Lovely P-51 Air To Air.

“Lope’s Hope 3rd” is the most accurate/authentic P-51B/C restoration ever done, and of course is the company’s follow-on to the restoration of “Sierra Sue II”, the most accurate/authentic P-51D restoration ever done (both equal to one another in terms of accuracy/authenticity down to the smallest imaginable detail). “Lope’s Hope 3rd” is also the first P-51 ever restored to the exact configuration and full combat-ready setup of a C.B.I. Mustang. It is equipped with the specific SCR-274 radios and MN-26 radio compass set (with the direction finding loop antenna) as installed on the original “Lope’s Hope 3rd” and other C.B.I. C-model Mustangs, and it all functions.

For some background on the aircraft – Texas Flying Legend’s P-51C “Lope’s Hope 3rd” was originally manufactured as P-51C-10-NT 43-24907. From May 1944 until the end of the war, the aircraft served as a state-side trainer, based with the 347th AAFBU at Key AAF, Mississippi, with the 326th AAFBU at MacDill AAF, Florida, and with the 325th AAFBU at Avon Park AAF, Florida. In October 1945, the aircraft was sold surplus to the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND, where it was used as a bases for teaching aircraft maintenance for many years. Unfortunately not much survived of the aircraft before what was left was sourced for this project, but it was combined with many other original surviving B/C-model parts that were accumulated over many years. It is restored, specifically in every detail, to match the P-51C-5-NT 42-103585 that was the original “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, as it was on November 11, 1944 (which was the last day that Don Lopez flew it). This includes the post-factory production details, such as the inclusion of the fuselage tank and C.B.I. radios that were installed at the Dallas modification center that the original 42-103585 was sent to immediately after it rolled out of the NAA Dallas factory. It also has all of the Tech Orders incorporated that were done on the original “Lope’s Hope 3rd” aiframe up until, but no later than, November 11, 1944 – such as a modification to the oil breather system and the addition of the NAA-manufactured dorsal fin fillet and reverse rudder trim tab that were provided together in kits that arrived in Theatre around September 1944 and were installed by the time that is depicted in the restoration. Unlike some other restorations, you won’t find any D-model parts in “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, as there were no concessions/no taking the easy route. Everything that went into it had to be right to the P-51C. (Both “Lope’s Hope 3rd” and “Sierra Sue II” were restored to a specific time – in the case of “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, everything was built up to, configured and modified to the way the original aircraft would have been on/around November 11, 1944, including all post-production T.O. mods and exact paint scheme, only up until that specific point and no other details/mods that would have come later. The same was done with “Sierra Sue II”, which was restored and reconfigured up to the way the aircraft had originally been at the point of mid-April 1945, including all of the post-production T.O. mods up until that point and leaving the later mods off.)

To fully appreciate a restoration like “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, and “Sierra Sue II”, you have to realize that nothing was overlooked, no stone left unturned, to put these aircraft back in the air as the most fully authentic/accurate examples of their type possible.

– The skins on both restorations represent the unpolished finish that the skins on these aircraft had when new in 1944. Where new skins were used in the restorations, the period-correct dull and shiny mil-clad finishes were reproduced and left unpolished. On original 1944 skins, the surfaces were buffed/polished only to the level of matching the unpolished new skins. As some of the curved skins, fairings and fillets were formed into shape on presses and rollers, the more times they had to pass through those machines the more marred/dull the surfaces would become – something which can clearly be seen in original wartime photos, on these same panels, and you can see this on both of these restorations. (Where as much of “Lope’s Hope 3rd” had to be made new (wherever original parts couldn’t be sourced), the majority of the structure and even a number of the skins on “Sierra Sue II” are original to when it was manufactured in late 1944.)

– The companies Alcoa and Reynolds provided the aluminum in original WWII production, and their factory-applied watermarks, containing the company name and aluminum sheet specifications, were always printed, in rows, on one side. This practice is still done today, but the modern watermarks aren’t the same as the period/1940’s era watermarks. The modern watermarks were stripped from all of the new skins and the period-correct watermarks were applied to the new skins and reapplied to the reused original skins. Per original, most of the skins were cut so that the watermarks would always be on the interior-facing surface, but that didn’t always hold true all the time. For instance, when “Sierra Sue II” was disassembled, it was noted for each skin/panel if the Alcoa or Reynolds company watermarks were present on the interior-facing surfaces. If they weren’t, AirCorps could then conclude that the watermarks had been on the exterior-facing surface and recreated as such in the restoration. On both “Sierra Sue II” and “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, you can see some various panels/skins where the period-correct Alcoa or Reynolds watermarks ended up on the exterior surfaces, as per original to the airframe and what factory photos show.

– During original NAA factory production, wherever spot-welding took place, an acid gel was brushed onto the surfaces of the skins in these areas, which would etch and purify the surface, making for a good bond when spot-welded. These areas of acid wash can be seen in many (most all) factory photos. Skins weren’t required to be coated with primer, since the Alclad finish was considered a good enough barrier against corrosion. As a result, in these restorations, as per original, when you look into the gear wells and other confines of the aircraft, the skins remain bare on the inside too, often showing the period-correct manufacturer’s watermarks, attached to frames and extrusions that had to be primered.

– In both restorations, the primers and paints used are as exact to what was used originally in 1944 as can be achieved today, and applied in the same manner. Most all restorations today use modern paints that are colored to look like various shades of yellow and green zinc chromate, but as such, never perfectly match the original 1940’s primer finishes, being too smooth, lacking the original period-correct texture and finish and lacking in authentic imperfections. In the restorations of “Sierra Sue II” and “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, original zinc chromate, accurate to the original period-correct chemical composition, was used. Raw zinc chromate has a natural yellow color, and during WWII, NAA tinted raw zinc chromate with a bit of black paint to create a green/olive drab colored zinc chromate – AirCorps did the same to match the same green tint/shade. On all surfaces requiring primer, a coat of raw (yellow) zinc chromate was applied, and on surfaces requiring two coats of primer, NAA used their green zinc chromate for the second coat, so as to provide clear indication that a second coat had been applied and fully covering the first coating. AirCorps also found that there was a third color developed/used by NAA on some parts, which mixed raw zinc chromate with a bit of black paint and a bit of blue paint, and was reproduced on those same parts by AirCorps. During original production, many parts, such as ribs and brackets, were dipped in primer, rather than sprayed, and those parts in these restorations were treated the same way – the result being that all of these parts have the same streaks/runs in the finishes as per original. Where parts where sprayed with primer, no real care was taken for a smooth uniform finish, and the coatings were often uneven – to be fully authentic, this was duplicated in these restorations. The primer and paint applications were also done during the restorations at the specific points in time during the assembly process as was performed at the factory – this results in factory-authentic paint overspray in areas and ensures that some parts received primer/paint and other parts didn’t, per original (such as the nut plates for the wing-fuselage fillets being installed after the cockpit sections were sprayed interior green, meaning that those items remained bare – or the fact that, as per original, since so much of the fuselage structure is assembled before the cockpit section is finally painted interior green, there are areas around ribs and behind brackets where the interior green primer would not reach, creating a ghosted image/impression where the bare metal of a skin and/or the yellow zinc chromate of a rib/frame can still show through). On the interior, the instrument and switch panels were painted in semi-gloss black lacquer, as per original, and most of the exterior markings were applied using alkyd enamel paint, as per original. All of these original primers and paints aren’t as durable as modern paints, and will wear with chips and scuff marks just as easily as they did in the 40’s. AirCorps also found that at times there were parts finished in green zinc chromate (the two-coat color) that didn’t have yellow zinc chromate below and wouldn’t have needed two coats. What would happen, therefore, is if a batch of yellow zinc chromate ran out during original production, to prevent the slowing of the production pace, if a batch of green zinc chromate was already there and available, they’d just coat the part with it instead. This sort of thing was copied in these restorations (in the case of “SSII”, during disassembly each part was noted for which primer coating(s) it had, and so that part, following cleaning and inspection (or replacement) was then refinished with the same primer/color before it went back into the aircraft – these similar, sometimes inconsistent, patterns were copied in the restoration of “Lope’s Hope 3rd”).

– On “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, AirCorps made sure to apply the serial number on the tail, even though it is painted over with the Squadron black tail markings, because as a result, you can still see the faint traces of the serial number through the black tail markings just as you would have been able to originally. In the case of “Sierra Sue II”, the markings on that aircraft were also applied consecutively as they were originally – first the Squadron markings, then the nose art, and finally the lighting bolts were added in last (as they had been during the war).

– On Mustang production, the stainless steel rub plates on the landing gear clamshell doors always were coated in (yellow) zinc chromate. This was done because you had to have a protective layer between the steel of the rub plates and the stamped aluminum gear doors so as to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion. Sometimes, such as on really late production, only the side of the steel in contact with the aluminum gear door was coated, but for most Mustang production both sides of the rub plates were treated with zinc chromate (as can be seen in many original wartime photos). “Lope’s Hope 3rd” and “Sierra Sue II” are the only Mustangs restored to-date with this authentic detail of having yellow zinc chromate rub plates showing on the clamshell doors. Furthermore, you can also see authentic traces of zinc chromate (overspread) around the edges of the stainless exhaust shroud panels, where they are attached to the aluminum cowl panels, and where the stainless panels at the root of the flaps are attached to the aluminum structure.

– The rivets used in both restorations come from specially-ordered new batches made to original wartime spec/appearance. All current manufactured rivets, following the MS standard, are required to have the manufacturer’s logo/mark stamped on the rivet head, but during WWII, the AN rivets had no stamps. During original wartime production, NAA sourced the rivets from a number of different suppliers, and the rivets came in three different variations of anodized colors – clear (silver in appearance), iridite (yellow in appearance), as well as blue (which is thought to have originated from a Navy spec). AirCorps contracted with the National Rivet and Manufacturing company to produce whole new production runs of period-correct rivets, without the manufacturer’s stamp, and coated in the three different original anodized colors. At the NAA factory, these different batches of rivets were poured into bins and the colors would end up mixing together – as a factory worker pulled a rivet from the bin, it didn’t matter what color it was, as long as the bins remained replenished, and the result was a random patchwork of silver and yellow, and sometimes even leftover Navy blue rivets, across the airframes (as can be seen on both restorations).

– During original wartime production, NAA had a process where they would smooth out the first 33-40% of the wing (33% for D’s and 40% for the earlier B/C’s), from the leading edge back, and then paint the main wing assembly silver. Acme Red Vellutine Glazing putty was used to cover skin butt joints and Acme Gray Surfacer No.53N5 was used to cover any irregularities, in this region of the wing. The entire area was then sanded smooth before a coating of silver lacquer was applied. This process was accurately duplicated in both restorations.

– All of the hardware/fittings on these restorations are either the correct AC or AN type, as used during WWII – in fact every piece of hardware used in both restorations is precisely as it was when the aircraft left the factory during WWII, including the spline nuts, electrical terminals, Dzus fasteners, Hi-shears, electrical clips, switches and breakers, etc.

– The bolts, which total nearly 2,500 per aircraft, of 178 different sizes, are each individually authentic to what was used during original production, rather than just being modern MS bolts off the shelf. On “SSII”, as many of the bolts on the aircraft are original to the airframe as was possible to keep/reuse, but all of the newly-made bolts on both aircraft were re-manufactured to the original wartime-manufacturer’s specs and with the original 1940’s manufacturer logos/letters on each bolt head. Across both aircraft, you will find bolts with the embossed markings of the original 1944 suppliers, including Air Supply, Air Associates, Cooper, American Screw, Rockford, and a few others. (On “SSII” in particular, each bolt, where/if replaced, matches the same original period manufacturer-marked bolt as was removed during the restoration.) Furthermore, the bolts in these restorations are stained in dyes of a variety of authentic colors (red, orange and blue) – during original production, the dye meant that the bolts had been magnetically inspected.

– The wiring on these aircraft, originally, was insulated with black rubber and wound with cotton string, which is no longer available today and wouldn’t be able to be allowed by the FAA in a flying aircraft. In the restoration of both “SSII” and “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, the wiring was specially made with black silicon insulation and then wrapped in cotton string, per original. The logos and writing that were stamped on the original wires was researched, down to the specific font and various font sizes, and accurately reproduced on the new wiring using a period Kingsley wire stamping machine.

– In the case of “Lope’s Hope 3rd”, where all of the glass had to be made new, rather than just use standard plexiglass, the armor glass and laminated bullet-resistant windscreen and canopy glass was made precisely to original wartime spec.

– On both of the restorations, all of the markings were applied in the various manners they would have been during WWII, whether it be masked and sprayed on or painted on with a brush, freehand. The vast majority of the “decalcomania” (to describe all of the text/labels applied all over the aircraft) on the exterior of Mustangs was applied originally using rubber stamps. AirCorps had these stamps reproduced so that all of these markings applied using rubber stamps originally were applied on these restorations just the same way (and with the authentic imperfections you get using stamps). Other markings were applied using stencils or water transfers – all of these processes were used in these restorations wherever/whenever the same was done originally. Of course in all of these manners of form, the original fonts were reproduced.

– If you look throughout both restorations, you’ll find reproduced factory worker grease pencil marks, period-correct inspection stamps and stickers, etc. The cockpits/interiors are as stock and fully equipped as any Mustang restoration to-date, down to having the flare pistol, drop message bag, factory-supplied checklists and diagrams, and more, all stowed where you’d find the items when climbing in the aircraft in ’44. The modern avionics in both aircraft are extremely minimal and are installed using easily removable brackets and in a manner that does not remove any authentic details from the cockpit. The gauges were all restored using fluorescent paint to glow under UV light as per original. Both restorations are complete with the fuselage fuel tank, working wartime radios (SCR-522 in “SSII” and SCR-274 and MN-26 in “Lope’s Hope 3rd”), full armor plating throughout, reproduction armament that is wired to the trigger with working solenoids that click away when you hold the trigger down, fully loaded with ammunition that is correctly marked for the types and patterns of bullets used, functioning bomb/drop tank release systems with payloads installed that match what each carried in combat, working gun sights, working gun cameras (loaded with film), etc.

You can see a bunch of photos from both projects here:

http://www.aircorpsaviation.com/project/p-51c-lopes-hope-3rd/

http://www.aircorpsaviation.com/project/p-51-d-sierra-sue-ii-p-51d-20-na/

I’m eagerly following AirCorps’ razorback P-47D restoration, in which of course the same level of attention to detail is being made.

Reading over on WiX that this is considered one of the finest CORRECT P-51 restorations out there, the correct as originally manufactured detail is second to none, not one polished part on it 😉

Superb restoration and a great video too. Excellent photography with admirable effective use of lighting and landscape.