P-51D s/n 44-72107 First Flight

[Jack Cook]

It's hard to believe with the tenticles of the wixtopus reaching all over the world
that the first flight of a amazing P-51D restoration has been missed/overlooked.
Mike VBC and his crew at Midwest Aero latest work of art took to the sky on June
26, 2025. P-51D s/n 44-72107 was a WWII combat vet serving with the 77th FS
20th FG and flew 9 mission before VE-Day. On April 16, 1945 1Lt Walt Umla destroyed
a FW-190 while flying it. He later received the DFC.
It flew the following missions:
11 April 45 1Lt James Seymour
13 April 45 1Lt James Seymour - aborted
16 April 45 1Lt Walter Umla
17 April 45 1Lt Leo Kerns - ERTN oil actuator
18 April 45 1Lt James Seymour
19 April 45 1Lt James Seymour
20 April 45 2Lt Franklin Richter - ERTN Reason unknown
21 April 45 2Lt Franklin Richter
25 April 45 1Lt Charles Cunliffe
See it at Oshkosh!

[Mark Allen M]

From Midwest Aero Restorations Facebook page ...
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id ... &sk=photos

[Thomas_Mac]

It did get a mention in the flyers thread but its great to see some pictures. Was worried this was going to have to wait until the end of the month.

[lucky52]

Just out of curiosity, for the P-51D, are the armor plates that were installed behind the pilots still around to be installed should the owner want one or did they in up in the scrap pile?