Warbird Information Exchange

DTS:

Any updates on the possible restoration of the only FAG P-51D in outdoor display outside "La Aurora Airport" ? Photo c. 1970s. P-51 Buff/FAH619®

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FAH619®

if you know how corrupted a lot of people in this country are you just bring some money and buy this plane and put a replica of it on the pedestal

P-51 Folks:

Another S. of the Border P-51D/N74045 poss NIcaragua GN 98. Somewhere USA c*. 1970s. Photo D. Phillips Via C/w.com

c=circa

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FAH619®

D.T.S:

I believe the previous comments are a bit out of bounderies. Let's stay strickly with aviation themes not political stuff.

There was however, some P-51D maneuvers in Maracay, Venezuela c.* 1980s when a real P-51D exhibited in a museum outdoors was switched for a scale fiber glass replica to be displayed indoors! Pictures soon! -)
P-51Buff/FAH619®

c.*=circa.

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FAH619®

P-51 Folks:

Another P-51D fm S. of the Border. X FAS 402/N33FF. USA c. 1988s. Photo D. Phillips via C/w.com.

p.s Tks Simon for the data.

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FAH619®

What is your source for the 1970s date of this photo?

Current logic has that aircraft, 44-84655, returning from Nicaragua as GN 98, then getting a refurbishment from Aero Sport in the mid 60s and returning South to Bolivia as FAB 510.

The airframe was last positively ID'd as a damaged fuselage, crated and headed for Cavalier Aircraft in 1967, where it's positive fate is unknown (but assumed it was used for any one of about three different TF-51s that Cavalier built after 1967).

Do you have a higher resolution version of this? I don't think this is actually N31FF, as 31FF was FAS 405, a Cavalier Mustang II. 31FF came back from El Salvador in '74 with it's Cavalier mods intact, and wearing green and tan camo, and resided in Connie Edwards' warehouse from 1978 to 1996.

Since you can't see any Cavalier mods in this shot, and without acouring the 'net to find photos like it, I'm thinking it's one of the other Flaherty Factors FAS Mustangs recovered in '74:

FAS-406 N32FF
FAS-402 (II) N33FF
FAS-409 N34FF
FAS-408 N35FF

Randy,

This photo is shot in Indiana before the plane was ferried to California. According to Stan Kurzet (who owned the P-51D and F8F used in the movie "Wings of Fire") he bought the TF-51 and had it flown out west. I seem to remember from Snyder's report that it bellied in on the delivery flight. Dick Vartanian told me about 15 years ago that he had been the guy flying it to CA. Kurzet had planned to keep the bird, but got an offer to good to pass up and the plane was sold. It was refurbished at Aero-Sport if I'm not mistaken. Then it went south to Bolivia. As for a timeframe on the photo, I would say 1964!

T J

P-51 Folks:

P-51D S/N? in outdoor exhibit at Maracay, Venezuela c. 1980s. Photo G. Kuhn via C/w.com.

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FAH619®

p.s The pic!

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FAH619®

paisano Tulio,
what do your contacts say about restoring the 336 or 360??

P-51 FAS 401 after its return to the U.S. Chino, Calif c. 1974-75. Photo DPH Via C/w.com

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FAH619®

To be more specific, "Cavalier Mustang II FAS 401"

In reference to the picture of the polished Mustang sitting next to the Tracker. I was actually there and saw it sitting right there. I have an almost identical picture in storage. Will try and dig it out this weekend.

The plane is N33FF ex-FAS 402. The picture was taken during the summer of 1988 at Chino. The plane is parked right outside Pacific Fighters, right next to Muszala's Tracker (now with Bob Pond). In the background the hangar with the Cessna later became Square One Aviation.

Pacific Fighters did an overhaul on the aircraft for the owner Robert Nottke (sp). Later it was sold to Lee Maples in Missouri and got its noseart "Archie". If I remember correctly on the left side of the canopy frame there was a long wierd message stenciled next to the owners name - probably some kind of inside joke, but I can't remember what it said.

Simon