Warbird Mustang lost....

[storch]

what a tragedy.  

while the loss of the pilot is indeed lamentable we may all take comfort in the knowledge that he died doing something he loved, on the whole there are far worse ways to pass.  I wish peace to those who hold him dear.

the pilot as an individual is irreplaceable but the plane will probably be rebuilt.

there is a growing global enterprise in the restoration and complete from the wheels up fabrication of 1940's aircraft.  these designs represent the epitome of piston powered aviation technology and these graceful forms will be with us for as long as there is humanity.

may that airframe fly again soon.

[Spatula]

Well, the pilot died doing what i bet they loved more than anything else. They know the risks and do it willingly. My hat is off to those to those who ensure we can see these fantastic machines flying - the restorers, the financers, the collectors, the organisers, the pilots. If it can fly, let it. If it cant, display it.

Sadly, a family now mourns.

[evenhaim]

at least he died doing what he loved (hopefully)

[WaRLoCkL]

Bodhi has my dream plane, a f4u-4 that he is restoring. man that must be nice   to the pilot that lost his life. But now he gets to fly that pony in the sky for eternity what could be greater than that.

[Treize69]

Kinda like when we lost Jeff Ethell- if he had to go, its probably the way he would have wanted.

[Grits]

Carroll Shelby hates to see his cars in museums or hauled around to car shows on a trailer. He said he built them to be DRIVEN. I feel the same way about warbirds, if they are airworthy they should be flown we already have plenty of static displays.

[humble]

NTSB shows no accident (fatal or otherwise) since 2005. Last P-51 fatality was May 29 ,2004...NTSB July 2007 Aviation Accidents

[Golfer]

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 51TK Make/Model: P51 Description: P-51, F-51, A-36 Mustang
Date: 07/15/2007 Time: 1505

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
City: CAMARILLO State: CA Country: US

DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, CRASHED AND CAME TO REST INVERTED, THE ONE PERSON ON
BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, CAMARILLO, CA

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1
# Crew: 1 Fat: 1


RIP

[Bodhi]

Originally posted by Makoyouidiot
The numbers of original warbirds continue to dwindle...so we now face the delimma, "Should we just preserve them, or fly them and risk losing a valuable piece of history?"

There are more warbirds flying now than 20 yrs ago.  

As for grounding them, I have an idea.  You put up $1 - $6 million to restore one, then have someone tell you can't fly it...  

Enough of that,

to Mr. McKessin.  Clear Skies and GodSpeed!

[Masherbrum]

[Wolfala]

News reports it was the guys first solo in a P-51.

[Waffle]

local coverage:

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/16/man-killed-in-camarillo-plane-crash/

[DoLbY]

man that sucks

<<(S)>> to him, family and friends

[5PointOh]

That is very sad.  In hope preserve the history of the WWII gen planes for my children (whenever I have some;only 26:aok ) I have sign up to assist in the reserection of a B17 being restored at a small local airfeild.  Heres a little more info:

Project B17

[humble]

So was the P-51 a two seat trainer or was the guy working with an instructor in another plane? I know that the pony requires a special rating to fly as PIC...