Warbird Information Exchange

P-51B N68738...

Jack Hardwick landed it at Banning, CA in 1955...it sat three years...a guy named "Jim" bought it and flew it to Hayward, CA in 1958.

Heard it bellied-in at Hayward sometime later.

Anyone know the rest of the story on this one ???

Go to the Fighter Collection's website and read the narrative for the P-51C. It's fate is mentioned there.

-------------------------------------------------
Dan

I thnk we are talking about two different planes here. The one that the Fighter Collection was rebuilt from a number of different air frames by Pete Regina. The one in the photos on this post appears to be a complete example. Also this pic was taken 20+ years before Pete Regina finished his. I to would be interested in knowing what happened to this aircraft.

That is the airplane that literally started it all for my Dad! He grew up in Palm Springs and used to ride his horse out to Banning or have his Mom drive him out there so he could sit in it and daydream about flying one someday. Long before P-40's came into his life it was his dream to have a P-51 B/C. It's canopy was gone so access was very easy. I've never seen a photo of that airplane before. Very very cool. I would love to get a copy of it to frame.

Well, when you read the write up about Pete Regina's former aircraft (the one with TFC in Duxford) you'll see it contains the tail and aft fuselage of this aircraft. If I remember correctly, Regina bought what was left of it after it pranged and was scrapped and incorporated it into N51PR.

---------------------------------------
Dan

This is Warbird Directory #4's entry for this bird:

102- P-51B 43-6351 N68738 dam. belly landing, Hayward CA 4.58
24539 broken-up for parts, Hayward CA .58
Mike Bogue, Oakland CA: parts only75/80
(rear fuse. & parts stored Oakland CA)
Peter Regina, Van Nuys CA .80
(parts collection trucked to Van Nuys:
used in rebuild of P-51B N51PR: see 103- 26778)