What a Brat...

Bomber_12th

Bomber_12th

SOH-CM-2025
Here are some shots from a recent flight around Portland, Oregon with the Cavanaugh Flight Museum's P-51D "The Brat III", painted in the same markings the specific airframe sported while in service with the 370th FG, 9th AF during WWII, when assigned to Lt. Hjalmar Johnsen.















 
Although it was fairly much a non-event, and thus was fairly well "off the radar", back in late August while on a flight heading to Midland, Texas, Chuck Gardner was forced to make an emergency landing with the aircraft when the engine temp suddenly got too hot. Over west Texas at the time, and in the middle of nowhere, he found a long dirt road and set the aircraft down, coming to stop in the front of a nearby rancher's property. I believe Chuck ended up spending the night there and the aircraft was later inspected and trucked out - no damage in the least, and I believe the problem was found to have simply been a water pump failure.

Here are some unique photos from that event, though I can't remember now who it was that took them.



 
Bomber_12th said:
Although it was fairly much a non-event, and thus was fairly well "off the radar", back in late August while on a flight heading to Midland, Texas, Chuck Gardner was forced to make an emergency landing with the aircraft when the engine temp suddenly got too hot. Over west Texas at the time, and in the middle of nowhere, he found a long dirt road and set the aircraft down, coming to stop in the front of a nearby rancher's property. I believe Chuck ended up spending the night there and the aircraft was later inspected and trucked out - no damage in the least, and I believe the problem was found to have simply been a water pump failure.
. . . . .
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Amazing to think the changes that airplane (if it's the same one) has seen since we originally restored it in '07/08' John. Beautiful airplane, but I was glad to see it go someplace else, lol.
 
Bomber_12th said:
Although it was fairly much a non-event, and thus was fairly well "off the radar", back in late August while on a flight heading to Midland, Texas, Chuck Gardner was forced to make an emergency landing with the aircraft when the engine temp suddenly got too hot. Over west Texas at the time, and in the middle of nowhere, he found a long dirt road and set the aircraft down, coming to stop in the front of a nearby rancher's property. I believe Chuck ended up spending the night there and the aircraft was later inspected and trucked out - no damage in the least, and I believe the problem was found to have simply been a water pump failure.

Here are some unique photos from that event, though I can't remember now who it was that took them.



Click to expand...

Now why can't something like that land in the front yard instead of the free local paper??? Thanks for posting John!
 
Geomitrak said:
Is that the A2A civilian Mustang ?
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As Sundog mentioned, it's not A2A, but it is a civilian example - though not specific to the restored "The Brat III", rather it is the restored "Geraldine" in disguise (since everything about the model is specific to that restoration). Although an extremely authentic restoration (Geraldine), the cockpit does of course have modern Coms, Transponder, and VOR (and you can find the antennas for the modern avionics fitted below the wings and atop the tail fin), all per the restored aircraft.

 
Odie, wouldn't that be nice! I guess there were a number of passer-byers who slammed on the breaks to get a look at it. ; )

And Ed, I still think it is so cool that you got to wrench on the aircraft! http://mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/?survivors/serial/44-72339

As can be seen in the above link, and as others know, it used to be painted in the markings of famed leader Col. Don Blakeslee's 4th FG mount, like this, but with silver paint until its latest restoration and the findings about the airframes actual original WWII service with the 9th AF:

7512402642_f1415748ae_o.jpg
 
Truly fantastic screenshots, John! A thought came to me when I saw them. Are you considering making your Mustangs compatible with TacPac now that the SDK for doing so is out?
 
John, your screenshots are purely fantastic !
(but ok, with such a plane and such a repaint, it's not that hard, right ? ;) )

However, it seems to me that there is something that is not as good as before... I can't put my finger on it.... Could it be that you increased the JPEG compression of your screenshots ?
Or is it the AntiAliasing ?
 
Stickshaker, I've been approached about that by a few others as well, and I would like to give it a go, though nothing has been seriously discussed at this point. Ever since getting into developing the D/K models, we've wanted to have functional HVAR rockets to play with, more than just seeing them mounted out on the wings. However, lately I've been thinking much more in-line with a functional 37-mm cannon and wing-package 50-cal machine guns, for another aircraft type which currently has my greatest attention. ; )
 
Daube, you're right - I've not done much 'flight simming' in a while, and my graphics settings are a bit lower than I used to have them, namely anti-aliasing as you mention. I had noticed a difference with recent screenshots too, and so I'll bump the settings up again (it doesn't affect performance, at least any amount that I can tell, between the two settings (how I had it, and how I have it right now).
 
The visual quality of your Mustangs never ceases to amaze me! In my opinion those are pretty much the most beautiful models in FSX.

And allways great to read the background stories you post!

You could try sending that fifth shot in the original post to airliners.net. I really like the prop effect there, and the metal textures.
 
Awesome shots and a very riveting story.. I'm possibly the biggest fan of your work. I will buy anything you make. Your attention to detail never ceases to amaze me..... Thanks for your hard work for the community..
 
Bomber_12th said:
As Sundog mentioned, it's not A2A, but it is a civilian example - though not specific to the restored "The Brat III", rather it is the restored "Geraldine" in disguise (since everything about the model is specific to that restoration). Although an extremely authentic restoration (Geraldine), the cockpit does of course have modern Coms, Transponder, and VOR (and you can find the antennas for the modern avionics fitted below the wings and atop the tail fin), all per the restored aircraft.
Click to expand...

Oh ok, sorry for getting it mixed up. That really is a first class model, and the repaint is flawless. Lovely stuff.
 
Bomber_12th said:
Stickshaker, I've been approached about that by a few others as well, and I would like to give it a go, though nothing has been seriously discussed at this point. Ever since getting into developing the D/K models, we've wanted to have functional HVAR rockets to play with, more than just seeing them mounted out on the wings. However, lately I've been thinking much more in-line with a functional 37-mm cannon and wing-package 50-cal machine guns, for another aircraft type which currently has my greatest attention. ; )
Click to expand...

I understand, John. In the end, I hope you won't forget your P-51B's... favourites of mine since I read Len Deighton's Goodbye Mickey Mouse.
 
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