MesserStang :))

[Michel Lemieux]

From the movie Patton ????

See from another forum
http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/pp_Messerstang.jpg

[Ollie]

Whoa, that is neat!!

More like strange! Those tail feathers sure look undersized!

[DaveM2]

I think that was done for the 'Patton' film. Kinda wonder why they bothered going to the trouble..I would have thought there were a darn side more P-51s around at that time, they could have used ;-0

Dave

[T J Johansen]

There was a 51 first put up for the job, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that it got some snags, and wasn't able to participate in the movie. At that time there wasn't many Mustangs flying in Europe.

T J Johansen
Oslo, NORWAY

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/223287/L/

[Lynn Allen]

What part of the movie were they in? I rememebr the T-6's and Casa's-111.

TIA,

Lynn

[DazDaMan]

I don't remember them, but I don't imagine they were flying!! That radiator would have made the Buchon's flying characteristics a bit more interesting than they already are!

[Lynn Allen]

Daz,

Thanks for the info, I didn't think I saw them. I have watched it as much as BOB. It would have been interesting to see how they flew and the performance.

Cheers,

Lynn

[JDK]

Hi All,
The copy of the pic was posted originally (I think) by a good friend of mine. To answer some conjectures:
Yes, 'built' for the movie 'Patton'
Yes, flown like that (though there are no photos)
No, not in the final cut of the move. I don't think they were actually filmed
There were 2 (or three?) built.TJ's is right - Mustangs were rare in Europe at the time!
Cheers
James K

[Randy Haskin]

Isn't anyone going to counter the MesserStang pic with photos of the Mustangs painted up as '109s?

[RyanShort1]

Isn't anyone going to counter the MesserStang pic with photos of the Mustangs painted up as '109s?

LOL! That makes me mad every time I've seen the movie Fighter Squadron... P-47s shooting at those P-51s in those crummy German markings.

Ryan

[DanteC]

Isn't anyone going to counter the MesserStang pic with photos of the Mustangs painted up as '109s?

How about the movie "Aces: Iron Eagle 3" (1992)?

USAF- Louis Gossett attacks drug lord with Warbirds. Nice warbird footage, if you can handle the story. Spitfire FR.Mk.XIVc (NH904), P-38J (N38BP) from Planes of Fame East. N.A. P-51C(?) in German marks. Rutan Canard (as "Me 263"!!!). 3 SOKO Galeb jets, Cessna twin, 2 Bell 205's. T-6/Zero replica. Fairchild C-123K Provider. Filmed around the Tucson, Arizona area (F-86D, T-28 on ramp in background).

I believe the P-51 representing the ME-109 is an A model, but it has been many years since I've seen this movie. Even though it's terrible, it is worth renting (or you can just wait till it's on TNT or USA Network ). Good for some laughs.

-Dante

[dj51d]

The "109" in Iron Eagle III was the Planes of Fame's P-51A 43-6251.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51regis ... 36251.html

[T J Johansen]

Hi guys,

Dante is right, the P-51 is Planes of Fame P-51A N4235Y. If I remember correctly, the film was shot at Avra Valley, just North of Tucson. I got to fly with Bud Abrams in A-26 "Puss & Boots" out of that field in 1992, and seem to remember that the layout of the field looked the same. Wasn't Bud's T-28 in Thunderbird colors also featured as a backdrop in the movie? Haven't seen the movie for 10 years, and its not such a loss either!

There was a feature in Warbirds Worldwide about the Patton movie, and if my mind serves me correctly there were three Hispano's drafted; G-AWHG, AWHL, and AWHS. Eventually they were not used, although I can't remember why, and instead the T-6s came on the scene. Is there any photos of them around? Haven't seen the movie so I have no clue about the finished product!

I have recently been in touch with the guy who used to fly Ben Peck's P-51 N6356T while as an Interocean pilot in and out of Frankfurt, but of course he was not involved with the "Patton" thing since the plane had been sold off by then. Does anyone know who flew it while in use for the movie?

Best regards,
T J Johansen
Oslo, NORWAY

[DanteC]

Wasn't Bud's T-28 in Thunderbird colors also featured as a backdrop in the movie? Haven't seen the movie for 10 years, and its not such a loss either!

It's been at least that long since I've seen the movie as well, but I thought I remembered the T-28 being a gloss gray Navy scheme.

I found a fairly extensive database of warbirds used in motion pictures. It's pretty interesting to look at. Link is below.

Military Aviation Movie List
http://www.coastcomp.com/av/fltline2/avmovie.htm#P