Tuskegee P-51B "Lucy Gal" Project Progress Thread

Invader26 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:56 am **Posts:** 816

At the risk of not being politically correct hasn't the Tuskegee bit been a bit over done? There are already a couple of Mustangs done in their colours. They only represented a very small fraction of those who served in WW2.....

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3127

Invader26 wrote:

At the risk of not being politically correct hasn't the Tuskegee bit been a bit over done? There are already a couple of Mustangs done in their colours. They only represented a very small fraction of those who served in WW2.....

Absolutely. But it's the current bandwagon that everyone's trying to jump aboard.

airknocker · **Posted:** Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:01 pm

A quick browse of the over 150+ P-51s named in the Warbird Registry you could count the Tuskegee types on one hand.

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3127

But a 100% rate of both of the original P-51Cs flying

Steve T · **Posted:** Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:35 pm

Fair enough, re the flying C-models; but HAG's project honours a specific local airman, who just happens to have been with the 332nd...and in any case paint's just paint...the scheme could be changed someday so as to tell another story. The thought of a fighter based at Gennie again after all these years makes me smile.

S.

AustinHancock51 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:35 pm

Hey again friends! The release of Red Tails, and our collaboration with the local theatre garnered extraordinary results. We managed to collect enough donations to be able to purchase the Rudder kit from Tri-State!

We plan on doing this shortly, but first we want to build the jig.

I'd like to make the jig out of metal, and I have this pic from the WWII Fighter Aircraft Foundation Museum's site to go by, but I'd like more pics and measurements/dimensions if anyone has them.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:50 pm

Congratulations on the progress Austin.

AustinHancock51 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:17 am

Dave Homewood wrote:

Congratulations on the progress Austin.

Thank you very much Dave!

Dan Johnson II · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 1:49 am **Posts:** 659

Mike wrote:

Invader26 wrote:

At the risk of not being politically correct hasn't the Tuskegee bit been a bit over done? There are already a couple of Mustangs done in their colours. They only represented a very small fraction of those who served in WW2.....

Absolutely. But it's the current bandwagon that everyone's trying to jump aboard.

How is a project that was started prior to the movie considered jumping on the bandwagon? That's just silly. So anyone interested in the 101st Airborne before Band of Brothers were bandwagon jumpers?

It's probably a million to one shot the project ever gets finished, but how the heck can we criticize someone for chasing a dream of their own?

It would be a bit like deciding there are too many "Old Crow' restored Mustangs, or Blue Nosers for that matter.

Good luck to Austin and crew for doing more then just talk about their dream, and for remembering a local flyer.

AustinHancock51 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:30 pm

Thank you very much Dan. Our museum has had a Tuskegee program each summer since 2001, we go wayyyy back when it comes to the airmen. Like you mentioned, this is not by any means jumping on a bandwagon. We are just simply expanding our aircraft fleet and Tuskegee History program. This P-51 will be a "tool" for teach local inner-city youths about the Airmen and their legacy.

lvkeith83 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:37 pm

Dan Johnson II wrote:

Mike wrote:

Invader26 wrote:

At the risk of not being politically correct hasn't the Tuskegee bit been a bit over done? There are already a couple of Mustangs done in their colours. They only represented a very small fraction of those who served in WW2.....

Absolutely. But it's the current bandwagon that everyone's trying to jump aboard.

How is a project that was started prior to the movie considered jumping on the bandwagon? That's just silly. So anyone interested in the 101st Airborne before Band of Brothers were bandwagon jumpers?

It's probably a million to one shot the project ever gets finished, but how the heck can we criticize someone for chasing a dream of their own?

It would be a bit like deciding there are too many "Old Crow' restored Mustangs, or Blue Nosers for that matter.

Good luck to Austin and crew for doing more then just talk about their dream, and for remembering a local flyer.

Dan, Very well said!

As there are only 3 flyable mustangs 2 C's & D/CA-18 painted representing Tuskegee Airmen (CAF,Weeks, Tillamook) I don't think that qualifies as being (over done) I support HAG and their mission!

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:16 am

Mike wrote:

But a 100% rate of both of the original P-51Cs flying

That is not correct.

Princess Elizabeth
The Boise Bee
Betty Jane

TAdan · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:26 am

Just a guess, but I'd expect that Tri-state would probably be able to tell you the information you are looking for about the jig when you order the tail-kit.

AustinHancock51 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 3:35 pm

TAdan wrote:

Just a guess, but I'd expect that Tri-state would probably be able to tell you the information you are looking for about the jig when you order the tail-kit.

Hey TAdan, Tri-State did send me blueprints for the original WWII Wooden Jig from the SRM. I would like to go with metal for mine though for more precision.

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3127

mustangdriver wrote:

Mike wrote:

But a 100% rate of both of the original P-51Cs flying

That is not correct.

Princess Elizabeth
The Boise Bee
Betty Jane

Princess Elizabeth is a converted D-model recovered from Israel.
Betty Jane is 100% new build.

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