Razorback Mustangs are rare, and especially so with the malcolm hood. I have always thought the Malcolm hood Mustang III to be the prettiest of the P-51s, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the remains on an RAF machine is going to be restored. 🙂 Hopefully in its original RAF scheme.
http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!mustang-iii/c3sl
By: JohnTerrell - 30th July 2015 at 20:40
As I seem to recall, the famed UK restorer Craig Charleston assisted John Muszala/Pacific Fighters by providing any/all P-51B/C parts that Charleston could find in England over the course of a number of years. All three of the other P-51B/C’s that Pacific Fighters has built from the ground-up (“Betty Jane”, “Impatient Virgin”, and “Berlin Express”) were built using titles that were formed from recovered wrecks in the UK. Besides FB206, Pacific Fighters also have the substantial remains of an early P-51B, 43-12112, which was recovered some years back from a lake in Florida (not to be confused with the P-51B 43-12252 that was also recovered from a lake in Florida and which served as the basis of Jack Roush’s P-51B).
BTW, wasn’t Rob Lamplough’s Bf-109E also displayed at the Tangmere Museum? And of course that is now under restoration to fly.
By: stangman - 30th July 2015 at 20:07
If i hear its a P-51B/C [small canopy] i know it is an early model,and the same goes for the D model [big canopy] is a later model. Why confuse things? IMHO :highly_amused:
By: CADman - 30th July 2015 at 19:48
It is a great shame that the wing section pictured seems to attract more interest and value just so it can be used identify a new build project. Surely it has a value as a rare surviving artefact of history ? especially RAF history. Comment has been made elsewhere that it once resided at Tangmere museum, one would assume on loan ? was it ever offered to a national collection ? RAF Museum and IWM have put worst things on show.
Just found this interesting link from 2005
www.rafcommands.com/archive/08030.php
By: Bob - 30th July 2015 at 16:38
If I refer to the early Mustangs as anything, it is “highback” if the need is there to differentiate between models – on the other hand is the D model -> called the “lowback”?….
By: eye4wings - 30th July 2015 at 15:11
Much as I too would love to see the type in our skies again I can only deprecate the use of the term ‘razorback’ to describe what was pretty much the standard fighter’s shape aft of the cockpit at the time. Even its use for the early model P-47s was pushing things a bit since there was not the slightest risk of cutting your hand on it. The term served to graphically demarcate the early from the later models however as it had that most distinctly different spine to it.
I do realise that we humans have a remarkable tendency to devalue our language and that this is pretty much par for the course, but to refer to the early P-51 mustangs as ‘razor backed’ is a total nonsense (in my not-very-humble opinion!).
If that truly is current opinion then I would have to call early Spitfires and the entire production runs of Hurricane and Bf-109 (not wishing to list virtually every other fighter of the day) ‘razorback’ since they have a similar shape. I could also cite the C-47 and ask whether it displays a significantly different shape aft of the cockpit to justify it being denied the use of the term.
‘Razorback’ P-51? Tosh!
I’ll go with Mike Currill’s ‘high back’ – that’s fair enough.
Rant over – it’s safe to come out from behind the sofa now!
Always fun is to hear the perpetual discussion over how many original rivets it takes to elevate a reproduction to the lofty heights of ‘restroration’.
I’m just grateful that I can see aircraft flying that look and sound like the originals. Certainly I have neither the finances nor the expertise to help put them there – and the money involved seems to me quite unrealistically high. £3.1m for a Spitfire?.. I couldn’t even afford £200 for a Chipmunk when the RAF sold a load off – it was way beyond my pocket money, much as I would have loved one!
So thanks to anyone who lives and works in that other, parallel world of historic aviation. love what you’re doing guys!
Robin
By: Mike J - 28th July 2015 at 23:20
They did some very impressive engineering
By: Propstrike - 28th July 2015 at 22:02
I did wonder what happened to Flug Werk. It did seem too have gone VERY quiet!
That is a shame. They did some very impressive engineering, but the FW 190’s have mostly had rather troubled flying careers, which may well have affected the prospect of future orders.
By: SteveB - 28th July 2015 at 20:29
The wing section was at the Tangmere Museum before it was sold to America.
SB
By: tomahawk21 - 28th July 2015 at 17:35
if anyone buys this i have a complete P-51B/C tail fin available off a pacific war vet :very_drunk:
By: Tom_W - 28th July 2015 at 17:23
Does anybody know where this wing section was on display please?
Is it me or were the bars of the star & bar retained and the roundels just applied ‘on the pi55’ in the centre? or has the paint in that area been rubbed down to reveal the US markings?
By: Bob - 24th July 2015 at 13:44
Lots of like minded folk!
By: mike currill - 24th July 2015 at 07:44
Looks fairly, ah, modest on the original material front, but no reason why it shouldn’t end up as a super-accurate and beautiful ” mostly reproduction” as per N3200 or P9374. I for one would pay to go and see it at Legends!
Me too. It would be nice to have a Malcolm hooded high back P-51 on the circuit in this country.
By: T J Johansen - 24th July 2015 at 00:49
I remember reading an interview with John Muszala a number of years back where he outlined plans to start building replica high- back Mustangs. Seems like he did just that, but decided to include North American id’s. Well, that will be helpful to bring in some extra ‘dineros’ for the owner once the plane is up for sale…
T J
By: Vacca - 24th July 2015 at 00:07
While I suspect you are correct about the source of the name, it is now commonly used for the P51 too.
Thank goodness I can keep on referring to the Me-109 then 🙂
By: Oxcart - 24th July 2015 at 00:00
I did wonder what happened to Flug Werk. It did seem too have gone VERY quiet!
By: Mike J - 23rd July 2015 at 17:10
That Flug Werk ‘Palomino’ project was never proceeded with and the company has since shut down
By: Bob - 23rd July 2015 at 16:49
Flug Werk did have an AP-51 listed on their site – new build as per the 190 – if I had the money I might be tempted to see about a Mustang III!!!
By: Mike J - 23rd July 2015 at 16:33
Maybe if John Sessions’ summer vacation with his Spitfire goes well he might be minded to make a similar trip with his P-51 in the future
By: JohnTerrell - 23rd July 2015 at 16:19
The truth of the matter is that you aren’t going to see any new P-51B/C restorations flying unless they are built almost completely new (save for any original parts that can be sourced), and unless a traceable ID can be attached so that a clear title to an original NAA product can be formed, the aircraft won’t have the type certification and provenance that most warbird collectors would desire or require. Only two of the eight P-51B/C’s flying today (“Ina the Macon Belle” and “Tuskegee Airmen”) can be traced back to WWII as having remained largely together/intact/complete (and of course one of those has now been rebuilt twice, with very little remaining from the original NAA product). Fortunately through companies like Pacific Fighters, Cal Pacific, Aircorps Aviation, Tri-State Aviation (and more), and motivated individuals with the wherewithal, like Pete Regina, TFC, John Sessions, Warhawk Air Museum, Max Chapman, Texas Flying Legends, Kermit Weeks, Jack Roush, and the Commemorative Air Force, the P-51B/C has had the come-back it has.
With “Princess Elizabeth” having left England some years back, it would be great to see another high-back Mustang operating around England/Europe again, and it would be awesome to see such an aircraft with RAF provenance besides (however large or small).
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 23rd July 2015 at 14:12
I thought MH always fancied a P-47!
TT
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July 22, 2015 at 6:11 pm
