P-51 Mustang Restorations

[kalamazookid]

Warren Pietsch's P-51B project "Thunderbird" has been delivered to AirCorps Aviation for completion. Photos on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/aircorpsaviation/

[Zac Yates]

I'm glad I can bump this thread by adding:
P-51D 45-11513 - Brendon Deere

I know JohnTerrell is well aware of this project but it's nice to add something to the discussion!

[Dan K]

I'm glad I can bump this thread by adding:
P-51D 45-11513 - Brendon Deere

I know JohnTerrell is well aware of this project but it's nice to add something to the discussion!

Zac, I'll concur that it's great she's staying in NZ. I'm confident she'll be loved to a higher degree at Ohakea than anywhere else on the planet. We're counting on you to keeping us updated with pics on a regular basis.

[Zac Yates]

We're counting on you to keeping us updated with pics on a regular basis.

I live 30min drive from Ohakea and have known Brendon for some years, so I'll be doing my best! Unfortunately thanks to COVID restrictions I couldn't be there for her homecoming last week but Brendon has been sharing loads on Facebook:

Now to lift it off

NZ2423 Ohakea 210820 Brendon Deere 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Good day and avoided the weather

NZ2423 Ohakea 210820 Brendon Deere 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 210820 Brendon Deere 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Opportunity today to look under the hood at the engine unit on NZ2423. Still with its factory fitted engine. Still research to do but its total airframe/engine hours are around 400 or so. A pleasant surprise was that the engine had been blanked off all those years ago with plugs in place of the spark plugs and the exhaust outlets blanked off behind the exhaust stubs.

NZ2423 Ohakea 240820 Brendon Deere 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 240820 Brendon Deere 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 240820 Brendon Deere 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 240820 Brendon Deere 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

A look at the time capsule nature of the cockpit of NZ2423. We wound and set the time on the clock at the top of the instrument panel yesterday and its still keeping good time today. First chance also to open the container doors and pleased to find everything had travelled well.
Inside the container are the belly scoop assembly ("dogbox"), propeller, outer wings, tail fin, rudder, tailpane and elevators, ailerons and flaps and a multitude of everything else.

NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 05 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Ohakea 220820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 06 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[JohnTerrell]

Thank you for taking the time to post that, Zac! It is an exceptional project for restoration, and there won't have to be any guess work when it comes to keeping it authentic through the restoration process.

One thing that I don't believe I had ever seen before in an original/stock Mustang cockpit is the panel typically used for the APS-13 tail warning radar on late Mustangs (on right wall of cockpit) being almost completely blank, save for the headset plug and audio dial, since it didn't have the tail warning radar equipment. It is also interesting to see the way certain parts are painted in the cockpit of this P-51D-25-NT, that weren't always the same throughout P-51D production (like the interior green painted gear handle and canopy crank).

As I imagine the plan will be, it will be the only P-51 flying with the same engine it came from the factory with.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[DH82EH]

What a project.
You can almost smell those pictures. Such an opportunity to work on a complete time capsule like this.
I don't suppose it's going to be completed as the shortest clip wing racer in history.
Who will build the wings? How much of the originals will be incorporated?
I guess every bracket, casting, forging and fitting. Maybe even some of the skins could be included if they are airworthy.
Great news that the engine had been so well prepared for storage. That will help a lot.
Thanks for the interesting posts guys.
Really cool.

Andy

[Michel Lemieux]

The wings where chopped off right?

What a nice original bird!!! Thank you for sharing.

[Pogmusic]

My question concerns the wing differences between the early P-51 and later versions. Have they replicated the early wing design on the P-51A thru C; or, do they just use the P-51D wing?

[ErrolC]

The wings where chopped off right?

What a nice original bird!!! Thank you for sharing.

Yes

https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/288465/thread

[Ed Likes]

So the plan is to restore this P-51 to flying condition? Will this P-51 be the lowest total time airframe along with the engine to be restored to flying condition? All I can say is wow what a time capsule.

[JohnB]

I love the shot of the Packard engine dataplate.
For those of you who don't know old autos, the red hexagon is a Packard trademark, it was found in the wheelcovers/hub caps of their automobiles.

[Zac Yates]

So the plan is to restore this P-51 to flying condition?

Yes!

Will this P-51 be the lowest total time airframe along with the engine to be restored to flying condition?

Paging JohnTerrell!

[Ken]

Super exciting to see this time capsule-ish Mustang! Just when I start to drift away from WIX anohter gem pops up. Awesome pix!

Ken

[JohnTerrell]

Kay Seely has posted to Facebook today this photo of the newly completed, and stunning, P-51D 44-72059 (N951HB), being readied ahead of its first flight: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=102 ... 6984936216

It has been under restoration at Glenn Wegman's Fighter Enterprises in Indiantown, FL for quite some years, and I enjoyed seeing some detail photos of the restoration in years past, such as when shared by Glenn on the P-51 SIG forum. Congratulations, Glenn and crew!

[lucky52]

Where did that P-51 come from that is so original?That is amazing.Thanks.