Warbird Information Exchange

Looks really good but when?????

Lynn

But why rebuild an A-36 into a P-51B (or C)? My guess is because a "P-51" is the more glamorous title for airshow work, but an A-36 is a truly rare bird -- only three extant in the world. To rebuild as a P-51 essentially destroys an A-36, in my opinion.

If anything, the A-36 type had a more extensive combat record than the early P-51 types, and the shooting up of trains and depots was quite likely more essential to the war effort than the fights air-to-air. I realize that less knowledgable people would be saying "A-36, what's that?" but that is the whole point -- A-36s were really something, and the pilots who flew these things in combat were very much in harm's way.

These pilots deserve celebration and acknowledgement and to remove an extremely rare, maybe unique flying aircraft from the scene to have, sorry but "just another" P-51 seems to me a terrible mistake. You might as well have put it on a popsicle stick, because the originalness of the A-36 has to at least some degree been lost.

Shame!

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Kevin McCartney

I have to go with old iron. I mean don't get me wrong it is a beautiful looking restoration, but It is not a P-51. The A-36 is such a rare aircraft, it is sad to see one's history lost.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Sweet looking! A shame she wasn't kept as an A-36, Not my plane, not my call, but I guess that just confuses people....an A-30 what???? That's a Mustang! Nice paint scheme.

This aircraft is NOT A-36A, 42-83878. Basically a new built airplane. He had A-36A but sold to Collins Foundation (under restoration in FL) and built the P-51C from parts. Original plan was to convert the A-36A to a P-51B or C. Some threads, including WIX and Mustangs/Mustangs will still state this, and yes it was the plan. However, not true facts.

So where does the 43-25057 serial come in? Dataplate from a postwar wreck?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

And why does the Warbird Registry list it as an A-36? Was RMAllnutt mistaken in saying that the P-51 featured on this thread (42-83738)?

Also, what happened to the other privately owned -36 (42-83731) on the Registry (the third A-36 is at the NMUSAF). -83731 is listed on the Registry as going to the UK for a show in 2002, but no information after that.

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Kevin McCartney

I've been correcting this falsehood for a long time but no one's listening.
A-36 s/n 42-83738 is a different a/c and will fly again soon but not in Idaho.
Time to fix the registry. The one the Mustangs site also.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Jack - what a beautiful resoration - thanks for posting it.

Great choice on the paint scheme!
I've always wanted to see Howard's "Ding Hao" but this'll do!
Thanks for posting Jack!
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Well if that is case, then it is a beautiful example of what a restoration should be. Jack quick question. Which do you like better, this one or HJGB

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I am also wondering if they will have to add the fillet to the vertical like "Old Crow"?
I think it spoils the look.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

It is pretty funny to witness the deafness of some people on this board. I'm not sure what it takes to get it through people's heads that this is not the A-36 we used to have. The Registry has always been wrong about this. I have no idea why it has never been corrected.

For the last time, we sold the A-36 to Bob Collings many years ago..Gary Norville is working on it's restoration, go check it out. It's Gorgeous......Our P-51C was purchased by my Dad in the 70's from Jack Hardwick and had never been on the civil register until we had reason to register it, which was a few months ago. N4651C.

The rumors of the A-36 being chopped up are false and continue to be perpetuated for some reason by people that are totally clueless.

JC

The reason for the field mod Fillet on the B/C was the perception that that it would improve yaw stability at high speeds and it was added in along with reverse rudder boost starting in August 1944.

The first D to receive it was 44-13902 as a production change and all P-51D-5s in the field were retro fitted with the fillet and metal elevators

These two changes did improve both stability in sideslips, strength for slow rolls and the reverse rudder boost made it more difficult to overstress the tail in those manuevers.

Bud Anderson's Old Crow P-51B never received this mod while it was assigned to him as he got his first P-51D-5 (with no strake/fillet) in July 1944.

What he said

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Don't touch my junk!!