Need Info: Beck P-51A "Precious Metal" N8082U

[RacingMustang]

I need info on this plane. I've learned a lot online and of course know about the crash but I'd like to know more details about the construction. When was it built? Why? How much did it cost? Do we know?

All I know now is that it was an Allison powered replica A-model Mustang built to look like the Precious Metal racer. The builder used NAA production drawings from the National Archives with a few changes.

I enjoy doing research so I'm not asking to be spoonfed. Just point me in the right direction (unless you want to write out all the details).



RIP

[Jerry O'Neill]

First, as I understood at the time, Gerry was gearing up to produce a run of P-51A's and this was basically the prototype.
Secondly, it was not "built" to be a replica of Precious Metal. It was just painted in the same color scheme to "play" Precious Metal in the film "Thunder over Reno". It is being rebuilt, but I don't know the fate of the "production run" of P-51A's.
Jerry

[marine air]

Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard both had superb shops with talented people. One of them was known for taking fuselage scraps and building up new fuselages and the other for building new P-51 wings. Both were killed in separate accidents flying aircraft they had built/rebuilt (human factors in each accident) . No doubt they had many talented employees that are still out there somewhere.
Since that time the warbird market has cooled, P-51 prices have softened, and there just aren't as many prospective buyers out there wanting to buy full scale reproduction WW II fighters. That was a different era.

[JohnTerrell]

As Jerry pointed out, the only reason it was painted as "Precious Metal" was for its role in the (awful) film, "Thunder Over Reno", which was being filmed/put together around the same time the aircraft began flying (2006 and 2007). Gerry Beck's intention was to eventually put it in a WWII military scheme.

(If you don't know who Gerry Beck was, and what Tri-State Aviation has provided to the warbird industry (jn particular Mustang restorations and parts), you really need to spend some time researching those points as well.)

Gerry was a big fan of the Allison engine (after spending some time operating a P-40). His initial goal was just to have a P-51 with an Allison, and when his company took on the task of restoring the CAF's red tail P-51C, he also became a big fan of the early high-back Mustangs. The A-model project actually began by duplicating the parts of/for the red tail P-51C project, and within the first few years of the A-model project (about 2001-2003), what they had was a C-model fuselage that was going to be the basis of the aircraft. However, when it came time to build the doghouse and radiator scoop sections, which were going to be a conglomeration of late (C/D type) and early (A type), the goal for the project changed, as Gerry realized the aircraft wouldn't have enough of the correct A-model lines (with the way they were headed, the end result, at that stage, would have been an aircraft that more/less resembled "Polar Bear"). The C-model fuselage that had been built for the A-model project was scrapped, and a true P-51A fuselage was built. From that point on (from about 2003 onward), everything was done, within reason, to make a true P-51A. With so much time and money invested in the project, just building one aircraft, the idea was then formed to make copies of all of the different A-model assemblies as well, so that enough parts/assemblies could be available to produce 10 more P-51A's, since they already had all of the tooling (10 sets of control surfaces, gear legs, oil tanks, and what was eventually going to be 10 sets of fuselages, wings, etc.). Gerry's P-51A flew for the first time in May 2006. Just about everything on that aircraft is correct to the P-51A, with perhaps the largest exception only being that the A-model wings were built with D-model gun bay doors and wing tips. (I refer to the aircraft in the present tense as, despite the 2007 crash, the aircraft has been under rebuild/is largely complete again).

(I *believe* some of the control surfaces that were built for the P-51A production run/kits were purchased/are being used in the P-51C "Lope's Hope 3rd" restoration at Aircorps Aviation (they are identical to those used on the P-51B/C).)

Speaking of Gerry Beck, his Corsair, which hasn't been flown for a great many years, has been receiving a lot of work at Tri-State Aviation over the winter to be brought back to flying status - it should start flying regularly again as of this spring. It will be on loan to the Wings of the North museum, located at Flying Cloud Aiport in Eden Prarie, MN, where it will be flown. (The Wings of the North museum also houses Paul Ehlen's warbirds, including the P-51D "Sierra Sue II" and the George Bush Stearman.)

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[JohnTerrell]

Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard both had superb shops with talented people. One of them was known for taking fuselage scraps and building up new fuselages and the other for building new P-51 wings. Both were killed in separate accidents flying aircraft they had built/rebuilt (human factors in each accident) . No doubt they had many talented employees that are still out there somewhere.
Since that time the warbird market has cooled, P-51 prices have softened, and there just aren't as many prospective buyers out there wanting to buy full scale reproduction WW II fighters. That was a different era.

Odegaard's shop has still been rolling out P-51 wings and Corsair tail cones. Currently they are working on the wing for the P-51C "Lope's Hope 3rd", and will be working on the wing of the red tail P-51C (3rd time). They recently completed a Corsair tail cone for the Sanders' project and a set of wings for P-51D 44-73437 (N376TM). http://www.odegaardwings.com/

[JohnTerrell]

You know, the only reason why this aircraft has been called a home-built, scratch-built, or replica, as much as it has, is because Gerry never advertised it as anything else, though he very well could have. If he had, say, stumbled across a P-51A wreck, he could have very well attached an original identity to the aircraft, and it would have been touted as an original - it is far more a truer P-51A than "Polar Bear", and when you consider that the vast majority of the components were built to original P-51A spec while even a few of the P-51B/C's flying today clearly have D-model upper cowlings, firewalls, and other D-model parts, despite their claim as being totally original/authentic P-51B/C's. There are several other Mustangs flying today that could just as easily be called a home-built/scratch-built/replica, but because they have an original identity put to them through a data plate/paper work, they are hardly ever described/looked at as such.

[quemerford]

You know, the only reason why this aircraft has been called a home-built, scratch-built, or replica, as much as it has, is because Gerry never advertised it as anything else, though he very well could have. If he had, say, stumbled across a P-51A wreck, he could have very well attached an original identity to the aircraft, and it would have been touted as an original - it is far more a truer P-51A than "Polar Bear", and when you consider that the vast majority of the components were built to original P-51A spec while even a few of the P-51B/C's flying today clearly have D-model upper cowlings, firewalls, and other D-model parts, despite their claim as being totally original/authentic P-51B/C's. There are several other Mustangs flying today that could just as easily be called a home-built/scratch-built/replica, but because they have an original identity put to them through a data plate/paper work, they are hardly ever described/looked at as such.

A very fair point: I think it's time for the warbird community to show some honesty and describe things as they really are. I don't have a problem looking at replica Spitfires and P-51s, but when many are described as veterans of such-and-such a theater, I do get annoyed.

It also devalues those warbirds that really ARE veterans of those campaigns.

[Mark Allen M]

You know, the only reason why this aircraft has been called a home-built, scratch-built, or replica, as much as it has, is because Gerry never advertised it as anything else, though he very well could have. If he had, say, stumbled across a P-51A wreck, he could have very well attached an original identity to the aircraft, and it would have been touted as an original - it is far more a truer P-51A than "Polar Bear", and when you consider that the vast majority of the components were built to original P-51A spec while even a few of the P-51B/C's flying today clearly have D-model upper cowlings, firewalls, and other D-model parts, despite their claim as being totally original/authentic P-51B/C's. There are several other Mustangs flying today that could just as easily be called a home-built/scratch-built/replica, but because they have an original identity put to them through a data plate/paper work, they are hardly ever described/looked at as such.

A very fair point: I think it's time for the warbird community to show some honesty and describe things as they really are. I don't have a problem looking at replica Spitfires and P-51s, but when many are described as veterans of such-and-such a theater, I do get annoyed.

It also devalues those warbirds that really ARE veterans of those campaigns.

Good luck with that!!! ... As with unfortunately so many different venues, honesty = $, dishonesty = $$$$, sad truth.

[JohnTerrell]

My only point being that what Gerry Beck did, by building this P-51A from the ground up (based on the original engineering drawings and through using as many original NAA parts as he could), is that it is not unlike what others have also done and are currently doing with some other P-51 projects (namely P-51B/C's), and that simply because this is the only (true in design) P-51 that has been labeled as a home-built/replica (because it doesn't have an NAA-provenance attached to it), doesn't mean that it is anything less than if it were to have been a P-51A restoration with an original data plate (the end result, in physical form, could very well have been the same, whether the project had started with an original P-51A or not).

(Whenever I think of Gerry's P-51A, I always immediately think of this thread, and the photo on this page in particular: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... 2&start=45 Such a clean, sleek aircraft - a true/correct P-51A.)

[Lon Moer]

From a different web site;

Gerry Beck, an enthusiastic warbird pilot and restorer, built a P-51A Mustang at his Tri-State Aviation workshops in North Dakota. Reports vary whether this was entirely built from scratch or included some salvaged parts, but when the project was finally rolled out in 2006 it was a stunning achievement. The aircraft differed from a standard P-51A by having a second seat fitted where the radio bay was originally fitted and having the armament and gun camera omitted.

The aircraft was painted in the same colours as the famous Reno Racer “Precious Metal” for filming the movie “Thunder over Reno” and somewhat confusingly known as “Precious Metal II”. It flew at EAA Airventure in July 2007 and participated in a mock air race with other warbirds. Tragically, Beck touched down behind a P-51D “Dazzling Donna” piloted by Casey Odegaard. As they landed, the P-51A’s propellor struck the tail of the P-51D. “Precious Metal” flipped and crashed, killing Beck.

Beck’s legacy lives on through his family’s support of the Fargo Air Museum in North Dakota. The remains of “Precious Metal” were salvaged and may yet return to flight.

[Noha307]

A very fair point: I think it's time for the warbird community to show some honesty and describe things as they really are.

Seconded, thirded, fourthed, fifthed, and sixthed!

[pitts91hs]

I have a few photos made during construction of the airplane. At one point it had a composite lower cowling. Bill Yoak saw it and fabricated an aluminum cowling that was superb.
Gerry called me one day to see if I could help him get the N number (N19998) that was on the original NA73. The number was on a Cessna 172 in Lubbock but the owner didn't want to part with it. The 172 was later destroyed and the number became available but wasn't used for the A model.
Gary H

[RacingMustang]

I have a few photos made during construction of the airplane. At one point it had a composite lower cowling. Bill Yoak saw it and fabricated an aluminum cowling that was superb.
Gerry called me one day to see if I could help him get the N number (N19998) that was on the original NA73. The number was on a Cessna 172 in Lubbock but the owner didn't want to part with it. The 172 was later destroyed and the number became available but wasn't used for the A model.
Gary H

The guy who has the N-number now...does he plan to do anything with it or is he just parking it?

[RacingMustang]

Thanks for the info gentlemen. You all are a real gold mine of information for us young and hungry folks. What an amazing project that must have been.

Without going into too much detail, the idea of building a replica of NA-73X has been bumping around my head since I was a kid, partly because of an Air & Space article on Jim Wright's Hughes H-1 racer. Then I saw Bob DeFord's replica Spit at Oshkosh this year and realized that I wasn’t the only one to have that kind of idea. I now feel stupid, but I don’t come from the warbird world and Cessna drivers don’t talk about this kind of stuff.

Anyway…when reading about Odegaard, Beck, and others it makes me feel like a royal ass for my naiveté, but I guess we all have to start somewhere.

I’d appreciate any other links or book recommendations on the A model and prototype birds. Maybe it’ll happen someday, maybe not. But somebody’s gotta do it. Somehow learning that it’s exponentially harder than originally thought only makes it more fascinating...

(Whenever I think of Gerry's P-51A, I always immediately think of this thread, and the photo on this page in particular: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... 2&start=45 Such a clean, sleek aircraft - a true/correct P-51A.)

Wow.

[kennsmithf2g]

From my trip to the EAA Museum in November 2012

https://kennsmithf2g.smugmug.com/Airpla ... -nCQmKVr/A





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