ID of Bf-109 (Buchon??) and P-51D at Mighty 8th AF Museum

[Jeff Funk]

Last month I stopped for a short visit at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savanah, GA. As my family and I were driving from FL to PA, I only had about an hour. They have a PT-17, Me-163, B-24E nose, B-47, P-51D and a Bf-109 (possibly a modified Buchon). The P-51D has the tail number 414061 and the name "Little One III". I couldn't find this plane in the Warbird Registry or on the Mustang Mustang site. Does anyone know the ID of this plane? I'm hoping it's not a replica. Similarly I'd like help with the ID of the Bf-109. Pictures of it shown below.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Simon Brown]

The Mustang is a fiberglass replica.

Nice Museum with great library.

[Jeff Funk]

Thanks Simon!


I was afraid of that.

Although my time was too short to do the museum justice, they do have a nice collection of various momentos.

Jeff

[RMAllnutt]

i believe that the "109" is a replica also. The Me-163 is genuine though, and belongs to NASM. The B-47 came from the now defunct air museum in Florence, SC. The B-24 nose was originally at NASM too, I remember clambering all over it at Silver Hill when I was an intern there back in '84... it was a total wreck then! At some point the B-24 nose went to Duxford's American Air Museum... they really did a cracking restoration on it too. When AAM got their own complete B-24M a few years ago, the nose section was returned to the States.

Cheers,
Richard

[Jeff Funk]

Thanks to you also, Richard!


I was afraid the 109 would be a replica, but I wanted to keep positive vibes as long as possible. Oh well, I'll have to be satisfied with the Russell 109 I saw at Thunder Over Michigan.

The Me-163B-1a certainly looks real. In fact, the paint looks original like the Udvar Hazy P-38.

Jeff

[Jeff Funk]

In my list of aircraft, I failed to mention

Mig-17A 1589
F-4C-23 64-0815

displayed at the parking lot.

[wls3]

The Mustang at the museum, Little One III, is painted in the colors of Donald S. Byran,
13.33 victories, 352nd FG.

Great video made on the 352nd FG about 2 years ago.
A Gathering of Heros: The Last Reunion, Don Byran is in it.

Movie trailer here:

http://www.lastreunion.com/

The introduction is by General Norman Schwarzkopf.

Bill

[AirJimL2]

I don't know if it this -109 or another, but didn't Warbird Recorvery of Colorado give the Mighty 8th Museum a real -109 a few years back?

Jim

[DaveM2]

Jim

Yes they did, it is a wreck consisting of E and G-2 structure, but I don't think they have yet started any work on it to date.

Dave

[Randy Haskin]

The Mustang at the museum, Little One III, is painted in the colors of Donald S. Byran

Don is a member of the Daedalions here in Valdosta, and I get to see him every month at the meetings at Moody AFB.

[Glenn Wegman]

The B-47 came from the now defunct air museum in Florence, SC.

Cheers,
Richard

What happened to the Martin AM-1 Mauler that sat in the grass at Florence, SC. It looked to be fairly complete.

Thanks,

Glenn
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-Fighter

[AirJimL2]

What happened to the Martin AM-1 Mauler that sat in the grass at Florence, SC. It looked to be fairly complete.

Thanks,

Glenn

Glenn,

I don't think there was a Mauler at Florence. There was a Douglas Destroyer which is now with the National Warplane Museum in Elmira New York. They also got the B-57 from Florence.

The AM-1s I know about are the CAF plane, with some sections of a second plane, the one at Tillimook which came from the NEAM, and quite few few parts of at least one plane that were with Harry Doan in FLA and are now with POF in Chino, I believe. I am sure the Navy Museum has one too.

Jim