Tom Cruise and his P-51

[Saville]

I recall seeing Cruise on "Inside the Actor's Studio". They got to the point where the interviewer asks such things as:

What's your favorite color?
What curse words do you hate the most?

When the interviewer asked:

What is your favorite sound?

Cruise answered with something like: The sound of a Merlin engine in a Mustang.

[Mudge]

OK...ya' fooled me. I ASSUMED, from the story, that it had a Tuskeegee paint scheme. Imagine my surprise (and chagrin) when I found that it doesn't.

Mudge the conclusion jumper

[mustangdriver]

Is his Mustang really a former Tuskeegee airplane? I thought that Steve Cowell's T-6 was the only true Tuskeegee airplane left (although I've heard rumor of a Stearman that's still around that was once theirs).

Gary

THat stearman is very much still around, I flew in it. We got the records from Maxwell AFB to back it up. Actually we didn't know it was a tuskegee aircraft, we just wanted to get the records on it, and found that out through Maxwell.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Is his Mustang really a former Tuskeegee airplane? I thought that Steve Cowell's T-6 was the only true Tuskeegee airplane left (although I've heard rumor of a Stearman that's still around that was once theirs).

Gary

THat stearman is very much still around, I flew in it. We got the records from Maxwell AFB to back it up. Actually we didn't know it was a tuskegee aircraft, we just wanted to get the records on it, and found that out through Maxwell.

The New England Air Museum has on loan from NASM a documented Tuskeegee Stearman. It was restored in New Hampshire about 8 years ago and on loan to NEAM until NASM wants it.

Link to pic: http://www.neam.org/inventory/airprofile.asp?ID=127

Jerry

[B-29 Super Fort]

I thought there was talk on this board a while back about Tom Cruise perhaps purchasing a second P-51.

[mustangdriver]

Is his Mustang really a former Tuskeegee airplane? I thought that Steve Cowell's T-6 was the only true Tuskeegee airplane left (although I've heard rumor of a Stearman that's still around that was once theirs).

Gary

THat stearman is very much still around, I flew in it. We got the records from Maxwell AFB to back it up. Actually we didn't know it was a tuskegee aircraft, we just wanted to get the records on it, and found that out through Maxwell.

The New England Air Museum has on loan from NASM a documented Tuskeegee Stearman. It was restored in New Hampshire about 8 years ago and on loan to NEAM until NASM wants it.

Link to pic: http://www.neam.org/inventory/airprofile.asp?ID=127

Jerry

Well, then there is yet another one. This one is a flyer and is based near Pittsburgh PA.

[Dudley Henriques]

Well said Dudley.

To quote from the article: "Tom Cruise's toys are all over the place."

I would imagine it was the reporter who wrote the article who called them toys and not the owner.

Les

I'm sure Lauderback et al deals with the deep pockets issue every time they take on a new client. The trick is to interview carefully and ascertain just where these money guys are with their basic attitude and personality traits as these factors directly relate to staying alive in the high performance environment. Job one for any good instructor/check pilot in this business is to make this evaluation and gear all that follows toward rebuilding any attitude problems detected during this "interview process".
I found that most pilots coming in cold with the bucks to support and operate a warbird, especially a Mustang, F8F, etc, were of the personality type conducive to the operation of a warbird. I found several pilots through my career, mostly coming out of an "inherited wealth" background, who in my opinion shouldn't have been allowed on the same airfield with a Mustang. I managed to change the attitude of one of these pilots; the other one died in a 51.
It's all about attitude really when it comes to operating a high performance airplane....any airplane actually, but especially a warbird.. In my opinion, any pilot going in with good basic skills intact and a solid healthy attitude that's conducive to learning coupled with a deep healthy respect for things that can kill you if you lack the former can be taught to operate a warbird safely.
I always expected pilots going through high performance transition to have deep pockets. The pilots in this group who I considered as the best prospects to operate their airplanes safely were the ones who were more impressed with what was required to handle the airplanes than what was required to support the flying of the airplanes.

[Bill Greenwood]

At the last warbird operators convention, Tom's instructor said that he was a competent pilot and did a good checkout in the P-51. I think he has also owned/flown a Pitts.

I don't know Tom, haven't met him at any airshows, but he gets some flak about Scientology. It should not have any bearing on his flying ability. A person's religion, or lack of it has little, if any bearing on his technical ability.
Whether Scientology is really a religion or whatever it is, is sort of beside the point.

And anybody that loves the sound of a Merlin can't be too bad. He and I also have something in common. No, besides being young, tall, and handsome----- we both own/owned a '58 Corvette! Lot's of go, not too much handling, but fun.

[The Freshest]

In the UK the P-51 'Jumpin Jacques' owned by Peter Teichman of the Hangar 11 Collection is said to definitely be an original Tuskeegee mustang. When they were overhauling it red paint was found on the tail.

[Warbird Kid]

I found several pilots through my career, mostly coming out of an "inherited wealth" background, who in my opinion shouldn't have been allowed on the same airfield with a Mustang.

Thank you for writing that. Couldnt have said it better myself. And I think I know the caliber of character you remember.

It's all about attitude really when it comes to operating a high performance airplane....any airplane actually, but especially a warbird.. In my opinion, any pilot going in with good basic skills intact and a solid healthy attitude that's conducive to learning coupled with a deep healthy respect for things that can kill you if you lack the former can be taught to operate a warbird safely.

You almost make me want to get out there and give it all shes got! Man wouldnt that be the dream. To fly some of these birds.

Keep Em' Flying
Christopher

[Jack Cook]

In the UK the P-51 'Jumpin Jacques' owned by Peter Teichman of the Hangar 11 Collection is said to definitely be an original Tuskeegee mustang. When they were overhauling it red paint was found on the tail.

Don't think so. 44-72035 was assigned to the 8th AF's 364th FG coded 5E+B late war assignment

[John Cotter]

At the last warbird operators convention, Tom's instructor said that he was a competent pilot and did a good checkout in the P-51. I think he has also owned/flown a Pitts.

I don't know Tom, haven't met him at any airshows, but he gets some flak about Scientology. It should not have any bearing on his flying ability. A person's religion, or lack of it has little, if any bearing on his technical ability.
Whether Scientology is really a religion or whatever it is, is sort of beside the point.

And anybody that loves the sound of a Merlin can't be too bad. He and I also have something in common. No, besides being young, tall, and handsome----- we both own/owned a '58 Corvette! Lot's of go, not too much handling, but fun.

I agree Bill,

Why should his religion have any bearing? Just because his flavor is Scientology...how is that different than Morman, Christian, Jew, Islam? A different set of beliefs in some sort of spiritual being.

I am glad he has the Mustang. He has the money to operate it. The star power to attract attention to the warbird movement (if necessary). And apparently the skill to fly the airplane. Would I rather it be me flying it? Oh Yeah, But I have not hit my trust fund yet.

Last edited by John Cotter on Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[warbird1]

I think it's a good thing that Tom has the P-51. From second hand info, from someone close to his instructor (M.J.), he said that Tom took the training very seriously and professional. That's the kind of attitude that will keep him alive. The cool thing is that since Tom is a major star, it might give more attention to the warbird movement and make people more cognizant of our heritage. BTW, to the doubters, Tom is no stranger to tailwheel aircraft. He's had and flown a Pitts for many years prior to his acquisition of the P-51.

The only thing I wish, is that he would take his Mustang to airshows. AFAIK, it's never made an appearance in Tom's hands.

From what I hear, Tom was very close to becoming a Twin Mustang pilot as well! That's not a bad thing, whatsoever!

[MattP38]

At the last warbird operators convention, Tom's instructor said that he was a competent pilot and did a good checkout in the P-51. I think he has also owned/flown a Pitts.

I don't know Tom, haven't met him at any airshows, but he gets some flak about Scientology. It should not have any bearing on his flying ability. A person's religion, or lack of it has little, if any bearing on his technical ability.
Whether Scientology is really a religion or whatever it is, is sort of beside the point.

And anybody that loves the sound of a Merlin can't be too bad. He and I also have something in common. No, besides being young, tall, and handsome----- we both own/owned a '58 Corvette! Lot's of go, not too much handling, but fun.

He's not all that tall Bill, 5' 7", but then again I did not have much room to work with when sitting in a P-51C.

[bipe215]

Does anyone know what the "1933 Cropduster" he owns is?

Steve G