Unexpected Visitor

Nice picture yak 11 fan!

But the WHITE jet fighter type helmet is irritating with a WWII paintscheme:rolleyes: 😡

regards atc pal

LMAO Chris!

Mustangs are NOT boring!

Originally posted by Snapper
“flying in a “boring” plane text to a Mustang to get some air to airs, I go for the photoship. BW Roger”

Agreed, that might get me in the TF – if nothing else does! Mind you, the photographic subject would need an excellent pilot to circle the pole at low-level…..!

Unless of course the boring plane next to a Mustang to get some air to airs was another Mustang. 😉

“flying in a “boring” plane text to a Mustang to get some air to airs, I go for the photoship. BW Roger”

Agreed, that might get me in the TF – if nothing else does! Mind you, the photographic subject would need an excellent pilot to circle the pole at low-level…..!

@Snapper

I always wanted to fly in a TBM, a Concorde and a Constellation. It took me 20 years, but I flew in all 3 types. Those were the ones for me. Today, I just step in when there is an oppertunity, but given the choice between flying in a Mustang (I like them all) or flying in a “boring” plane text to a Mustang to get some air to airs, I go for the photoship. BW Roger

And fun.

The opportunity of a lifetime is something really rare. I can go to the States and fly in a TF-51 if I wish. I can fly in a P51 here if I wish, or a Spitfire. I can scrape the money together to do so. I would rather scrape the money together for a flight in a D than a TF. Which would you chose? I’d rather go in a Harvard than the TF – a TF-51 means nothing to me at all. Nor does a Buchon – stick a DB in it, and it represents something to me. Its synonomous as a German wartime aircraft. A Spanish fighter from post war? I’m not remotely interested in seeing it. And thats the truth. Nothing against the aircraft – but I just don’t see them in the same light as pukka WW2 aircraft. You are fed up with Spitfires, and thats your prerogative. Moggy hates helicopters. I dislike jets and loathe Skyraiders, and an airliner is a 3 dimensional bus. Opinions are opinions, and thank God we have and can express them.

I believe you Snapper. If you don’t like it, then why should you fly it. That’s the way to do it. Stand by your meaning and ideals, and let the rest of the world stand in amazement (when you walk away from the oppertunity of what they think a lifetime) ! BW Roger

Originally posted by Willow

I don’t think any TF51s have seen active service anywhere. Therefore, the owner can paint it any way he likes and it will not be authentic.
Willow

Surely that’s completely wrong?

As the TF51 is a current type doing the job it was designed to do, whatever livery the owner paints it in becomes authentic?

Moggy

Mark V.

With regards to the Alutian tiger head – you seem to know a bit about it – I’ve studied a lot of old photographs of these heads and, despite the fact that they are very similar, they are all different. Would you happen to know which one in particular TFC copied? It seems to me to be an amalgamation of a few of them. Any ideas?

No, I wouldn’t. It’s unlikely i’d get invited, but no. My first light aircraft flight is gouing to be a Tiger Moth (eventually!). If I was to get the chance of a Mustang, it would have to be a normal one. I’m not one for flying just for the sake of it. I’d go in a Lightning or Canberra, but not Tornado’s etc. Just taste really. (Poor or not!)

Phantom II,

Underated yes (P-40), but not everyone is guilty. It takes a long time to mask out those sharks teeth and Alutian tiger heads, so sombody loves them. Not thinking about anyone in particular of course.

About those Mustang paintjobs… i think it’s a terrible shame none fly in a nice Bolivian or Costa Rican camouflage. The bulk of the currently flying ‘Stangs are after all former aircraft of those countries. I think the only authentic P-51 i’ve ever seen is the PLAAF one in Beijing :rolleyes:

A 1970s USArmy paintjob for a TF-51 is suitably boring i think. They were used as chaseplane in the Cheyenne project, amongst others.

Love those other P-40 pictures! Nothing fits with the shark-mouth motif quite like the Curtiss Warhawk. Such a shame how many historians treat her…. (and on that note her pilots and maintenance guys)

It’s a crime in my opinion.

willow

regarding TF 51 paint jobs the Air National Guard used them and in some nice schemes,the late John Macguire TF springs to mind
which was an original TF not a recent conversion

They do look odd though with that tall tail and long canopy

Much prefer the D model myself

still looking forward to seeing it though

Snapper – A question for you: If you were given the opportunity to fly in Tom F’s TF51 would you refuse? And, if you did take up the offer, would you still continue to slander it?

Hey. You don’t really have to answer that. I’m not that mean. It just seems a shame to me that because a particular aircraft was not responsible for killing Germans in the 40s means it has to be shunned.

Sure it’s fun to show off that you know what you are talking about, but, hey, its a growling beast with a Merlin in it. Give me that to a Cessna 152 any day!!

No hard feelings.

The new canopy doesn’t do you any favours as an instructor on landing when you can’t see whats going on, hence the reason it’s now necessary to rebuild PV202.
You also can’t see a lot out of a standard Mustang rear seat on landing either so I imagine that the larger canopy on the TF51 is there for a reason.

IS there a good colour scheme for a TF51? The type is an invention of the warbird market, using some ideas from the Cavalier conversions. I don’t think any TF51s have seen active service anywhere. Therefore, the owner can paint it any way he likes and it will not be authentic.

Some look better than others, Crazy Horse is a nice one, so is Mad Max (another Stallion 51 a/c) but the new UK based one looks terrible.

At least 2-seat Spits actually saw military service, in India and Ireland at least. The original conversion had an enormous rear canopy (as the rebuilt PV202 will have) but the modified ones like ML407 (the Grace Spitfire) keep the original contours and look just fine to me.

Actually, ML407 is one of my favourites.

Willow

I have better, but not to hand.

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