P-51H in Albuquerque??

[Tulio]

Howdy y'all!

I'll be staging through "Burque" in a couple of days, and I have heard that there is a privately (what else?) owned and airworthy P-51H in Albuquerque.

Does anyone know whose? I was also told that there is a Corsair, belonging to the same owner.

If you have a contact -I would like to shoot some photos- please PM me.

Thanks in advance.


Saludos,


Tulio

[RMAllnutt]

There are only two P-51H's flying.... the one owned by Mike Coutches in California, and the other by the Whittington's in Florida... unless they have been sold on of course. Not sure about the corsair. Best of luck in your travels Tulio!

Cheers,
Richard

[Tulio]

Thank you, Richard!

Well, the information was provided by a guy who is a private pilot, but this is no guarantee that he would know the difference between the "H" and the "D" or "K" models.

He mentioned though, that the airplane was painted in British markings, and this is what called his attention. I do not know if the Brits received "H's" but I recall seeing a photo of a "D" model IIRC, in either Australian or British markings; the airplane had desert camo on it.

Thank you again.

Saludos,


Tulio

[Mike]

The Whittington P-51H is painted in RAF markings.

[Chad Veich]

The Whittington P-51H is painted in RAF markings.

And, if I recall, was up for sale some time ago.

[steve dickey]

Hey Tulio, A good friend of mine that works and lives in Denver got to work on Whittingtons bird about a month ago. Pulled the carb and a couple other things to be sent off, the stuff came back a few weeks later, he put everything back on and went home. All this was done for getting it ready for the BIG gathering. It may even make it to Reno? But the airplane was in Pagosa Springs, Colorado when he worked on it, I don't know if it has flown and is in Albq now? I'm just saying thats the last reported sighting of it. Hope you find it!

[vg-photo]

Thank you, Richard!

Well, the information was provided by a guy who is a private pilot, but this is no guarantee that he would know the difference between the "H" and the "D" or "K" models.

He mentioned though, that the airplane was painted in British markings, and this is what called his attention. I do not know if the Brits received "H's" but I recall seeing a photo of a "D" model IIRC, in either Australian or British markings; the airplane had desert camo on it.

Thank you again.

Saludos,


Tulio

Desert camo and British markings sounds like David Price's P-51 "Cottonmouth" I think that's a D model though.

[Tulio]

Guys, thank you for the additional data.

I'll keep you posted, and let you know if I find it.

Steve, I went through Pagosa Springs a few months back; the only Mustang that I have heard is based close to
Albuquerque, is one in Santa Fe, but although I was shown the hangar, I did not see it.

VG, the Mustang in your photo is exactly the one I had in mind. Thank you for posting those great shots.

Saludos to y'all,


Tulio

[vg-photo]

No problem, your description fit that one to a t, so I figured that must be the one.

[vg-photo]

I should clarify it's name "Cottonmouth". It was called that years ago, when it carried a fuselage code of JC-J, under the ownership of Jerry Janes. At the time, it had the name on the nose of the airplane in white lettering. It doesn't have the name anymore, but I still think of it as Cottonmouth. Sorry if I confused anyone.

[tinbender2]

Greetings from albaturkey.

Yes, there is a P-51 based here, at least for the past several years.

It is fully restored and airworthy and was last seen on the ramp last week.

It rarely flies, maybe as little as a few times a year, so when it does leave it's hangar, people notice and word travels fast.

When I last saw it about a year ago, it was in a green camouflage scheme with British markings, not the desert paint job illustrated in posts above. It has had this same paint job for for several years.

I believe it is an H model, but only because it has a taller vertical stab than a D model.

I don't know who owns it or who to contact for pics, but I do know what hangar it resides in.

I have color slides of the aircraft, but it would take too many hours to find them.

[T J Johansen]

Greetings from albaturkey.

Yes, there is a P-51 based here, at least for the past several years.

It is fully restored and airworthy and was last seen on the ramp last week.

It rarely flies, maybe as little as a few times a year, so when it does leave it's hangar, people notice and word travels fast.

When I last saw it about a year ago, it was in a green camouflage scheme with British markings, not the desert paint job illustrated in posts above. It has had this same paint job for for several years.

I believe it is an H model, but only because it has a taller vertical stab than a D model.

I don't know who owns it or who to contact for pics, but I do know what hangar it resides in.

I have color slides of the aircraft, but it would take too many hours to find them.

Like this then.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/su ... 4415.shtml



T J

[tinbender2]

Greetings from albaturkey.

Yes, there is a P-51 based here, at least for the past several years.

It is fully restored and airworthy and was last seen on the ramp last week.

It rarely flies, maybe as little as a few times a year, so when it does leave it's hangar, people notice and word travels fast.

When I last saw it about a year ago, it was in a green camouflage scheme with British markings, not the desert paint job illustrated in posts above. It has had this same paint job for for several years.

I believe it is an H model, but only because it has a taller vertical stab than a D model.

I don't know who owns it or who to contact for pics, but I do know what hangar it resides in.

I have color slides of the aircraft, but it would take too many hours to find them.

Like this then.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/su ... 4415.shtml



T J

Why YES,


EXACTLY like that.

[RMAllnutt]

That's the Whittingdon's aircraft.... under new ownership I guess now. Very cool! Too bad she doesn't fly much, as the H is such a rare bird.

Cheers,
Richard

[bipe215]

As a sidenote, the latest AOPA pilot has an article about Barry Schiff soloing 'Cottonmouth'.

Steve G