Question about P-51A Polar Bear

Rob.Brindley · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:55 am **Posts:** 38

Hey guys,

I've been doing some reading about P-51A's as im building a model for a flight sim that I use, and i'm a little puzzled when it comes to Polar Bear. Looking at Every other Allison engined P-51/A36 I've seen, They all have the smaller Air Scoop at the bottom of the Fuselage where as Polar Bear seems to have a P-51 B/C/D Scoop?

I've Looked on Mustangs Mustangs and noticed that Polar Bear is a P-51A-1NA model, and all the others i've seen are P-51A-10NA models.

I was wondering, Is Polar Bears Scoop correct for that particular model? Or should it have the Smaller scoop like the other variants?

Thnks for reading,

Regards,

Rob.

Stoney · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:59 am

A friend of mine helped pull it out of the weeds in Alaska and it was put together out of several airframes, it has a D scoop.

Dan K · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:02 am

Polar Bear is roughly an A model from the firewall forward. Moon Spillers used mostly D fuselage, radiator, etc. to make this bird a flier.

Way back when Mr. Spillers still owned the aircraft and brought it to OSH for the first time, I asked if he had plans to ever re-do the scoop and radiator. His response was, "What's the point--95% of the people don't know the difference anyway."

Holedigger · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:04 am

95%!? More like 99.95%

Rob.Brindley · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:55 am **Posts:** 38

Ok guys, Thanks very much for the reply's

It's true that most people don't know the difference, I only noticed the engine until i started reading about them more recently.

Thanks for the Quick responses

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:19 am

Many people can see the difference between that P-51A/D, when they sit side by side, however many of us are glad to see another one fly. And at least it is not someone trying to sell it and claiming it is an exact rebuild , or a "zero time" airframe.

Who is the current owner?

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:45 am

Jerry Gabe, and it is based in Hollister California. The late Jeff Ethell wrote a nice pilot report on it a few years ago. A very nice airplane, whatever it is. I believe Jerry currently has it up for sale.

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:37 pm

Rob.Brindley · **Joined:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:55 am **Posts:** 38

Some really nice photo's there mate

Thanks for posting

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:33 pm

I have been hoping that, with the Gerry Beck "P-51A Replica Kit" program, that Polar Bear would go under the knife and emerge as a "true" P-51A.

Then, the owner could also split out the P-51D parts into a real P-51D (the identity of the D model 'donor' is known and an ex-Indonesian airframe) to help 'pay' for the upgrade.

So, two Mustangs for the price of one...and a half.

Speedy · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:43 pm

Definitely a D model wing, too. The A-C models had a 'straight' leading edge, with no 'kink' where the landing gear was located.

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:56 pm

I think the radiator itself is a pretty major issue. I've been told that the rad is the reason the POF -A doesn't fly much or go far these days.

Thank you Rob, and you're welcome...

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 2:13 pm

For comparison here is Gerry's replica, flown here by Bob Odegaard

...and an actual A-36 (not by me!).

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1476

Speedy wrote:

Definitely a D model wing, too. The A-C models had a 'straight' leading edge, with no 'kink' where the landing gear was located.

The A-C model Mustangs have a kink, it's just much less pronounced than on the D. The H was the only production model to have no kink at all.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:15 pm

Landing light in the wing looks different as well. Wingtip formation light/lights different.

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