LSFM Gets a TF-51

[skymstr02]

Received this message from Larry Gregory today:

We were able to complete the deal on a P-51 Mustang at the end of the year.
John and Tom went to Phoenix last week to prepare the airplane for a ferry
flight to Ezell Aviation in Breckenridge, TX. Tom flew it over on Friday
and it performed flawlessly. Looks like it is a good solid airplane and
will serve the museum well in the coming years. The gang at Ezell's will
have it for a few months to address some known issues and to repaint the
aircraft. We are thinking it will return in May.

The LSFM owned this airplane back in the late 80s to early 90s. It is a
dual control P-51 that has some substantial restoration work done on it by
the previous owner. Both cockpits have been restored to a fairly stock
configuration. We will offer flight experiences in the Mustang later this
year. It will be a great addition to our program.

This has been a long hard road to get to this point and a good sign that we
have started a new chapter for our future. Thanks to all involved and
here's to a fantastic 2010. I'll have a formal press release soon, but
enjoy the pics until we get some shots in it new paint.

Regards,

Larry Gregory

[Pat Carry]

Great news! Any info on which one it is? serial number?

[Obergrafeter]

I've got some pics of John Hess in it at Kerrville back in the 80s-90s?

[valdez25]

When y'all sold it the 1st time, Jim Fausz told me, "Mustangs are like a** holes, everyone's got one." Guess everyone's entitled to an opinion. Glad it's back. Wish they hadn't taken those instrument panels out though.

[Randy Haskin]

Great news! Any info on which one it is? serial number?

44-73458/N4151D.

It is an airplane with a very strange history. It is an ex-RCAF Mustang. It was possibly one of the airframes illegally purchased by FAS during the Soccer War, coming from the US civil register (N554T). It was originally built up as a TF-51 in El Salvador just after the 1969 war, and reportedly used parts from a crashed Cavalier TF-51 (FAS 400) and probably parts from a crashed Cavalier Mustang II (FAS 402).

At some point it crashed in El Salvador, was damaged to an unknown extent, and was brought back to the US with the crop of ex-FAS Mustangs bought by Flaherty in the early 70s.

Gordon Plaskett rebuilt it for flight in 1977, and it has gone through numerous owners. At one point it had a 1-piece windscreen and a groovy red leather interior.

No way of telling if the registered serial is the original serial, as is the case with many Mustangs that came from El Salvador.

[Steve Rister]

I have some video of it from a Kerrville show back in 86'. I believe it had the red
interior then.

Stephen

[Nathan]

Is it me or does this P-51 look odd and out of place? The wheels look small, the wings look different too and the nose also doesn't seem right.

[RyanShort1]

Is it me or does this P-51 look odd and out of place? The wheels look small, the wings look different too and the nose also doesn't seem right.

It's you...

Actually, the deal is that it's a TF-51, so it's got a different canopy.

I think it has something to do with the camera used. Some of the angles aren't quite as distorted.

Ryan

[Pogmusic]

I have a question, how many "ACTUAL" TF/TP-51s were really produced?

[Ztex]

Congrats to the LSFM!

Beautiful airplane...
I saw it for the first time in 1986...

[Randy Haskin]

I have a question, how many "ACTUAL" TF/TP-51s were really produced?

(10) Ten TP-51Ds built by North American.

(15) Fifteen TEMCO-modified TF-51s.

Beyond that, there were (7) Seven Cavalier TF-51s built (at least two of them started life as TEMCO TFs).

[mustangdriver]

Very cool. I like the scheme on it too.

[RickH]

Chris, don't get too attached to that scheme. It's going to be repainted.

After carrying this paint scheme for more than 25 years the TF is going to be repainted as Galveston Gal. Ray Lancaster, flew P-38s, P-47s and P-51s in Europe. All of his aircraft were named Galveston Gal, including the Vari Eze he built back in the 80s. It was Galveston Gal VI, If I remember correctly.

Some research has been done on Ray's logbook and it appears that there were several occasions where Ray escorted the original Thunderbird.

[Hal B]

I have a question, how many "ACTUAL" TF/TP-51s were really produced?

Not nearly as many as are floating around now...

[Pogmusic]

Hal B,

That's the point I was trying to make about "How many TP/TFs were actually produced?"

So when they say the cockpits have been restored to stock, what do they mean? Was the aft one was removed?

Just picking at the nits. Still love the aircraft.