Warbird Information Exchange

It might be an oversell to say Mustangs won the war. Those ground troops, ours, the Brits, Cannucks, Ausies, and lot's of Russians finished off what air war could only start, along with our production of war goods.

The Mustang allowed long range daylight bombing to be survivable for many more crews.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

...hence the " " and the " " Bill.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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You could certainly make an argument that Sea Furys are underpriced in the marketplace. I've also thought it odd that the FM-2 appears to sell for much less then say a P-40. Is that just because of the hand crank gear?

Jim

Mustangs won the war? Could the heavies they were protecting maybe have also had something to do with winning the war?

For what it is worth, and thats not much, the Sea Fury seems to just ooze with the look of power (Muhammad Ali comes to mind). Mustangs and Spitfires strike me more like ninjas. I know little of the Spitfire but I sure like the looks of the Mark X - XI with the clipped wing tips (correct me on the type if I am wrong here).

Tom P.

A warbird pilot will get some looks in a bar, a Mustang pilot will get phone numbers. Jeff Ethel told me that back in the mid 90's.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

A word from the alleged (Copyright: Paul Coggan) Mustangophobe.

People who know warbirds and history know the Sea Fury. Most anybody 'knows' the Mustang.

That's why there's a bigger demand out there for Mustangs - and that'll remain, over any other type, because to the wannabe warbird millionaire it's the only 'old' fighter he's heard of. The same applies to the Spitfire in the UK (and Commonwealth to a lesser degree).

From here "it's do you want what everyone else has got, or do you want something exclusive?" For some, a Mustang is exclusive in their social group because no-one else plays with the old junk. For anyone in the warbird biz, to get interest traction from anyone who knows warbirds, you've got to have a quality restoration or something else special about it. Of course those with easily massaged egos, there's enough gee-whizz from the hoi-polloi not to need to worry about guys and galls who babble about "other 'planes."

Furies were / are cheap because there was an over-supply on the market - as a result they became the real max-fighter min-cost warbird for a period, perhaps also helped by the Reno racer profile.


More seriously for a moment though. What remains scary is the massive drop in warbirds operational once you get past the N American products. Mustangs are the only W.W.II era frontline combat type (warbugs acknowledged and excepted) operating in numbers over a hundred, most other fighters vary from Spitfires floating at fifty to anything between a dozen to ones and twos. The same applies more acutely with heavier types.

I haven't run the numbers recently, but I doubt that if you added up all the other US W.W.II frontline fighters together they'd add up to the number of Mustangs flying - maybe a few more, but certainly no other one type is flying in half the numbers Mustangs do. That can't be right, from a historical point of view?

Formations of Mustangs are an airshow staple worldwide, formations of anything else are a news item.

Each to their own, but a world with just D Model Mustangs would be a pretty dull one, I suggest.

Regards,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

You're including the "6", right? (oh yes, it's not a fighter... but maybe the most numerous warbird around... and a North American boy)

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rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

[quote="Kyleb"]There are probably several facets to the value difference and a few of those are:

First, the P-51 actually saw combat in WWII. That adds value.[quote]


How many of the survivors are combat vets?

Paul Besterveld.


IMHO the Sea Fury will always take the cake over a Mustang. Seeing that huge gleaming airplane sitting in our hangar with the wings folded up was probably the sexiest thing I've ever seen. Then I saw it fly... been hooked ever since.

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real airplanes have round engines

Very few are combat vets, but that doesn't matter, IMO to anyone but the hard core enthusiasts (like us. ). Visually there is no difference between a Mustang D/K that never left the States vs (your favorite Mustang Ace) pictured in the history books. A quick paint job, and you've got an instantly recognizable WWII fighter. It's iconic.

Why is a Tri-Five chevy worth so much more than a Tri-Five Ford? Because it's become the icon of an era gone by. Ford outsold Chevy in '57 by 7300 cars. I can guarantee you there are more surviving '57 Chevys than '57 Fords.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

JDK for the very first time I agree with you 100%

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"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!" R.R.

Welcome to the USSA! One Nanny State Under the Messiah, Indivisible with Tyranny, Higher Taxes, Socialism, Radical Environmentalism and a Loss of Income for all. Boy I'm proud to be a part of the USSA, what can I do to raise taxes, oh boy oh boy!

Yes, once you realise that N American have the most numerous fighter, bomber and trainer from W.W.II in active preservation, it's an interesting comment on he skew in warbirds. There's nothing wrong with that - it's the result of factors of origin, preservation, postwar numbers (most W.W.II era warbirds have no combat history) postwar uses, and so and and on.

There's also a strong anachronistic belief that the D model was 'the' Mustang, whereas while it was important, that's to a large degree also because it was the one in production after the war ended, thus beginning a self-fulfilling prophecy of fame. So I for one am pleased to see the increase - still small - of earlier marks in flight.

Regards,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Gotta love those North American Aviation folks - if nothing else, their products have stood the test of time.
I agree with JDK generally, but I for one am glad that the Mustang is the "chosen" if there has to be one that survives in numbers.

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Give me choice - in aircraft and champagne.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com