Thanks Steve for this great shot !

I am now wondering how many liveries / paint-jobs this particular P-51D (N6356T) had while in the U.K.

I will start a new thread on that one.
Cheers
Martin

G-BCOV ex D-CACE August 1977

It’s CL-N, nickname “Pink”

Martin / Swiss Mustangs

So, since photos of both aircraft on the beach appear to show the blades bent backwards, are you suggesting that the recovered aircraft is in fact a third, as yet unidentified, P-51D?

Da Quake has all 4 blandes bent back ! – the usual result when performing a belly landing with idling (or windmilling) prop, while forward bent blades or oddly twisted (as on ‘663) usually happen when the prop turns with engine-power at the time of impact.

Attached another photo showing one blade on the recovered machine bent backwards, which means that the propeller at one time was turned.

I belive it is ‘663 that is now under rebuild.

Martin

erm

what link ?

Martin

Hi

four pics from my HDD…

HTH

Martin

3 N5747(44-73027) P-51D 15/6/77.0n a short visit to the UK including a visit to Duxford.Crashed and destoyed 4/10/80

Fantastic shots – thanks for sharing !

this a/c actually had an illustrious life, including 3 crashes:

44-73027; P-51D-25-NA;

1950: 6th Dec. RCAF 9250 No. 416 Squadron
1959: N9146R (Trans Florida Aviation)
1960-72: numerous owners
1972: Racer #12, N5747
1972: (Robert Guildford) Mustang Pilots Club
1974: forced landing at Mojave
1977: forced landing at Bakersfield (inflight fire); competely rebuilt
1978: N51MP (Mustang Pilots Club)
1980: N51MP Restored at Chino CA
1980: Oct. 4th Crashed, destroyed at Lancaster, CA, completely rebuilt with ex-TNI-AU (Indonesian AF) airframe
1991: (William Speer) Racer #56
1993: sold to France (Christophe Jacquart) F-AZJM “Temptation”
1998: sold to Switzerland (Fritz Mueller) HB-RCW
1998: 3rd Sept. Fatal crash in Swiss mountains

here is a synopsis of the events leading up to crash….

…this ship was sold to Switzerland and received Swiss registration HB-RCW in July 1998 (colour scheme remained unchanged), but sadly it crashed on September 3rd, 1998 in the Swiss Mountains on a ferry flight over the Alps to attend an Air Show in southern Switzerland (Ambri). The pilot (a very experienced professional pilot, i.e. chief pilot of Swiss Air Ambulance and famous Swiss champion aerobatics pilot, together with his son (also certified pilot) were killed instantly and the a/c was totally destroyed.
The reason for this crash has been determined as follows: bad weather enroute, coupled with fading daylight (thus causing time-pressure), the conditions caused disorientation. The passage South through a slow-climbing valley was missed and they instead were caught in a pocket-valley. Realizing this they attempted to do a 180° turn but went into a high speed stall and hit high ground.
The PIC had done many performances in another Swiss based P-51D (‘Double Trouble Two, N51EA) but this was his first flight in HB-RCW…

Martin / Swiss Mustangs

Hi JDK

Yup – British Pathé really has some goodies there – Found various sequences of the 354th FG shortly after D-Day in France plus the same unit at a later stage, most probably in Germany. There are also many British Mustang I sequences and the Korean War is also well covered re. the P-51.

Your example of George Preddy’s “Cripes A’Mighty 3rd” is a nice one – there also exist many great photos taken at the same time.

Martin / Swiss Mustangs