Help! Looking for Images of P-51 "Habu" - Tired Iron Racing

[Warbird Kid]

Hello WIX Brain Trust!

Hoping someone could help me here. I'm on the hunt for detail shots of the P-51 "Habu" from the Tired Iron Racing Team. Trying to remake the markings for a custom model job I am helping with. So I need to replicate the font and copy on the aircraft.



https://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/44-73196

Appreciate any leads and images!

[DoraNineFan]

I was wanting to build Habu as a model for years. I did collect some photos that are on an old hard drive that I misplaced. I mostly got them from searches on the serial number or Tired Iron Racing Team, Earl Ketchen, etc. But I will look for them.

I was wanting to do a model in 1/24 and I was working backwards by purchasing the commercial decal sets that already had the checkerboard details that I could resize. The custom name and graphics would need to be professionally made. I remember that there were a lot of names on the landing gear doors. Also, there were minor changes to Habu over the years. I think that the interior was more like the Cavalier executive Mustangs with red leather or vinyl. Also note the change to a cut down canopy and new snake on the wingtip.

If you ever make the decals available (with permission etc) update and I would buy a set. I don't know who has the rights to "Tired Iron Racing" now.

The plane was destroyed with Ketchen and a passenger. But now I see that the ID/wreckage is in the UK for a rebuild.

[DoraNineFan]

I did manage to find a few of my old pictures. Copyrights to Wingman Photography.

[Neal Nurmi]

That's me -- and thank you for mentioning the credit.

Habu (and formerly Ge Ge II) was a great looking airplane. Its markings changed with each race so you need to know which version you're doing. This was pretty much the final version -- Earl destroyed himself, the airplane, and an innocent passenger soon after. Earl was one more proof that Mustangs should not do vertical maneuvers close to the ground...

Click on the image for a larger version.

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[Neal Nurmi]

This was always a classy airplane. It was built up for a wealthy Florida car dealer who liked fast shiny toys. The Whittingtons picked it up, raced it a bit and sold it to an Idaho potato farmer, and the story continued. Great airplane, and some interesting people...

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[Warbird Kid]

Thanks for all the interest and info so far! The modeler who is actually doing most of the repainting for this 1/18th model decided on the version in my original post (circa 1984) aka stock looking wing tips, red interior, etc... He just asked me to make some vinyl decals for it since it would be easier then hand painting everything.

[Neal Nurmi]

Nice project -- please post some shots when the painting and detailing is done.

A minor detail -- the prop on the model is wrong -- Habu never ran a cuffed Ham Standard...

Too bad you are not doing the concave wing tip version -- I loved the snake on the wingtip. I guess it would be kind of hard in small scale...

[DoraNineFan]

Ooh. 1/18th scale, I have one of those 21st Century Toys P-51s. That's going to be nice.

But a full decal set would make a lot of modelers happy. Maybe even a Reno decal series since I don't think anyone has done that to my knowledge.

[Hooligan2]

I just bought 1/48 decals from DrawDecal who I think are in Florida. They do a wide range at different scales, including a lot of current Mustangs and other surviving warbirds, both as racers and stock; haven't got 'em yet (my sister will be visiting the UK next month and shipping to NC was a lot cheaper than to Blighty!) but understand from a friend that they are excellent.

I got three of my favourite aircraft, TFC's original P-51D Moose and Spencer Flack's Spitfire XIV and Sea Fury...

[sandiego89]

Neal, do you know the story on the concave wing tips? Kinda look like the tip tank configuration on a T-33.

[Warbird Kid]

Nice project -- please post some shots when the painting and detailing is done.

A minor detail -- the prop on the model is wrong -- Habu never ran a cuffed Ham Standard...

Too bad you are not doing the concave wing tip version -- I loved the snake on the wingtip. I guess it would be kind of hard in small scale...

Yeah my friend who is doing most of the work on this project was contracted for just the paint job and decals. But he did notice how thin the blades were though.

[DoraNineFan]

Neal, do you know the story on the concave wing tips? Kinda look like the tip tank configuration on a T-33.

I see that Mark Davis, the son of Tired Iron Racing owner Don Davis, is a member on WIX. Maybe he can join this topic.
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