Lope's Hope 3rd question

[Dan K]

Has anybody seen or got a link to a decent profile of P-51C "Lope's Hope 3rd" (Don Lopez's last combat mount)?

Many TIA.

[greatgonzo]

Gimmie an e-mail. I've got something.

[Dan K]

Gimmie an e-mail. I've got something.

Thanks! PM sent.

[greatgonzo]

And replied.

[Dan K]

All right P-51 experts: A puzzle for you.

It seems all the profiles/paintings/sims of Don Lopez's "Lope's Hope 3rd" portray your basic non-fillet P-51C (in 75th FS colors of course), such as:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/soh_ftp/thu ... 188775.jpg

http://www.sandbagger.uk.com/aausa2/P51BLopez.jpg

Every wartime photograph I've seen of Don Lopez with "Lope's Hope 3rd" show either the front fuselage or cockpit of the aircraft.

And then there's this pic:





Now, I've never been accused of having great eyesight, but the Mustang Lopez is leaning against appears to have a fin fillet in place.


SO...

1) Do any period pics exist of "Lope's Hope 3rd" showing the entire aircraft?

2) Is the Mustang in the attached pic one other than "Lope's Hope 3rd"?


I await replies from the experts in anticipation.

[Dan Johnson II]

The photo if Lopes Hope III in his book "Into the Teeth of the Tiger" shows no fin fillet and no paint beyond the name on the nose. I imagine it was taken shortly after he got the Mustang, but it's about as plain as it can get.

[Dan K]

The photo if Lopes Hope III in his book "Into the Teeth of the Tiger" shows no fin fillet and no paint beyond the name on the nose. I imagine it was taken shortly after he got the Mustang, but it's about as plain as it can get.

Thanks for that, Dan.

I'm sure I've read other Don Lopez interviews which reveal the addition of black to the tail and the number 194 in white. I'm wondering if a fillet was added to LH3 (and perhaps other 75th FS Mustangs?) at the time the tails went black.

Back to the experts!

[Ken]

Slightly off topic, but if you haven't read Don Lopez's "Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets", go get a copy asap! Great read!

[Lynn Allen]

Slightly off topic, but if you haven't read Don Lopez's "Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets", go get a copy asap! Great read!

Hopefully they will come out in kindle soon as they looked like a geat read, thanks for the head up...