Warbird Information Exchange

howdy all

just curious as to what is left of the RB-51 "Red Baron", s/n 44-84961. From the Registry I understand that some of the structure (and the i.d.) was used in 44-73053 "Wee Willy II", and that the rest was moved to TX for a planned Griffon racer project. I searched this site but couldn't find anything more pertaining to this aircraft, maybe my search techniques need a tune-up?

Anyways, is there enough left to constitute a rebuild, or have the remaining core components already been incorporated into other aircraft? Or was there anything substantial left?

Not trying to ruffle any feathers, but it would seem that this airframe in its RB-51 guise could be considered somewhat historic in its own right, and it would be great to see it preserved as such, airworthy or static. A re-creation would also be very cool...

greg v.

edit: found some great construction pics on the site of "The Aircraft Engine Historical Society" (http://www.enginehistory.org/):

http://www.enginehistory.org/Convention ... aron_1.htm

There wasn't much left in any condition to be reused.
Steve got the registration and paperwork.
POF had a couple bits including what was left of the canopy on display for many years. I've been back east since 95 so don't know if it is still on display.
A couple racers borrowed on the design but I don't know if any major parts were ever incorporated into any flying A/C.
Steve is a friend and I spent many days over at his apartment during his rehab.
Rich

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thanks Rich.

it goes without saying that the full recovery of Steve Hinton is the paramount factor in the history of this racer. Had it been any other way I would never even think of bringing it up.

cheers

greg v.

Not much left after the crash.

Ouch.

Never having seen any images of the aftermath I had no idea that the event was that catastrophic.

All apologies if my queries have offended anyone.


regards

greg v.

about 3 ft long and approx 5 in wide....

We do still have some of the pieces on display in our Jet/Air Racing hangar. If I remember, I'll try and get pictures one of these days.
Cindy

I believe that John Marlin has incorporated the wings into his MB-5 project.

I believe John Marlin's MB-5 used the RB-51's rudder - not the wings as there was nothing left of them (you can see the rudder framing survived in the above photo). I think the MB-5 wings came off another Mustang, maybe the former race #102 Daydreamer?

I think Bill Rogers had part of the RB-51 fueslage skin and used it as a guide for building MAII, then sold it to someone else who reportedly was trying to build a new RB-51 many years ago, but nothing much ever happended with it as far as I recall.

Daydreamer was sold by John intact, less engine, to Dave Marco and was rebuilt to become "Sizzlin' Liz."

I can see both wings more or less intact in the photo and they were in John Marlin's hangar (without paint) when he started the project in Chino. At least that is where he told me they were from.

I did not remember what it looked like prior to the accident, so I looked a little bit.

http://www.planesoffame.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=1587

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From the site linked in my first post, anybody have any idea what this vehicle is?:

http://www.enginehistory.org/Convention ... Baron2.jpg

Looks similar to some sort of Cheetah product, or ???

cheers

greg v.

Here are a couple of photos of the remains of the RB-51 that are displayed at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California. I understand that some other minor pieces were incorporated into the building of Steve Hinton's currently flying P-51 Mustang Wee Willy II. As "bdk" has posted, apparently some other parts of the wrecked RB-51 are currently incorporated into another P-51 restoration project.
Best,
- octane130 -

My Twin Brother from Another Mother Randy Goss (or "Other Brother Randy") has the engine mounts from the RB-51.

A section of the fuselage skin--identifiable from the "Michelob Light" writinng down the side, was passed around in the late 90's. Terry Rogers (brother of Bill Rogers who built Miss Ashley II) had it for a while in Texas and was planning on using it as the starting point for a replica of the RB-51 (I refuse to say 'rebuild'...just as I refuse to recognize Wee Willy II as 'the Red Baron'). But I remember reading in Warbirds International that a young man in the Mid-west had bought the skin from Terry to use as part of an early model Mustang that he wanted to restore.

Not sure what happened to it afterwards.

The canopy, vertical stabilizer, and one of the gear doors are on display at Chino as the photos show.

Everything else that was salvagable was parted out...the rest went to the scrapper.

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Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline......

Like Speedy sort of says............everyone thinks that there are remains left to rebuild RB.

There is nothing left except for a few skin sections and pieces spread around the countryside. That is why the paperwork and "data plate" are now on what is known as "Wee Willy II".

There will never be a "rebuilt" RB done up by anyone. There may be a replica built, but it will not be the RB.