Kermit Weeks P-51A 43-6178
Kermit Weeks acquired this P-51A in the 1980’s and has been having restoration work done on and off. He sent his P-51A to Art Teeters’ Cal Pacific Airmotive in California who did the restoration work on both his C and D model mustangs. His other two mustangs won Grand Champion Warbird at Sun ‘n Fun and Oshkosh fly-ins. There is currently no set date for the completion of this early mustang but when it is completed I think we can expect that it will be a prize winner, like the others in his collection.
Gerry Beck’s scratch built P-51A
This P-51 was involved in an accident with the late Bob Odegaard P-51D “Stang” that was being flown by his son Casey at the time. At EAA's AirVenture located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2007 the propeller of Gerry Beck’s mustang struck “Stang” his evasive maneuvers saved Casey Odegaard and he became inverted and then proceeded to crash near the side of the runway. Since 2007 this P-51 has been under restoration and was finally put back on its gear in 2010 and today it is still under restoration to airworthy status. I haven’t heard any information on the other 10.
Pacific Fighters Restoration P-51B “Berlin Express”
This P-51B is under restoration by Pacific Fighters out of Idaho Falls, Idaho by John Muszala and as of early February 2013 it is on its gear and in October of 2013 the Merlin engine has been installed. The restoration continues and as of today, with no publicly announced completion date. Pictures of the restoration work can be seen on the Pacific Fighters Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacific- ... 6621845601Brent Hisey’s P-51C 42-103740
This P-51C serial number 42-103740 is being restored in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and is owned by Brent Hisey who is also the owner of the P-51D “Miss America”. The mustang is under restoration by Warbirds Inc. As more information becomes available I will post.
Chris and Pat Harker's F-82E Twin Mustang 46-256
This F-82E was acquired by the late Walter Soplata of Newberry, Ohio in 1956 and sat in storage at his property until it was sold to David Arnold of Jersey, UK in 1997 but before it was shipped to the United Kingdom it was sold to Amjet/Polar Aviation Museum which is located in Anoka County, Minnesota. This twin mustang was sold again and restoration is being done by Chris and Pat Harker, C&P Aviation Services of St. Paul-Anoka County, Minnesota. Currently the F-82 is under restoration to airworthy status as it has been since 2000. So it shouldn’t be too much longer before she is back in the air.
-Thomas Reilly
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