P-47 at Museum of Speed, Florida circa 1956

[Chris Brame]

Check out this eBay link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... otohosting

Note the ANG marking under the wing. Where is it now???

[Dan Johnson II]

Seems like I remember black and white photos of the same bird. Puerto Rico ANG P47N

Can't remember what the fate of it was.

[Jack Cook]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p47registry/p47-4489320.html

[Swiss Mustangs]

got photos of that ship... will post tonight...

Martin

[RickH]

If I remember the story right, a group of PR ANG officers restored this P-47 to fly. The unit did the maintenance and it was flown periodically. Probably the only unit affiliated with the USAF to have its own heritage flight.

[P51Mstg]

I was there on March 16, 2007 with a group. Our time at the museum was limited. I took some shots outside and walked inside and snapped one as they made the 3rd call that our bus was leaving. So I didn't get the Mustang, but I got this one:




Mark H

[Tim Savage]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p47registry/p47-4489320.html

Nope. The Museum of Speed airplane is 44-89213, also a former PR ANG airplane. I don't know what happened in the intervening years, but eventually the fuselage ended up the CAF in New Mexico. Ten years or so ago it was sold to a private collector in the Nevada area who planned to put together parts and make a flyer.

[Dan Johnson II]

If I remember the story right, a group of PR ANG officers restored this P-47 to fly. The unit did the maintenance and it was flown periodically. Probably the only unit affiliated with the USAF to have its own heritage flight.

That particular P47N ended up in psuedo 345th FS, 350th FG markings based on that MTO Jug squadron. Mike Golorimi (sp) was one of the officers and he'd flown with the 345th FS during WW2.

That's a different N then the one we're talking about here. Can't remember why it was grounded eventually but it was a flyer for a while.

[Jack Cook]

It was civilian registered to another pilot in the unit. He had, I beleive,
a prop strike in FL and the AF reposessed it and it rotted outside for a while before it was restored again has a static. Has I recall it was at a PR tech school before being restored by many member of the PR ANG.

[Tim Savage]

If I remember the story right, a group of PR ANG officers restored this P-47 to fly. The unit did the maintenance and it was flown periodically. Probably the only unit affiliated with the USAF to have its own heritage flight.

That particular P47N ended up in psuedo 345th FS, 350th FG markings based on that MTO Jug squadron. Mike Golorimi (sp) was one of the officers and he'd flown with the 345th FS during WW2.

That's a different N then the one we're talking about here. Can't remember why it was grounded eventually but it was a flyer for a while.

89320 was siezed by the AF Museum (do I see a recurring them here? ) after an incident at Myrtle Beach in 1977 where it nosed over when a tug driven by a Thunderbird's ground crew member pulled in front of it. The USAFM promptly put it on outdoor display at Eglin.

[LtColRalph]

This is the P-47 I flew from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to GITMO for refuel, then to Daytona Beach to the Museum of Speed on 18 January 1955. When I landed, the welcoming committee requested a buzz job. After clearing it with the tower, I gave them a good buzz job, which they enjoyed immensely. This aircraft was in almost mint condition when I delivered it to the director of the museum, Mr. William Tuthill. This plane was called "The Little Jug King" because it was assigned to Henry King, a pilot in the unit whose father was the Hollywood director Henry King.

I also flew P-51's and P-47's in many combat missions in WWII with the 354th Pioneer Mustang Group, from November 1944 to the end of the war.

[Lightjug]

Thank you for posting and welcome to WIX Lt.Col. Delgado! Everyone on this forum appreciates your service and WWII experiences, I'm sure they'd appreciate hearing and seeing more of what you experienced.

Second that

[CoastieJohn]

Most definitely I'd like to see more. I was born there in Daytona about 5 years after that picture was taken. I remember seeing the old Museum of Speed building along the water front (Halifax River) in the mid-late 1960's. I want to say they had a sign out front that indicated they had one of Sir Malcolm Campbell's cars inside.....maybe the Bluebird (below)?? Maybe LtCol Delgado has some more pictures and recollections of his experiences to share? Thank you.

[zorro9]

P-47 Folks:

Good day!

It's always nice to hear some good news fm those S .of the border aircraft! Thank you Lt. Col Delgado for sharing that memorable trip fm San Juan c. 1955. Included is another shot of AAF 44-89213 at Daytona c. 1955. Photo Ukn via Wix.





p.s Any other pics while on the ground at GITMO??

[Chris Brame]

The auction is long over, but luckily I saved the one image (it was from a reel of home movies):