P-51H model flying?

[ALOHADAVE]

Given there are about 167 P-51 Mustangs of all types still flying (list below)
How many are P-51H model?
How many P-51Hs are being built to fly?
What is the biggest drawback of P-51H compared to other models?

Only 5 P-51Hs survive, 2 are static, 2 are airworthy, 1 being built? WHich ones are they?

There are about 167 P-51 Mustangs currently flying in the world:
Australia: 7 (A68-105, A68-107, A68-170, A68-199, Eclat, Snifter, The Flying Undertaker)
Belgium: 1 (Scat VII)
Canada: 2 (44-63350, 44-73463)
Czechia: 1 (Excalibur)
France: 1 (Nooky Booky IV)
Germany: 7 (44-72811, A68-100, Double Trouble Two, Little-ite, Louisiana Kid, See Me Later, Queen of Hearts)
Italy: 1 (Marinell)
Mexico: 1 (Shangri-La (Mex))
New Zealand: 2 (44-74829, Dove of Peace)
Netherlands: 2 (D*mn Yankee, Trusty Rusty)
South Africa: 1 (Mustang Sally)
Sweden: 1 (It's About Time)
Turkey: 1 (Ferocious Frankie)
United Kingdom: 6 (Berlin Express, Blakeslee, Contrary Mary, Hun Hunter~Texas, Miss Helen, Tall in the Saddle)
United States: 134 (42-83731, 43-6006, 44-13257, 44-73420, 44-74483, 44-74602, 44-74878, 44-84864, 45-11558, 44-12840, 44-64314, A68-39, Ain't Missbehavin, Alabama Rammer Jammer, American Beauty, Angels Playmate, Baby Carmen, Bald Eagle, Barbara Jean, Blondie, Boise Bee, Boomer, Bucket List, Bum Steer, Bunny, Buzzin Cuzzin, Charlotte's Chariot II, Cincinnati Miss, Cottonmouth, Crazy Horse, Crazy Horse 2, Cripes A' Mighty (IV), Cripes A' Mighty 3rd, Crusader, Daddy's Girl, Dakota Kid, Diamondback, Dolly, Double Trouble Two (x2), Dream Maker, E Pluribus Unum, Fragile but Agile, Frances Dell, Frenesi, Gentleman Jim, Geraldine, Glamourous Glen III, Goldfinger, Grim Reaper, Gunfighter, Happy Jack's Go Buggy, Hell-er Bust, Ho Hun, Hurry Home Honey, Impatient Virgin, Ina the Macon Belle, Jacqueline, Jeanie Too, Kimberly Kaye, Kwitcherbitchen, Lady Alice, Lady B, Lady Jo, La Pistolera, Little Horse, Little Rebel, Little Witch, Live Bait, Lope's Hope 3rd, Lou IV, Mad Max, Man O War, Merlin's Magic, Millie G, Miracle Maker, Miss America, Miss Kandy, Miss Kitty III, Miss Marilyn II, Miss Van Nuys, Moonbeam McSwine, Mormon Mustang, Mrs. Virginia, My Sweet Mary Lou, NACA 127, Nervous Energy V, Never Miss, Obsession, Old Crow (x2), Old Red Nose, Ole' Yeller, Patty Ann II, Petie 2nd, Petie 3rd, Primo Branco, Princess Elizabeth, Quicksilver, Red Dog, Red Dog XII, Rosalie, Scat VI, Section Eight, Shangri-La (US), Short-Fuse-Salle, Sierra Sue II, Sizzlin' Liz, Six Shooter, Slender Tender & Tall, Speedball Alice, Stang/Dazzling Donna, Stang Evil, Straw Boss 2, Strega, Swamp Fox, Sweet and Lovely, Sweet Revenge, Sweetie Face, Tempus Fugit, The Brat III, The Rebel, Tiger's Revenge, Toulouse Nuts, Tuskegee Airmen, Twilight Tear, Upupa Epops, Val Halla, Voodoo, Was That Too Fast, Weaver's Nude, Wee Willy II, Worry Bird)

[JohnTerrell]

There is only one P-51H on that list, and that is Steve and son Nick Coutches' H-model 44-64314 (N551H).

The only other flying P-51H in recent years has been the Whittington Brother's H-model 44-64415 (N49WB), but it hasn't been seen flying since 2012 and I don't believe it to be active currently. It shows up on a brief leg of a flight on FlightAware over California in 2018, but I don't have any confidence in it having really been that aircraft - I have seen too many other cases where N-numbers show up on flight legs on FlightAware that the actual aircraft were on completely opposite sides of the country or were not flying at all at the time (like FG-1D N209TW showing up on FlightAware flying over California a year or two back when it was parked in Minot, ND).

I don't think there would be any drawbacks to the P-51H over other variants other than their rarity/finding parts, since they share so little of anything in common with other production Mustangs (though all of the parts drawings are accessible). There are only a few potential projects around and I don't believe any of them are currently active, but rather in storage. The Coutches' family has a complete second P-51H (44-64203) project in storage, and Pat Harker has a P-51H (44-64375) project that could get attention at some point in the future. I don't know what has become of the Ken Williams and Robert Cambers airframes/parts (44-64268/44-64697).

[phil65]

It was at a little airshow in Oshkosh last year, pretty impressive.

Phil

[ALOHADAVE]

Further research about the P-51H
Only 6 P-51Hs survive: 2 airworthy, 2 static display, 2 under restoration? Is this correct?

P-51H-5NA 44-64314 N551H airworthy
P-51H-5NA 44-64415 N49WB airworthy
P-51H 44-64203 Restoration
P-51H 44-64375 N67149 Restoration
P-51H-5NA 44-64265 static display Robins AFB Georgia
P-51H-5NA 44-64376 static display Lackland AFB TX

It seems strange that out of 167 airworthy Mustangs only 2 are H model.

[mike furline]

Not many survived the scrapping. They only built 555 of them and weren't used by other Countries into the 1960's or 70's.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/production/

[JohnTerrell]

Within that list of 167 flyers that I have compiled, it only contains one P-51H, that being 44-64314 (N551H), as the Whittington P-51H is not currently active and therefore not included (otherwise the list would be 168).

[martin_sam_2000]

Not many survived the scrapping. They only built 555 of them and weren't used by other Countries into the 1960's or 70's.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/production/

this ..
most modern warbirds fall into 2 catergories:
-wrecks that have been rebuilt in the past 25-30 years
-an aircraft that had a second life after the war.

the current warbird market we know of only came about in the 1970's. before that..a plane had to have a use to be saved outside of a few minor special aircraft,

Sean

[mazdaP5]

[C VEICH]

It seems strange that out of 167 airworthy Mustangs only 2 are H model.

Seeing as how only 555 of the H models were built and their very limited service life I find it amazing that there are any still flying.

Last edited by C VEICH on Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

Actually, two flying out of 555 built isn't too bad considering the same number of Lancasters, B-24s or B-29s fly and they built thousands of them.

And proportionately, that's a greater flying rate than B-17s or many other types.

[marine air]

Initially, the end of war, post war types didn’t have much of a following. Bearcats , Mustangs and Corsairs were all the same price. P-40s and Wildcats would fluctuate in value sometime more than the P-51s and sometimes less. The H model , Like the Sea Fury and Bearcat “ had no history” meaning no combat history in WW II.
Eventually a market was created. The speed and agility of the Sea Fury is what made it popular in civilian hands. Same with the Bearcat. There were two P-51Hs flying in the 1960’s and still the same number today. The same two aircraft. I don’t think there will be anymore H’s flying in the next thirty years.

[stryper]

I'm a little surprised one of the prominent P-51 collectors like Mr. Friedkin has yet to acquire an "H" model project.

On a side note: I remember speaking with Tiger Destefani back in the early 90's about the mods done to the wings on Strega. He said if he had an "H" model wing to put on her, "she'd go even faster".

[JohnB]

So, thinner wing?

[martin_sam_2000]

So, thinner wing?

Yes. It went back to something close to what the B had. Overall, the B was faster than the D.

The H also had lots of weight reduction built into it. A hundred or so pounds combined with the thinner wing means quite a bit of speed increase.

Sean

[JohnTerrell]

The P-51A/B/C wing is the same thickness as that of a P-51D/K wing. The P-51H, which is a completely separate design from the NA-73X to P-51D/K lineage of development, is about 600 lbs lighter than than the P-51D/K (comparing stock examples).