight - the mounting holes for the K-14 voltage regulator bracket were found still in-place on the right upper longeron, just in front of the instrument panel.
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Some rare photos provided by Martin Kyburz, who runs the SwissMustangs website, of Don Gentile's war bond tour P-51D-30-NA 44-75025. This was the 2nd to last P-51D manufactured at the Inglewood, CA plant (note late-type Hamilton Standard props, and rocket launchers under the wings). The aircraft made various appearances in select cities/shows in late 1945, post VJ-Day. Mr. Kyburz was also able to track down that this aircraft eventually ended up with the Royal Korean Air Force, where it was written off in an accident in September of 1953.
Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2025
Beautiful photos, James, thank you for sharing them! Looks like Fantasy of Flight and Kissimmee...I have to get down there sometime! "Precious Metal" is such a cool looking aircraft!
Kermit Weeks' "Cripes A' Mighty 3rd" has been sitting out for a while, due to a coolant leak, but Kermit posted this photo to his Facebook page this morning, during an engine run (I love the fact that an N-9 gun sight is fitted to this aircraft - one of only two airworthy P-51D's with one of those). It should be flying again shortly.
Kermit Weeks' "Cripes A' Mighty 3rd" has been sitting out for a while, due to a coolant leak, but Kermit posted this photo to his Facebook page this morning, during an engine run (I love the fact that an N-9 gun sight is fitted to this aircraft - one of only two airworthy P-51D's with one of those). It should be flying again shortly.