P-51 Polar Bear, Looking Good at Pacific Fighters

[Triplane102]

P-51 Polar Bear is looking good, getting an overhauling at Pacific Fighters. I hope the owner gets a early dog house installed, I'm sure that Later Dog House will not go unused! http://www.Facebook.com/pages/Pacific-F ... 6621845601

[JimH]

This was her Debut, many Moons ago this was a pretty epic restoration for the time. She will be a stunner when the Muszalas get done with her.

[Ed Likes]

I saw this entry on Polar Bear. For me personally it brings back great memories from almost 30 years ago. I heard about this P-51 being restored by Moon Spillers in Versailles OH. Make a long story short. I went down to see Moon and the P-51 that he was on the verge of getting done after working on this aircraft for almost 9 years.
Moon was a great guy and really just an ordinary Joe who was doing something really cool. Anyway I interviewed him, and done a story which in hindsight really wasn't all that good. It did get into EAA's Warbird Magazine.
I asked Moon if there was any chance if I would foot the fuel bill if he would bring his Mustang to Bryan OH where I still live for our annual 4th of July Kiwani's fly In breakfast which we still have also. Anyway Moon said yes so the morning of July 4th 1987 I drove down from Bryan to Versailles to get my first Mustang ride with Moon in Polar Bear. We flew from Versailles up to Bryan then back to Versailles early afternoon of July 4th 1987. Are you ready for this my cost out of pocket for a 1 hour flight with Moon in Polar Bear $125.00. ON top of that I still have Camcording footage on a VHS tape of some of that flight which I will treasure for the remainder of my life.
Moon now has went West where I hope he flys on forever.

[JimH]

Small world Ed, my cousin was a flight instructor at Bryan in the 90's. Did some flying out of there to Mackinaw Island around that time. Moon was a great guy. The Muszala's are doing this airplane a lot of good and will be stunning when completed. Thank Dusty Dowd for giving this project to such capable people.

[Couger42]

Sadly the news from Pacific Fighters is the later doghouse and scoop is being reinstalled, its more of a refurbishment than a restoration\rebuild. They wont be installing a turnover truss and the new wing keel is a D model keel as the wings are a modified set of D model wings. The fuselage longerons are late model longerons so is it even possible to attach an A model scoop?

[DH82EH]

I remember following news of this rebuild in the magazines of the day.
I was absolutely blown away when I arrived at the flightline, during one of my first trips to Geneseo.



My original pic is pretty good. I don't have a scanner, so, this is just a picture of a picture. Anyway.
I was so pleased for Moon. He was a very approachable person. No airs about this guy.
I asked him lots of questions and he happily entertained them. The airplane had less than 20 hours at this point!
She looked stunning.
His rebuild was a real trial. He recovered all that he could from the Alaskan wilderness over a period of a few years.
I thought it was quite clever at the time to use a viable "D" wing etc to get her rebuilt and flying. One of the responses to my questions I'll never forget.
Moon just said "I just got kinda tired of makin' parts!"
I'm quite O.K. with the way she looks. "D" scoop and all.
I was able to see her again at the gathering of Mustangs and Legends in Columbus.
She was the only Allison powered mustang in attendance!
The only change I'd make, is to take the cartoon off of the side of her.

Andy

[JohnTerrell]

Sadly the news from Pacific Fighters is the later doghouse and scoop is being reinstalled, its more of a refurbishment than a restoration\rebuild. They wont be installing a turnover truss and the new wing keel is a D model keel as the wings are a modified set of D model wings. The fuselage longerons are late model longerons so is it even possible to attach an A model scoop?

The fact that it has D-model longerons (D-model main fuselage section) also means that the fuselage is 3-inches wider (up and down) than a stock A-model fuselage - because of this, its never had the super lean look of the stock P-51A's and A-36's (though of course the D-model rad scoop/doghouse/exit duct doesn't help). In its current form, it would actually be easier to make it into a convincing P-51B/C rather than a true A-model. Still a very handsome aircraft!

[Joe Scheil]

While originality and restoration perfection are the accepted norm today, the look of this "A" is a bit better than the stock A in my opinion. The "D" scoop, or the Merlin scoop is one of those things that makes that Mustang fuselage simply look perfect, and the lines of it are rivaled only by its efficiency. The Collings A-36 had a scoop like that at one time, and it will forever outperform the original A model design. We have some original early ones restored. I think this aircraft is representative all by herself of what was possible and amazing about Mustang restorations of that time. It will always be a stunning aircraft to me.

[Randy Haskin]

Ever since seeing the Beck P-51A project, I have been hoping that the tooling and parts would make their way into a Polar Bear re-restoration someday.

[C VEICH]

Ever since seeing the Beck P-51A project, I have been hoping that the tooling and parts would make their way into a Polar Bear re-restoration someday.

Randy took the words right out of my mouth. I have often wondered why Spillers bothered to bring anything down off the mountain other than the data plate. The story I read regarding the restoration said that along with the D fuselage and wing a NOS canopy and cowlings were also utilized in the restoration. So what does that leave of the original wreck that was used? I'm not bad mouthing anybody, just wondering. Although I would love to see it returned to a more stock A model appearance it is, and always has been, a very neat airplane and a testament to the will of Moon Spillers.


PS - I read a short blurb regarding the rework of this airplane somewhere on the net just within the last few weeks. Might have been on Facebook, can't remember. At any rate I was sure that I read a quote by the current ownder stating something to the effect that the airplane would much more resemble a stock A model when Pacific Fighters was done with it. Wishful thinking on my part maybe?

[Couger42]

a reply on facebook I got from PF when I asked if 43-6006 will be getting A model scoop..

David Mellon is 43-6006 going to have the correct scoop this time?
Like · Reply · October 6, 2015 at 7:48pm
Pacific Fighters
Pacific Fighters David Mellon its been disscussed maybe maybe not
Like · Reply · 1 · October 12, 2015 at 5:40am

[Ryan Harris]

I just re-listened to John Muszala II's interview on Warbird Radio about the airplane, and he stated that she would look right and would have the correct scoop. The interview was back in November. I know the goal is to create a nice, usable airplane, but nothing 100% stock.

As to Moon's original restoration, he sent me an e-mail once stating that the cowlings actually came from John Paul's (now Collings) A-36. If you look at pictures of Polar Bear, you can see the openings for the .50's covered over. I think he also said that a few other parts came from the A-36, but I can't find the e-mail at the moment to tell you what they were.

[DH82EH]

Ryan, I remember hearing the same thing regarding the cowls.

Andy

[Triplane102]

Thanks everyone, for the feedback on Polar Bear, it's been very informative. Didn't I read hear on WIX (JimH?) that it will no longer be called Polar Bear ?, or was that the beer talking ? Thanks again, Tony

[JimH]

@ Tony, I don't know what the intentions are for the Nose art, if any. If the overall plan stays true it will be a stunner...well it will be a stunner either way, I can't wait to see it done.

Jim