P-51 identity--1979 Miami Air Race

[Speedy]

So I've been trying to reconcile some identity issues between Gary Williams Air Race Results book and the article written in Air Classics of the 1979 Homestead air race.

Specifically the P-51 NL6344T and Jack Shaver.

Jack Shaver owned/flew N988C "Miss Kat Brat"...but the week before the races the plane tanked it's engine and I don't believe that the airframe participated at Miami.

I also know that NL6344T was at Miami as Race #2. I THINK it's before the name "Danny Boy" was put on the cowling, and it actually looks like the artwork for Petie 2nd/Petie 3rd is on the fuselage, though the paint scheme is silver with green camo and the fuselage code MR-X, with a #2 on the tail.

John Tegler reports in his article that Jack Shaver (also reported as Jack Armstrong) raced a Mustang named "Miss Kat Brat II" in the Unlimited Stock class.

Is it possible the Shaver was racing NL6344T FOR someone else (perhaps Max Ramsey, who I think was the owner) at Miami under the name "Miss Kat Brat II"?

Thoughts?

[b747cf]

Speedy, I have the program for the 1979 air race at Homestead it shows that the #2 Mustang was Ooga Honk II Owned by Hovey Machine and flown by Robert Love. I don't see Jack Shaver listed.
I have photos of the Mustangs flown at the races here.
http://picasaweb.google.com/b747cf/P51S#


Mark Fidler

[Stoney]

1979 Reno Race #2 was named "Jelly Mound Special" flown by Bob Love and owned by Jack Hovey, I think it was still painted black then. "Ooga Honk" was what Bob Love called his P-51 which he painted white and marked like his F-86.

[Speedy]

Yes, I have the program too. But neither Love nor Jack Hovey's Mustang came east to race at Miami.

The 'unofficial' name for Jack's Mustang was the "Jelly Mold Special" because of what he used to cover the machine gun ports in the wings. Neal Nurmi has a nice photo of it up close. While it was entered as "Oogahonk II" apparently for the Miami race (Bob's Mustang had raced as Oogahonk Special from '73-75), Jack's Mustang was only 'officially' referred to as the "Hovey Mustang". And as I said, they were no-shows...as were several other planes listed as entrants in the program.

No, the Mustang that raced as #2 at Homestead was N6344T. In fact, this is a photo of it from your site: http://picasaweb.google.com/b747cf/P51S ... 6088572722

[b747cf]

That plane was parked away from the others that were on the ramp I was never able to get a good shot of it.

Mark Fidler

[T J Johansen]

So I've been trying to reconcile some identity issues between Gary Williams Air Race Results book and the article written in Air Classics of the 1979 Homestead air race.

Specifically the P-51 NL6344T and Jack Shaver.

Jack Shaver owned/flew N988C "Miss Kat Brat"...but the week before the races the plane tanked it's engine and I don't believe that the airframe participated at Miami.

I also know that NL6344T was at Miami as Race #2. I THINK it's before the name "Danny Boy" was put on the cowling, and it actually looks like the artwork for Petie 2nd/Petie 3rd is on the fuselage, though the paint scheme is silver with green camo and the fuselage code MR-X, with a #2 on the tail.

John Tegler reports in his article that Jack Shaver (also reported as Jack Armstrong) raced a Mustang named "Miss Kat Brat II" in the Unlimited Stock class.

Is it possible the Shaver was racing NL6344T FOR someone else (perhaps Max Ramsey, who I think was the owner) at Miami under the name "Miss Kat Brat II"?

Thoughts?

Photo of it here as "Danny Boy". Didn't Ramsey name it so because his son's name was Danny? I think the 51 was owned by a Tom Watson from the east coast (Vermont) by 1979. Isn't there an article in said Air Classics about the "Florida tour" the warbird guys did to promote the race just ahead of the event? Seem to remember a photo of 6344T there. Might be wrong though!
http://mustangsmustangs.org/p-51/p51sur ... 19_jk4.jpg

T J

[Neal Nurmi]

I loved that paint scheme...