P-51D "Then and Now" Where It's the Same Plane?

[1970LT1]

Are there any candidates out there to do a Warbirdsim P-51D "Then and Now" product where the Mustang is the exact same one that flew in World War II and it is painted in the same livery? Seems like that would be pretty cool.

BTW, how long until "Tear" is released?

Regards,

LT1

 

[Bomber_12th]

LT, the candidates would be (including what would be some updated re-releases):

"Upupa Epops"
"Fragile But Agile" - (the only surviving Mustang of the Pacific Theatre - if indeed the aircraft it is claimed to be)
"Twilight Tear"
"The Brat III"
"Sierra Sue II" - (currently under restoration to complete stock WWII condition by Aircorps Aviation - made up of many of the guys responsible for the restoration and detailing work on Twilight Tear)
"Mary Mine" - (currently in storage)
"Miss Helen"
"Marinell" - (will be covered in Warbirdsim's "Hardwick Mustangs")
44-72059 - (a 364th FG vet, coded 5Y-P, currently nearing completetion to complete stock WWII condition at Fighter Enterprises)
"NACA 127" - (finished in the same markings and configuration it had while it served with the NACA after WWII)
"Queen of Hearts" - (a 325th FG combat vet - I don't know if the name/nose art is original, but the markings and aircraft codes are)
"Kansas City Kitty"

There are others, which are either combat vets, or arrived to the Theatres of combat in WWII but did not see combat, that are not finished in their original wartime schemes today. Those could be listed out too, if desired.

 

[Bomber_12th]

In regards to "Twilight Tear", it should be available in early April - still trying to wrap up the avionics for the restored example, before work can also be finished on the WWII-example.

 

[glennc]

Count me in for BratIII. It's a local bird - Cavanaugh Flight Museum, 11nm by gps south of home. Need photos? I have a few, can probably get more.

Glenn

 

[Bomber_12th]

Glenn, it certainly is a gorgeous aircraft! (during WWII, it would have had an OD anti-glare upper cowl, rather than black as restored). Unfortunately, no photo exists of the nose artwork from WWII, but a photo of the same pilot's earlier P-38, also named "The Brat", showing the artwork on that aircraft, was used to design the artwork for the restoration. Through the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, you can purchase a flight onboard this aircraft.

 

[Bomber_12th]

I've added a couple more to the above list.

Here are some examples that are known to have been assigned to various units during WWII:

44-12125 - a P-51K that served in the 78th FG, based at Duxford, now on static display in the Netherlands, having entered the Netherlands AF following WWII (I think this would make a great "Then and Now")
44-63350 - crashed in 2007, currently under restoration, was painted as Lou IV - was assigned to the 15th AF
"Grim Reaper" - finished in 9th AF markings, was assigned to the 8th AF
"Daddy's Girl" - was assigned to the 8th AF
"Angles Playmate" - finished in 9th AF/Bruce Carr markings, *believed to be a 357th FG combat vet
"Tempus Fugit" - was assigned to the 8th AF
44-63871 - on display in Paris, was assigned to the 8th AF
44-63992 - on display in Sweden, was assigned to the 8th AF
"Jumpin Jacques" - believed to have been assigned to the 332nd FG (Tuskegee Airmen)
"Sweet Revenge" - was assigned to the 8th AF
"Baby Duck" - was assigned to the 8th AF
44-72123 - this is one of the original wartime "Millie G's" of Maj. Ed Giller, assigned to the 55th FG, currently mounted to a pole on outdoor display in the Dominican Republic (I really wish this aircraft could be rescued somehow)
44-72395 - currently under ground-up restoration, an original combat vet of the 479th FG, 435th FS of the 8th AF
"Hell-Er Bust" - was assigned to the 8th AF
"Ridge Runner III" - an original combat vet of the 354th FG, 356th FS of the 9th AF, coded AJ-R
44-72777 - believed to have been assigned to the 52nd FG, 5th FS of the 15th AF
"Scat VII" - some believe this is the original aicraft, as painted, but likely only the identity and paperwork can claim it as such (having been built from the ground-up a few different times)
"Petie 2nd/44-72942" - was assigned to the 12th AF

Most of those that are later than this, if they did get shipped out from the U.S., sat at a depot for a while before being shipped back to the States, arriving to Europe too late to see any action.

 

[1970LT1]

Thanks Bomber. Very informative as usual.

Regards,

LT1

 

[glennc]

Bomber yours are at least as good as mine and cover the same angles, plst quite a few I don't have like the panel shots. Why do I get the impression I might have seen you there?

I know a ride in it and several of their other airplanes is do-able. I probably will at some point, but to be honest, I'm more interested in the T-6 or Stearman for now. I took the opportunity to get some time in Betty Jane last year. That will be very hard to top because I got some stick time in Betty Jane. The roll was incredible.

Glenn

 

[fsxar177]

John,
RRIII Was one of the true sleepers of the mustang world, on the Reno pylon circuit.

460mph laps at 5k... Love it! And it retained the warbird-look, for the most part. After all, would be a shame to chop up a mustang with that history.


Joseph

 

[Bomber_12th]

Glenn, although I did get to see this aircraft at Oshkosh last summer, all of the photos are simply those I have collected from others and are some of those I have in my "The Brat III" folder, incase of a future project.

Joseph, it is amazing what Dan Martin was able to accomplish with that aircraft! You'd see it all year round in stock external configuration, and then all of a sudden, just before Reno, it would show up with a modified belly scoop, racing wing-tips, and of course a racing-Merlin (like all of the 'big-players'). The most amazing thing, perhaps, was that it was able to achieve those 460-480 mph (in 2009) with a stock canopy (not the most aerodynamically efficient design).

"Ridge Runner III" is now currently owned by Pat Harker/C&P Aviation based in Blaine, MN, just north of Minneapolis, and he had it out at Oshkosh last summer. This is the same person/company that has one of the two P-82's under restoration to fly (the furthest along of the two), and also owns a P-51H project which they will be tackling once the P-82 is finished. Hopefully they'll be able to keep all three together for some time, as it would be amazing to be able to have displayed all together, a P-51D, P-51H, and P-82.

 

[fsxar177]

John,
Yes, the speeds in '09 were un-real. I'm always comparing speeds in the relation to the old-method of course calculation, hence the mention of 460's. But still very fast.

That F-82 project is quite intriguing. Have you been the the facilities for a look at the work being done?

Joseph