P-51 H Restoration

[Warbirdnerd]

I know this bird has been discussed here before. They now have a website traking the restoration of this bird at Octave Chanute Aero Museum....
http://home.insightbb.com/%7Ep51h/progress.htm

[John Beyl]

Hey Nerdly isn't there a guy out in Kaliforneeeeaahhhh restoring an H as well?

[Warbirdnerd]

I do not think so.
Here is a run down of surviviors according to the Mustangs Mustangs Survivior List.
44-64265 Octave Chanute -Under Restoration-Illinois
44-64314 M Coutches-Flying-Hayward, California
44-64375 J Parks- Under Restoration -Bend, Oregon
44-64376 USAFM -Static Display Lakeland AFB Texas
44-64415 Whittington Bros, Flying Ft Lauderdale FL.
Or is there an 'undocumented' P-51 H restoration going on in Ca???

[Warbirdnerd]

I do not think so.
Here is a run down of surviviors according to the Mustangs Mustangs Survivior List.
44-64265 Octave Chanute -Under Restoration-Illinois
44-64314 M Coutches-Flying-Hayward, California
44-64375 J Parks- Under Restoration -Bend, Oregon
44-64376 USAFM -Static Display Lakeland AFB Texas
44-64415 Whittington Bros, Flying Ft Lauderdale FL.
Or is there an 'undocumented' P-51 H restoration going on in Ca???
http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/su ... istH.shtml

[bdk]

Hey Nerdly isn't there a guy out in Kaliforneeeeaahhhh restoring an H as well?

From the previous link:

"March 29, 2004

The project has gained a new and valuable mentor to help guide our efforts. Kent 'Rocky' Rockwell of Rockwell Air Research of Corona, California has rebuilt more than a dozen Mustangs and is currently working to rebuild an H model Mustang as his personal aircraft. His enormous expertise in restoration and specific knowledge of the H has been a tremendous help in getting us on the right track to do the best restoration possible with our limited resources. We thank him for generously giving of his time and experience. Rocky is also directly involved in restoring the only XP-51G in existence. Boy! Talk about a rare bird!"

There was an H-model on Barnstormers a couple of years ago that was a crash recovery (pilot bailed out). It was well smashed, but anything is restorable these days I guess. I think that it was in Kali or Az, but not sure where it went or even if it was sold. I recall they were asking about $200k.

[James Church]

As I recall, that 'H' model project was invloved in a fatal accident. The pilot was not able to bail out. I believe they figured he passed out at altitude due to lack of oxygen or something along those lines. Saw some photos of the wreckage a while back.... Very smashed, but in this day and age nothing is impossible it seems. Jim

[bdk]

As I recall, that 'H' model project was invloved in a fatal accident. The pilot was not able to bail out. I believe they figured he passed out at altitude due to lack of oxygen or something along those lines. Saw some photos of the wreckage a while back.... Very smashed, but in this day and age nothing is impossible it seems. Jim

F-51H '44-697' and it was for sale in March of 2002. Thank heavens for the WIX archive!

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/vafrefugees/wix1msgboard.mv?parm_func=showmsg+parm_msgnum=1002366

Also, regarding the P-51G:

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/vafrefugees/wix1msgboard.mv?parm_func=showmsg+parm_msgnum=1002781

[James Church]

I had noted the serial (I think it was visible in the photos of the wreckage, or was written on the back of the photos), and it was indeed 44-64697. Not too long after seeing those photos, I bought the (then new) David McClaren book (Air Force Legends #209) on the P-51H and the rest of the lightweight Mustang series, and in it there is a pre crash photo of this aircraft. The caption states '...A sad story surrounds 44-64697. Lt. Robert Westlund was returning to Tyndal from visiting his mother in California when he was belieived to have succombed to anoxia on 30 Dec. 1951.' I would love to see this aircraft restored. If it were a 'D' model, or any other wartime varient, it would ave been snapped up long ago! Jim

[Todd Hackbarth]

The 1992 book "Wreckchasing - A Guide to Finding Aircraft Crash Sites" by Nick Veronico, et al contains a 6 page chapter with 11 b & w photos of this aircraft and its pilot written by Robert Kropp.

I will be visiting the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum near Rantoul, IL next month and will give you an update on their restoration of P-51H 44-46265.

Todd