P51D has left New Zealand

🙁

Classic Wings reports that the P51D ‘Miss Torque’ that was owned by Sir Tim Wallis and Brian Hore at Wanaka has been sold abroad and is now in California. This is the P51D that recently was part of the Breitling Team on their final display at Wanaka.

A shame for southern Mustang fans, but it has been a long time coming I guess because the plane has been up for sale for several years since the very sad death of Tom Middleton, who was the aircraft’s regular pilot with his tourism flying where he took passengers up in the P51D and in a Pitts (in which he was sadly killed).

I just wonder, does anyone know whether Sir Tim still owns the disassembled ex-RNZAF P51D that he bought shortly before he and Mr Hore bought Miss Torque? He had originally intended to restore the RNZAF one I believe, but I wonder whether there are still any plans to do this? Or even if it is still in the country.

I wonder if any other P51D’s will ever make it into the air here in NZ to pair up with the NZ Warbirds example.