Building factory "new" P-51s?

[t6flier]

There was another serious attempt at reproducing the P-51 in a "factory-like" replication line. During the late 90's/early 00's, there was a Mustang that was going to be sent overseas to reverse engineer to set up a Mustang production line by a company in Romania. I can't recall exactly who, but I think it was the same company who did major structural components of the Flug Werk 190's. The airplane going to be used was an ex-Domincan Republic P-51, I believe it was HJGB, before it was restored. Apparently they had major import or export problems and the Feds wouldn't allow the aircraft to cross borders. After a long period of lengthy paperwork to no avail, the principles of the company canned the project and decided it was more trouble than it was worth. The company that set this up was not Flug Werk and was unrelated to them, other than the fact that the company which would have been sub-contracted to build the actual Mustang parts was Romanian and the same one as Flug Werk used for the 190 project.

Yep, pretty close. Millennium Classics was the company that was going to reproduce P-51's and the ex FAG now Happy Jack's Go Buggy was the airplane slated for reverse engineering. Selfishly speaking I'm glad that didn't happen

Mike

[warbird1]

There was another serious attempt at reproducing the P-51 in a "factory-like" replication line. During the late 90's/early 00's, there was a Mustang that was going to be sent overseas to reverse engineer to set up a Mustang production line by a company in Romania. I can't recall exactly who, but I think it was the same company who did major structural components of the Flug Werk 190's. The airplane going to be used was an ex-Domincan Republic P-51, I believe it was HJGB, before it was restored. Apparently they had major import or export problems and the Feds wouldn't allow the aircraft to cross borders. After a long period of lengthy paperwork to no avail, the principles of the company canned the project and decided it was more trouble than it was worth. The company that set this up was not Flug Werk and was unrelated to them, other than the fact that the company which would have been sub-contracted to build the actual Mustang parts was Romanian and the same one as Flug Werk used for the 190 project.

Yep, pretty close. Millennium Classics was the company that was going to reproduce P-51's and the ex FAG now Happy Jack's Go Buggy was the airplane slated for reverse engineering. Selfishly speaking I'm glad that didn't happen

Mike

Thanks for the update Mike. Wasn't Millennium Classics going to outsource the production of parts to Romania, though. I thought that was the whole reason the deal fell apart - because they couldn't get an export license to send the Mustang overseas?

[t6flier]

Warbird1,
You could be right. I have no idea where they were going to make the parts. I had not heard the story of not being able to ship the airplane but it could be true.

Thanks,
Mike

[warbird1]

Warbird1,
You could be right. I have no idea where they were going to make the parts. I had not heard the story of not being able to ship the airplane but it could be true.

Thanks,
Mike

I'm pretty sure that it's true, as I heard that directly from someone in the Pardue camp. HJGB sat out on the ramp at Breckenridge for a long time awaiting the export paperwork which never arrived.