TF-51 Mustang photos.

[Hunter1]

Does anyone have any photos of the Crazy Horse TF-51 Mustang when it was called Rascal III or prior.

Thanks.

[slinky]

Are you talking about 851D, the first Crazy Horse? I have pics when that one was flown to OKC in a bare metal/primer hodge-poge from the Lindseys holdings to be rebuilt by John Muzalla here for Bob Amix's 2nd P-51. This was around the 1986 or so timeframe.... I'll have to pull them out to be sure.

[Hunter1]

that would be fantastic , I would love to see those if you can easly access them.

Thnx

[John Kerr]

First a short history of N851D. The lst one was TP-51D, 44-84658, it served as FAG-99 and was recoved by Trans Florida Aviation (Cavalier Aircraft), it was rebuilt as mil# 69-6599 and went to Indonesia as F-361. It was later recoved and became N51TF. Here are two photos of it:

This photo was taken by Roger Besecker



This photo was taken at Eglin AFB, FL by William K. Thomas




The 2nd issue of N851D is 44-84745. It is Ex N5439V. Here are a couple of photos of it.

This photo was taken in Detroit, MI in July 1986 by John R. Kerr



This photo was taken at Breckinridge, TX in May 1987 by John R. Kerr

[Randy Haskin]

First a short history of N851D. The lst one was TP-51D, 44-84658, it served as FAG-99 and was recoved by Trans Florida Aviation (Cavalier Aircraft), it was rebuilt as mil# 69-6599 and went to Indonesia as F-361. It was later recoved and became N51TF. Here are two photos of it:

John -

You're actually mixing up two different N851Ds and three diffrerent Cavalier TF-51s (it's worse than you thought!)

First off, Crazy Horse (44-84745/N851D) was originally built as a P-51, then rebuilt as an (incomplete) Cavalier TF-51 circa 1978 and assigned the registration N851D to it. The project was sold to Gordon Plaskett who finished the rebuild in '84 with help from Pioneer Aero. Plaskett sold it to Bob Amyx in 1984, who in turn sold it to Bob Byrne in 1987. Byrne flew it as "Rascal III", but quickly sold it to Doug Schultz, who started the Crazy Horse business with Lee Lauderback.

Second, the original N851D (44-84658/N851D) is the one that came from Nicaragua, then to Trans-Florida/Cavalier, and is the one in the top two photos you posted. You can read more about the history of this aircraft in the article "Peace Ponies" in Warbird Digest #9, but it was rebuilt into military configuration for export to Indonesia in 1971 under the MAP program "Peace Pony I". The registration number N851D was struck off the FAA register in 1971. Unlike some previously-published reports, it was given the Indonesian AF ID F 360 (there are photos of it in Indonesia in the article). Although the TF-51 at the War Eagles Museum (N51TF)claims the heritage of this Mustang, reports from Indonesia say that this aircraft was destroyed in a 1975 crash in Indonesia. Again, more on the details of this airframe in the WD article.

The TF-51 sent to Indonesia as F 361 was actually 44-73260, ex N451D, which had also been built up for Peace Pony I. It is part of this airframe which is now N51TF.

The last TF-51 you mention, Cavalier TF-51 69-6599, was built for the MAP project Peace Hawk and delivered to the Dominican Republic in '69. Its fate is unknown.

[John Kerr]

Thanks for the corrections Randy, I think I have it straight now. Anyhow, I checked my slides and came up with two more shots of N851D#2 when in OK. Sorry I don't know who the photographer is.





Happy Holidays to One and All, John

[slinky]

The photographer is Steve Link....