A-36 Conversion

JimH · **Posted:** Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:26 pm

Moon Spillers rebuilt his A model from a wreckage recovered from alaska. Now owned by Gerry Gabe of Hollister. It has a D wing and scoop. Dan Cameron has our fuselage, Art Teeters has our wings...it is an A-36...we also have the cowlings from John Paul's machine...as far as I know. His psuedo B model started life as an A-36. Just be patient guys...ours is in the works...just takes time and money...so come take a flight with us!

Jim

airnutz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2005 12:30 am

Thanks Jim...at Mustangsx2, the history of"Polar Bear" didn't jibe with
what little info I had. The Collings and J Paul 80's parts sale seemed most
logical..but'cha never know. I also was informed today via another WIX'er
that the Friedkin A-36 is at Chino..the Mustx2 has it's last data for that bird in 2002, shipped to Duxford!

Yep..we gotta be patient..so many planes to see..so few dollars to go
around. Thanx!

Chad Veich · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:47 am

bdk wrote:

Swiss Mustangs wrote:

Polar Bear indeed is a P-51A and was rebuilt from a crash, retaining the original ID.

And has a D-model scoop I believe.

According to a Warbirds article on this airplane most of the fuselage is D model, as well as the wings and tail. The canopy was apparently found new in the crate and the cowlings came from someone converting an A to a B. (I always assumed this was John Paul's project) So, very little of what Spillers drug off the mountain is flying in "Polar Bear" as far as I can tell. It is a very neat airplane but hardly represents any sort of authentic Allison powered Mustang.

Ryan Harris · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:10 pm

Chad what you said referring to the cowlings from the A-36 going to the Spillers project is exactly what I've always heard as well.

Seems that the ole A-36 has pieces everywhere.

Ryan

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

airnutz wrote:

I also was informed today via another WIX'er
that the Friedkin A-36 is at Chino..the Mustx2 has it's last data for that bird in 2002, shipped to Duxford

And shipped back shortly after Flying Legends and never reassembled.

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri Mar 25, 2005 3:43 am

So, bdk..is she in line for work..or currently in limbo?

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:06 am

JimH
So...What has Collings ended-up with? Did they get the A-36 wings with
dive-brakes etc.? The fuse, where did that come from? Is Ryan Harris
correct, is this 42-83738..former N4607V

I'M,
Curious Yellow..sorry gotta go to the loo now...

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Fri Mar 25, 2005 7:51 am

Chad Veich wrote:

According to a Warbirds article on this airplane most of the fuselage is D model, as well as the wings and tail. The canopy was apparently found new in the crate and the cowlings came from someone converting an A to a B.

Apparently 'Polar Bear' is mostly the hulk of 44-73483 (N351D), which was originally built up as a Trans-Florida Aviation Cavalier 2000, then went through several owners before being sold back to Cavalier in 1968 and parted out.

Wolverine · **Posted:** Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:23 pm

This may have already been cleared up, but I never read this stuff too closely.

This is the info I have on all surviving early model Mustangs. I left out the serial numbers though.

The Collings foundation and Warhawk Air Museum (John Paul) have not given me any info. (Collings didn't even reply) (WAM replied and said they had not registered it yet and to ask Collings for the serial. I did not ask for the registration though, I asked for the military s/n!!!)

XP-51 EAA Museum-Static Display
A-36A USAF Museum-Static Display
A-36A Currently assembled in Duxford (see Paul Coggan's Mustangs book. It has pictures)
P-51C Warhawk Air Museum-Almost finished
P-51C CAF-Almost complete
P-51C Fantasy of Flight-Flying
A-36 Collings Foundation-Under restoration in Florida (mostly complete?)
P-51A Jerry Gabe (Polar Bear)-Flying (yes, it is an original A model--s/n 43-6006)
P-51A Fantasy of Flight-Storage
P-51A Planes of Fame and Yanks Air Museum each have one in Flying Condition
P-51B Pacific Fighters-In storage
P-51A Gerry Beck, ND-Almost completed
P-51B Jack Roush-I'm not sure
P-51B Mike Coutches-Under Restoration
P-51C TFC-Almost finished

WHEN WILL SOMEONE FIT A "B" MUSTANG WITH A MALCOLM HOOD??????

JimH · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:15 am

You forgot the Charlie Blairs P-51B at NASM

Gerry Gabe's A model is more D than A. The wing and scoop are from a D model. The Foundations A model is under long term rebuild in Florida and California. Jack Roush's B model is also nearing completion and has been rumored as being fitted with a Malcom hood...only time will tell.

Jim

Stoney · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:56 am

In 1983 John Paul had the A-36 wings re-skinned without the dive brakes, he also had a Malcolm hood frame.

Ryan Harris · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 11:16 am

What Stoney commented on is exactly that area that is most confusing with all of this.

We know that John Paul sold A-36 pieces to the Collings Foundation. I also think that it is safe to say that since the serial number to the A-36 is 42-83738 then that is also the serial number for most of the Collings pieces. The real question though is which pieces went where.

I had heard before that John Paul had kept the wing and had a new build fuselage from Teeters. I wasn't ever sure of it because I couldn't find anything to back it up nor did anyone know about it. This would make more sense because I think it would be easier to make the early model wing fit the B fuselage instead of the A-36 fuselage fitting a new B model wing. This is only because of the height differences between the Allison and Merlin fuselages. So if this is the case then that would mean that Collings probably got the fuselage along with the rest of the A-36 specific pieces and is having Teeters build new wings. I hope John didn't keep the dive brakes.

Like I said, I'm not 100% sure because details have really only started coming together over the last year. I've always wondered about this but there were no pieces to the puzzle. I guess I should just ask Mr. Collings the next time I see him. Rob Collings and Jim Harley will be coming to town with the bombers next weekend so hopefully I can ask some more then.

Also two things for Wolverine's list. The Friedkin A-36 is currently disassembled in Chino. She was never reassembled when she came back from her Duxford trip. The other thing is that you forgot the Max Chapman TP-51C.

Ryan

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

airnutz wrote:

So, bdk..is she in line for work..or currently in limbo?

Don't know- never thought to ask. The POF A-model has been sitting with the engine removed for a few years as well right next to it.

warbird51 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:18 pm **Posts:** 263

I was at Chino on March 17 - 18. From what I was told, the A-36 is due enter the Fighter Rebuilders shop after the P-51D that's being rebuilt is finished. Of course schedules can change.

airnutz · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 4:55 pm

Well, that's some Great news Warbird51..maybe someday we'll see a
small gaggle of them in flight together...or a sweet-looking ramp row!!

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A-36 Conversion

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