Author Topic: P51-C Plane Restoration (Read 836 times)

Red Tail 444 · « **on:** January 07, 2005, 03:37:11 PM »

May 28, 2004, the P51-C "Tuskegee Airmen," went down in Red Wing, MN, killing Don Hinz.

We are actively working to return the aircraft to its original condition, and we have a flight simulator in the MOA people can sit in and take a real, virtual ride.

http://redtail.org/news/041101_aces.shtml

The money's been pouring in, it's a good marketing tool, as well, IMO.

If you ever get to Minnesota, stop in the MOA and throw some bills for a good cause, thanks!

SunTracker · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2005, 03:14:47 AM »

I saw the crash photos, it appeared the wing seperated from the fuse upon crashing, but that the damage wasnt too major.

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2005, 10:21:07 AM »

yes I'm confident it can be repaired, but restored to flight capability is another story...2,000,000 ia a lot of money...

Bodhi · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2005, 07:27:00 PM »

Who is doing the restoration?

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2005, 03:45:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Bodhi
Who is doing the restoration?

Bob Odegaard. He also restored the F2G Supercorsair, and a number of other A/C, he's up here in Minnesota...

Bodhi · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2005, 12:21:17 AM »

Bob is a great guy, wish you guys luck with it.

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2005, 09:56:22 AM »

Thanks, I'll try to keep posting from time to time. How do you know him? Yes, he is a great guy.

glenmorangie · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2005, 09:36:18 PM »

Red Tail, did you go to Midland or Houston with the airplane?

I'm on the Gunfighter crew. We just finished repainting. I'm going up to Council Bluffs next weekend to see the result.

I saw an email with the fuselage rebuild in progress, you guys are making record time!

Mongol

Guppy35 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2005, 09:55:52 PM »

I'm glad they are rebuilding that bird. Back in the 1970s when I was a teenager, that P51C was in pieces next to Jack Sandberg's hanger at the Crystal, Minnesota Airport.

I took flying lessons out there, and use to sneak over and crawl into the cockpit of that 51 and dream of taking it home. It was my dream Mustang for a lot of years

Sandberg had his own P63A KindCobra "Tipsy Miss" there as well and did engine work for lots of folks vis his J&S Enterprises.

I remember one day vividly when Burns Byram's P51D "Tangerine" was there for work, as was the then flying EAA XP51A.

To see a Allison Mustang a Razorback 51C and a P51D in the same place at the same time was really something

Dan/Slack

oboe · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2005, 02:14:54 PM »

You know, I think I want to do this as a skin for AH. Do you think it would be well-received? I wouldn't want to cause any bad feelings for anyone - so please tell me now if you think its not a good idea. There are already 2 332nd '51Ds ingame, but when I look at this photo I think its one of the most beautiful aircraft I've seen:

Can anybody provide specifics as to which squadron it was in, (I assume 332 FG?) Also I cant make out the script writing on the side of the fuselage. Any text on the nose will have to be omitted due to skin mirroring issues but the script below the cockpit could be included if I can figure out what it says.

EDIT: After some research at Redtail.org, I find that this scheme is a composite of markings from the various Tuskegee Airmen squadrons - a nice way to honor those squads, but it renders the skin non-historical and so unacceptable for inclusion in AH. I may still research for possible 332nd skins; unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to do this exact skin.

Guppy35 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 17, 2005, 03:23:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by oboe
You know, I think I want to do this as a skin for AH. Do you think it would be well-received? I wouldn't want to cause any bad feelings for anyone - so please tell me now if you think its not a good idea. There are already 2 332nd '51Ds ingame, but when I look at this photo I think its one of the most beautiful aircraft I've seen:

Can anybody provide specifics as to which squadron it was in, (I assume 332 FG?) Also I cant make out the script writing on the side of the fuselage. Any text on the nose will have to be omitted due to skin mirroring issues but the script below the cockpit could be included if I can figure out what it says.

EDIT: After some research at Redtail.org, I find that this scheme is a composite of markings from the various Tuskegee Airmen squadrons - a nice way to honor those squads, but it renders the skin non-historical and so unacceptable for inclusion in AH. I may still research for possible 332nd skins; unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to do this exact skin.

As I understand it they were initially going to do it as "Skipper's Darlin" which was a historically accurate scheme. The one they settled on is a compilation of markings meant to recognize all the squadrons in the 332nd.

Kermit Weeks has a flyable P51C painted as "Ina the Macon Belle" that is historically accurate and just as beautiful.

http://www.scaleaero.com/p51c_photo_focus_2.htm

It's about the most accurately restored P51C out there. Be sure and click through all the pictures. All the detail info is there.

Dan/Slack

SunTracker · « **Reply #11 on:** January 17, 2005, 07:51:27 PM »

How accurate is that polished aluminum/chrome look? I thought they dulled the aluminum to prevent glare from giving away their location.

Guppy35 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2005, 09:48:41 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SunTracker
How accurate is that polished aluminum/chrome look? I thought they dulled the aluminum to prevent glare from giving away their location.

They didn't polish it as such, they did wax the finishes in some squadrons, believing it added speed. Obviously in a wartime setting the planes did not get the kind of pampered care a restored warbird gets.

I don't know that they ever dulled the aluminum though.

For what it's worth, a production Mustang that came off the assembly line in the unpainted silver, in fact had the wing primed and painted silver to begin with while the fuselage was natural metal.

Something to do with the airflow over the smoother painted wing. This too wore down in action though, so sometimes the paint would be removed.

Dan/Slack

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2005, 03:07:30 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by glenmorangie
Red Tail, did you go to Midland or Houston with the airplane?

I'm on the Gunfighter crew. We just finished repainting. I'm going up to Council Bluffs next weekend to see the result.

I saw an email with the fuselage rebuild in progress, you guys are making record time!

Mongol

Oh the gunfighter, what a BEAUTIFUL plane...I only saw the birds in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I am on the RedTail project, when they begin touring. I'll be with hat in hand, requesting funds from organizations. I was never in Midland or Houston, although I plan to travel this summer with her, if possible.

I'd love to see pics of the new paint scheme...send me an email at corsair_pilot_mn@yahoo.com.

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2005, 03:09:36 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by oboe
You know, I think I want to do this as a skin for AH. Do you think it would be well-received? I wouldn't want to cause any bad feelings for anyone - so please tell me now if you think its not a good idea. There are already 2 332nd '51Ds ingame, but when I look at this photo I think its one of the most beautiful aircraft I've seen:

Can anybody provide specifics as to which squadron it was in, (I assume 332 FG?) Also I cant make out the script writing on the side of the fuselage. Any text on the nose will have to be omitted due to skin mirroring issues but the script below the cockpit could be included if I can figure out what it says.

EDIT: After some research at Redtail.org, I find that this scheme is a composite of markings from the various Tuskegee Airmen squadrons - a nice way to honor those squads, but it renders the skin non-historical and so unacceptable for inclusion in AH. I may still research for possible 332nd skins; unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to do this exact skin.

Oboe, bad news.

Online, they will only allow authentic A/C, and the Tuskegee, is a memorial to all the units, hence its unique paint scheme. It is a collection of all the units that flew as Tuskeegee Airmen.

With that being said, I would LOVE to have it for offline.