Jimmy Stewarts P-51

Speedy · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:16 am

Somewhere in my vast collection of junk, there is a photo of the DeBona Thunderbird that showed it in a different paint scheme where it was hired by one of the television networks to fly footage of Queen Elizabeth's coronation from London to America for broadcast.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:30 am

Cool! Looking for pics, found an article on the event

NBC had to win the afternoon; evening would be too late. So the two P-51 Mustang fighters, CBS’s and NBC’s, headed for Labrador to meet the RAF Canberra bomber. The CBS P-51 was piloted by Joe DeBona, who had won the Bendix trophy race in it in 1949. The NBC P-51 was piloted by Stanley Reaver, who had finished second in the same race. He said he was determined not to let DeBona do it to him again. DeBona left Goose Bay at 2:02 P.M., Eastern time, and arrived in Boston at 4:13. Reaver left at 2:15, had ice problems, and arrived at 4:37.

lifted in part from...see below
Whole story here
http://www.americanheritage.com/article ... 8_74.shtml

B-17 Buff · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:38 pm

Very interesting stuff guys thanks.

Assumed, when i first read it, that it would be a P-51D - end of the war surplus an all! Shame there doesnt seem to be more pics around the web of her.

Would love to see a colour one too! :shock:

So the aircraft in question was indeed destroyed... there goes my dreams of Jimmy Stewarts P-51 still flying around pilot/owner blissfully unaware of its background!! :lol:

Have we cleared up the ownership issue?! ...I've confused myself now!! :wink:

sledge39 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 29, 2006 1:01 pm **Posts:** 262

.
...DeBona and Stewart with "Thunderbird" for CBS...

http://ea757grrl.typepad.com/.shared/im ... sphoto.jpg

.

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:12 pm

Speedy wrote:

Somewhere in my vast collection of junk, there is a photo of the DeBona Thunderbird that showed it in a different paint scheme where it was hired by one of the television networks to fly footage of Queen Elizabeth's coronation from London to America for broadcast.

There is a photo of it in Tegler's Reno book, referred to in the caption as the "cobalt blue and yellow F-6C in which Joe DeBona won the The Bendix Trophy Race in 1949". Another photo from a somewhat similar angle is to be found in Kinert's Vol. IV of the Racing Planes series.

There are also two photos of the Mustang in the FAI link posted by sledge39. The first shows the a/c with the lower area painted in a light color.

http://records.fai.org/docs/4477-2.jpg

http://records.fai.org/docs/4476-1.jpg

T J

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:13 pm

Interesting - if you follow the B-36 thread Nathan posted there is a comment about Gen. Stewart flying his personal black P-51 to the set of Strategic Air Command...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wvEzhyY ... re=related

Quote:

You are correct, Halo. My dad was stationed @Ft.Worth and was an aircrew member (flight engineer) on B-36's. He's 82 now but still talks about taking off, flying up the eastern seaboard to Goose Bay, turning around and flying back. He said there were hangers at Labrador large enough for one of these if there was a problem and had to land. Couldn't shut off the engines outside there due to the below zero temps (oil would freeze). Gen. Stewart flew his personal black P-51 in when they filmed SAC.

Ryan

sledge39 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 29, 2006 1:01 pm **Posts:** 262

... A January 1, 2015 history of P-51C Mustang racer N5528N ...

...includes sales transaction dates...who sold to who...and even mechanics A&E certificate nos.

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/jackie ... er-n5528n/

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

That's a pretty good historical story. Good find.

J. Thompson · **Joined:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:56 pm **Posts:** 51

What DeBona's 'Magic Town' might have looked like in color...

- Joseph

Cubdriver · **Joined:** Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:50 am **Posts:** 2

Has anyone tried the following site?

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/jimmy-stewart/

It has two parts. The first is about Stewart's career. The second talks about the plane, ownership, DeBona and Jackie Cochran and Stewart's involvement in air racing.

Cubdriver · **Joined:** Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:50 am **Posts:** 2

Has anyone tried the following site?

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/jimmy-stewart/

It has two parts. The first is about Stewart's career. The second talks about the plane, ownership, DeBona and Jackie Cochran and Stewart's involvement in air racing.

Now I see I'm too late . . . was busy registering. I think you have your answer.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Oct 10, 2015 5:37 am

Back to his book, a great read...

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Jimmy Stewarts P-51

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