A question for T J Johansen

[Neal Nurmi]

So T J -- why are you so interested in photographs of this airplane?

[Neal Nurmi]

Are those P-51H prop blades?

[JohnTerrell]

Nope, just standard D-model Hamilton Standard paddle blades, introduced into P-51D production in mid-late 1945, and used a lot in the post WWII years, Korea, Air Guard, etc. The H-model prop blades (Aeroproducts) have a much different profile, and require a different nose cone (with different cutouts) than the one used with Hamilton Standard props.

[T J Johansen]

Oh, quite simple really. I have always loved the civilian painted Mustangs, and N5466V was one of the earlier ones I ever saw photos/ film of. Around 1985-86 I borrowed a videotape with several 1970s aviation documentaries and TV specials on it, and there was #76 making a pass in front of the cameras. I just fell in love with the Maroon P-51 right away. I didn't know which one it was, or even if it was still around until getting Tegler's Reno book sometime later. There was a photo of it in the book, and a quick glance in Coggan's Mustang Survivors showed it to be extant.

I later contacted owner Dave Norland in the hope of seeing it if I made it to the US. The plan was to visit Denver in 1990 while the Air Races were in town, but sadly it didn't happen. When I did pass through Denver a couple of years later time was not on my side and Dave and I didn't get to meet. Sad thing is, while Dave owned it for some 30 years, it was only flyable for about 8. Long story short, Dave later moved, the plane went into restoration in FL before being sold, and I never got to see the Maroon racer...

Here is a link to a tribute to Dave Norland with a photo of him in #76 back in 1973.

http://fal-1.tripod.com/Dave_Norland.html



T J

[Neal Nurmi]

Thanks T J. I only saw it a couple of times myself, and I never met Mr. Norland. It was an attractive Mustang, though.

[T J Johansen]

No, thank you Neal for posting these glimpses into history. They are deeply appreciated.

T J

[Lon Moer]

And that 'Maroon Mustang' was different from George Perez's Maroon Mustang, which did also race once as #8 in the 1970 California 1000 at Mojave.

[JohnH]

Yea thought it might be Perez's. My first airshow was in Petaluma in 1977 and getting to see Perez fly the Mustang was a thrill. Straw Boss used to fly over us a lot in Petaluma as well, one time even doing aerobatics above my house. For a ten year old this was a total thrill.

[T J Johansen]

George Perez Mustang is one of the civilian painted P-51s I've managed to see. It's colors were getting kinda worn, but there it was, in all its Maroon splendor. I did see Jack's N51JK on several occasions, Kasparoff's N51PR, David Lindsay's N51DL, Mickey Rupp's N551MR "Samurai", Bill Rheinschild's N35FF, Ron van Kretgan's N5444V through the fence in San Jose, and Ken Scholz N5416V in Torrance. And, after many years I got to look around N51T in its hangar in Reno during the 2013 races. Add to that Lee Schaller's unpainted N9857P. I don't count purpose built racers as part of this category. Which means I ought to include Lacy's N64CL as it isn't really that heavily modified.

T J