TX ANG P-51D Photos

[RyanShort1]

Does anyone have a good source for TX ANG P-51D pictures? I'd like to do a model of one and would like some pictures to get enough data do to a good model.

Ryan

[RickH]

Ryan, there was a restored P-51 based here in TX that wore a TANG scheme for many years. The nose art was Minuteman. It was sold to a guy in Ca. Unfortunately they took off with very little gas and it wound up in someone's front yard. It pancaked in and no one was seriuously hurt.

Someone out there should have some pictures of it. It was pretty correct on the markings.

There was a Korean era movie made by Rock Hudson called Battle Hymn, it was the story of Dean Hess. The aircraft used for the movie were TANG 51s from Kelly.

[John Kerr]

The P-51D Minuteman was N51MR, 44-73163, and was flown by Ed Messick, and General P.D. Straw, who was commander of the TX ANG at the time. It was very accurate in its markings. Here are a few photos taken by me of it.

[Obergrafeter]

Does anyone have pictures of the 51s' with the spray bars for spraying mosquetos in the early fifties befor the Salk vacine made Polio not so scary? PD Straw was commander at Brooks then where the 51s' were based before the move to Kelly

[CWBuff]

Here's a period photo...

Click for larger image

Clifford Bossie collection


Fade to Black...

[Rogue]

That would be awesome if you did the ghosted FF-447 on the fuse.

[mlenoch]

FYI:
Moonbeam's (N2151D) true serial number is 44-73656.
I cannot confirm if 'Minute Man' was actually applied on 44-73656.
Would the previous postings be a good confirmation??


VL

[JimH]

I remember seeing Minute Man at Chino in the mid 80's...then in Warbirds International not too long after when it crashed into a suburb somewhere in CA.

Jim Harley

[RyanShort1]

John,

Thanks for those photos of Minuteman... They're certainly interesting. Anyone have a close-up of the scroll on the right side?

Peter-Four-Oh,

Thanks a BUNCH! That's exactly the kind of photo I'm looking for. Any idea what the colors are - same as Minuteman? Color information will make a big difference in what I choose to model.
I'd really like to find a Kelly AFB (or some other San Antonio-related Mustang now that I know that they existed) profile shot, but any and all TX ANG are welcome.

Ryan

[Tulio]

Very difficult to find, but there is a book on the 111th through its different eras, and there are many photos of Mustangs, both in Ellington, North Africa and other locations.

This was published by the Texas Air National Guard
IIRC.

Saludos,

Tulio

[MX304]

FYI:
Moonbeam's (N2151D) true serial number is 44-73656.
I cannot confirm if 'Minute Man' was actually applied on 44-73656.
Would the previous postings be a good confirmation??


VL

Vlado, I am trying to find the info and an old pic I have of an aircaft with 44-73656 on it. I thought originally it was what is now Moonbeam, but after more research we discovered it was a different A/C that is last listed as under restoration in Waco TX. I'll post all the info once I dig it out. It was painted as a TX-ANG plane as well.

[RickH]

If there is a Mustang under restoration in Waco, Joe Nehmer will know about it. You should have Joe's phone # in your CAF directory.

Tulio, I have the 111th FIS 50th Anniversary book. It has the gold cover on it. You're right a copy will be pretty hard to come by it was published in 1974 and covers 1923-1973.It includes the beginning of the F-101s.

After WWII the squadron had P-51Ds and had transitioned to P-51Hs prior to federalization for Korea. The squadron then transitioned to F-84Es which they flew in Korea. When they returned from Koreathey returned to flying the P-51H & Ds until 1955. They got F-80s and T-33s and were placed on daytime alert only . In 1957 they went on 24 hour alert with F-86Ds which they stood until they got the F-102s in August 1960.

Ryan looking at the 50th Anniversary book for the 111th FS it appears that the basic markings on Minuteman are exact duplicates for the F-51D & Hs based at Ellington AFB, Houston. Since Minuteman was supposed to be a duplicate of a Brooks aircraft, I would say that the TANG Mustangs were marked the same except for squadron insignia. The aircraft from Ellington carry the Ace in the Hole on the lower front cowling.

Last edited by RickH on Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

[John Kerr]

Here is a close up of the scroll. This photo along with the others I posted were taken in San Antonio, TX on 7 July 1978. Hope this helps. John

[RickH]

Thanks for the picture of the scroll, John. I guess my memory screwed that one up.