Mystery Alaskan P-51 c. 1960s

zorro7 · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:07 pm **Posts:** 483

Nice looking P-51 in AK. Merrill Field c. 1960s. Via Paul Siwolich. Tks

51fixer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:14 am

zorro7 wrote:

Nice looking P-51 in AK. Merrill Field c. 1960s. Via Paul Siwolich. Tks

There was one up there to lead Firebombers IIRC.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:48 am

That is my P-51 ride!!!!

It belonged to Red Dodge who was an ELECTRA Captain for WESTERN and flew between Anchorage and Kodiak Island, and later flew 720's. I understood Red passed a few years ago. He owned the FBO I worked at on Merrill Field on the East side of ANC for a Summer in the mid 60's while finishing A&P school in Seattle. We had just finished doing an oil and filters on it and Red grabs me and points to the back seat, who's gonna pass on that @ 17?????
Chuck Lyford came up and rung it out during an airshow that summer, beyond cool!
I've wonderd over the years where it went and if I'd seen it again in different markings at other airshows as I forgot the N number. Red had just come in after a trip to Kodiak but he sat in the pilots seat for about 10 minutes before he did anything, his explanation? 'I'm getting ahead of this thing' Worked for me, later that Summer I got my B-25 ride in a J he owned-it was leased to the BLM as a fireboss airplane hence the PeptoBismol paint, interesting times then. :wink:

I'm hearing the noise from the cockpit right now in my memory-THANX :prayer:

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2527

44-74977, this is the Mustang that was "stolen" from Tonapah in 84.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/?s ... l/44-74977

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51regis ... 74977.html

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:32 pm

THANX! nice to know she's still around and not all wadded up someplace!

deltascrew · **Joined:** Thu May 13, 2010 9:38 pm **Posts:** 41

I took these a few weeks ago.....

P-51D Charlotte's Chariot II by deltafastback, on Flickr

chippie51 · **Joined:** Fri May 18, 2007 6:28 pm **Posts:** 192

The droptanks fitted to that Mustang - does anyone have any details or manuals covering these? We have a set for eventual overhaul, and need details and a few parts. Anyone know of anything?

Thanks

Noha307 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:07 pm

mike furline wrote:

44-74977, this is the Mustang that was "stolen" from Tonapah in 84.

How do you "steal" a P-51? :shock:

Anyone have some reading/articles on this?

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:37 pm

Noha307 wrote:

mike furline wrote:

44-74977, this is the Mustang that was "stolen" from Tonapah in 84.

How do you "steal" a P-51? :shock:

Anyone have some reading/articles on this?

I remember the advert in Trade-a-Plane at the time. It was your typical "reward for information" type ad, as I recall. If it was outside or in an unlocked hangar I imagine somebody just called the airport fuel truck, gassed her up, paid cash, fired her up and left. An airplane's very easy to steal if you know what you're doing.

Dan

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11280

Noha307 wrote:

mike furline wrote:

44-74977, this is the Mustang that was "stolen" from Tonapah in 84.

How do you "steal" a P-51? :shock:

Anyone have some reading/articles on this?

You can buy Mustang skeleton keys on eBay...

zorro7 · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:07 pm **Posts:** 483

Noha307/P-51 Folks:

Good Day!

I was just going to ask the same question? Plenty of gas and not a single shot was fired!

We are not talking here about a novice Cessna 150 pilot with keys in hand. Any more details of this story?? Maybe the pilot just borrowed it for a joy ride to California?? I'm sure there is more to this story. Tks for the info & data found on this bird!

p.s How was the P-51 Mustang found??

makin' boost · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:12 pm

I don't mean to "Hi-Jack" the thread but; does anyone know anything about the gaggle of gooses or geese in the background ?

zorro7 · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:07 pm **Posts:** 483

mb:

Good day!

I'll ask the poc/source of the P-51 for any poss photos of those ducks in the background & ck the N regs.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:28 pm

makin' boost wrote:

I don't mean to "Hi-Jack" the thread but; does anyone know anything about the gaggle of gooses or geese in the background ?

Very popular airplane in the bush sort of a wet DC-3, in the 60's Gooses were all over Alaska like '92 CAMAROS are today. If an airplane earns it's living in Alaska, it stays, if it doesn't, it leaves or gets scrapped.

I don't recall the external tanks but suspect they were used when a fire was being fought many, many miles from what you'd call civilization in a land where your nearest neighbor might be three days away by snow machine or 5 by dog team and the 'big city' is a village with a dirt strip, 10 buildings and 30 residents.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11280

N702 was a Widgeon that belonged to the Department of the Interior at one time.

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Mystery Alaskan P-51 c. 1960s

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