P-51 at San Jose International

[Lightjug]

Old aircraft have the potential for hidden corrosion and fatigue problems. Today it is fairly standard to take them pretty far down. In the case of a WWII era aircraft, especially a fighter like the Mustang, a complete rebuild often means exactly that, with new skins, if needed, and new longerons.

I have certainly seen restorations with the removal of skin and breaking down the aircraft into large components such as fuselage, wings, tail ect. but the pics on the web site show the wings and fuselage disassembled into individual pieces. That amazed me. Reminded me of a balsa kit I built in my youth

[visaliaaviation]

A metal aircraft does not have to "sit outside" to have corrosion problems, although I'm sure it doesn't help. Moisture seeping thru and or pooling can be a real problem, especially over 60-70 yrs. The war time anti-corrosian efforts include Zinc chromate one one ore both mating surfaces but it does't stop electralisis completely, the root cause of the problem.

[aerovin]

I used to drive by that P-51 every day on my way to work at San Jose Tower. It didn't move for the two plus years I was there. Here is what it looked like in August 1988.

[Curtis Block]

Wow still looks pretty good there. Canopy cover, exaust plugs. Just slap a coat of wax on and shoot some air in that right main and she'd be good to go.
Curtis Block

[Roger Cain]

It was later moved over to the south end of the GA parking ramp, and sat there for quite a few years, minus plugs, covers etc...........

[Curtis Block]

Yeah, thats where I saw it. Lets see that picture was taken in 1988, I'm 26 now, so I was 7 when that was taken. If I remember correctly the airplane disappeared around 2000-2001.
Curtis Block