P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:08 am
Found this pic bopping around online- Is that a P-51 in the backrground? If so why? Anyone have access to a higher res version of this Pic?
his13 by Bryan Darnell, on Flickr
his13 by Bryan Darnell, on Flickr
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:56 am
Warbirdnerd wrote:Found this pic bopping around online- Is that a P-51 in the backrground? If so why? Anyone have access to a higher res version of this Pic?
I'm gonna take a stab that it's actually a P-63...
Last edited by RyanShort1 on Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:36 am
I wonder if this was the 1966 open house/airshow at Carswell AFB? Wider shots of this photo do not look like Edwards or Palmdale to me. Carswell was the only time the aircraft went on a cross country for display.
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 12:29 pm
This is at Dayton...the USAFM, just after delivery. Note the open drag chute bay. in the process of making the airplane safe for display...
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:50 pm
If it's at Dayton, then it's at W-P as opposed to the old Wright Field, home of the museum.
They did tow it to the new museum location in '72.
Still that doesn't explain why the P-51 would be there..the museum example was inside.
A longshot, with the four-blade prop, are you sure it isn't an A-1?
They did tow it to the new museum location in '72.
Still that doesn't explain why the P-51 would be there..the museum example was inside.
A longshot, with the four-blade prop, are you sure it isn't an A-1?
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:20 pm
Well spotted Joe.
Yes John this would be the main base area. The XB-70 was partially disassembled and moved via road to the new museum location at old wright field.
Here is a wider view of the image:
I believe I spy an Argosy and C-54 in the background.
https://goo.gl/images/fk763A
Yes John this would be the main base area. The XB-70 was partially disassembled and moved via road to the new museum location at old wright field.
Here is a wider view of the image:
I believe I spy an Argosy and C-54 in the background.
https://goo.gl/images/fk763A
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:54 pm
RyanShort1 wrote:Warbirdnerd wrote:Found this pic bopping around online- Is that a P-51 in the backrground? If so why? Anyone have access to a higher res version of this Pic?
I'm gonna take a stab that it's actually a P-63...
I up-sized it several times and I believe you are correct.
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:32 pm
You're sure correct about the P-63.
I think the Douglas in the background might be a C-118.
When I was stationed there in the early '90s there was a business in downtown Fairborn, called The Weight Hangar Company. The owner was a retired USAF senior NCO. The store sold aviation related gifts, models and artwork as well as doing a good business doing going away and retirement gifts for offices at the base.
He had an Allyn 1/72 solid metal desk model of a C-118, IIRC, he was the crew chief for the AFLC CC's. '118 back in the old days. He had a scrapbook of photos showing it in pristine condition, looking very much like the aircraft in the photo.
I think the Douglas in the background might be a C-118.
When I was stationed there in the early '90s there was a business in downtown Fairborn, called The Weight Hangar Company. The owner was a retired USAF senior NCO. The store sold aviation related gifts, models and artwork as well as doing a good business doing going away and retirement gifts for offices at the base.
He had an Allyn 1/72 solid metal desk model of a C-118, IIRC, he was the crew chief for the AFLC CC's. '118 back in the old days. He had a scrapbook of photos showing it in pristine condition, looking very much like the aircraft in the photo.
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:50 pm
Thanks for that pic sandiego89!
I agree it is a P-63. The museum's P-63 was donated by Bell in 1958. Was is donated as the "Pinball" program bird it is now or did the NMUSAF modify/restore it to a Pinball bird after 1958?
I agree it is a P-63. The museum's P-63 was donated by Bell in 1958. Was is donated as the "Pinball" program bird it is now or did the NMUSAF modify/restore it to a Pinball bird after 1958?
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:26 pm
Was in Dayton last week and the P-63 is nowhere to be found any more. Not on display in the WW2 gallery with the P-39, not in any other galleries. Not listed on their website.
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:45 pm
mazdaP5 wrote:Was in Dayton last week and the P-63 is nowhere to be found any more. Not on display in the WW2 gallery with the P-39, not in any other galleries. Not listed on their website.
Last time I was there it was painted orange...
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:45 am
mazdaP5 wrote:Was in Dayton last week and the P-63 is nowhere to be found any more. Not on display in the WW2 gallery with the P-39, not in any other galleries. Not listed on their website.
Interesting.....she was still there in May when I came down for the Memphis Belle festivities.
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Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:36 am
I was there in July and the worker by the Memphis Belle told me it was being taken out and put in storage. He said they were also considering a different paint scheme in the future. He told me the reason for removing it was to make space. He even thought that was a weird reason since they weren't really needing the space for anything. Hopefully someone can find out what is really going on.
aeroeng
aeroeng
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:26 am
A search on the NMUSAF website brought up its page confirming it is in storage at the moment.
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit ... kingcobra/
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit ... kingcobra/
Re: P-51 Part of the XB-70 program???
Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:27 pm
mazdaP5 wrote:Was in Dayton last week and the P-63 is nowhere to be found any more. Not on display in the WW2 gallery with the P-39, not in any other galleries. Not listed on their website.
I have the NMUSAF aircraft book from my 2005 visit and only noticed last night that the P-63 is not covered in it. I found an old pic online of the P-63 at Dayton in NMF and was checking the book to see if they had a date for when it was "restored" as a Pinball bird. The aircraft was definitely on display then too...
It seems odd that an airframe that has been part of the NMUSAF since 1958 was not listed. I guess the Air Force still has no love for the Kingcobra...