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As Jerry pointed out, the only reason it was painted as "Precious Metal" was for its role in the (awful) film, "Thunder Over Reno", which was being filmed/put together around the same time the aircraft began flying (2006 and 2007). Gerry Beck's intention was to eventually put it in a WWII military scheme.
(If you don't know who Gerry Beck was, and what Tri-State Aviation has provided to the warbird industry (jn particular Mustang restorations and parts), you really need to spend some time researching those points as well.)
Gerry was a big fan of the Allison engine (after spending some time operating a P-40). His initial goal was just to have a P-51 with an Allison, and when his company took on the task of restoring the CAF's red tail P-51C, he also became a big fan of the early high-back Mustangs. The A-model project actually began by duplicating the parts of/for the red tail P-51C project, and within the first few years of the A-model project (about 2001-2003), what they had was a C-model fuselage that was going to be the basis of the aircraft. However, when it came time to build the doghouse and radiator scoop sections, which were going to be a conglomeration of late (C/D type) and early (A type), the goal for the project changed, as Gerry realized the aircraft wouldn't have enough of the correct A-model lines (with the way they were headed, the end result, at that stage, would have been an aircraft that more/less resembled "Polar Bear"). The C-model fuselage that had been built for the A-model project was scrapped, and a true P-51A fuselage was built. From that point on (from about 2003 onward), everything was done, within reason, to make a true P-51A. With so much time and money invested in the project, just building one aircraft, the idea was then formed to make copies of all of the different A-model assemblies as well, so that enough parts/assemblies could be available to produce 10 more P-51A's, since they already had all of the tooling (10 sets of control surfaces, gear legs, oil tanks, and what was eventually going to be 10 sets of fuselages, wings, etc.). Gerry's P-51A flew for the first time in May 2006. Just about everything on that aircraft is correct to the P-51A, with perhaps the largest exception only being that the A-model wings were built with D-model gun bay doors and wing tips. (I refer to the aircraft in the present tense as, despite the 2007 crash, the aircraft has been under rebuild/is largely complete again).
(I *believe* some of the control surfaces that were built for the P-51A production run/kits were purchased/are being used in the P-51C "Lope's Hope 3rd" restoration at Aircorps Aviation (they are identical to those used on the P-51B/C).)
Speaking of Gerry Beck, his Corsair, which hasn't been flown for a great many years, has been receiving a lot of work at Tri-State Aviation over the winter to be brought back to flying status - it should start flying regularly again as of this spring. It will be on loan to the Wings of the North museum, located at Flying Cloud Aiport in Eden Prarie, MN, where it will be flown. (The Wings of the North museum also houses Paul Ehlen's warbirds, including the P-51D "Sierra Sue II" and the George Bush Stearman.)
Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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