P-51 MUSTANG/44-73098 - Where is it?

VintageAviationNews · **Posted:** Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:51 pm

Does anyone know where the P-51 MUSTANG/44-73098 might be now?

History:
Delivered to Italian AF as MM4292.
- BOC: February 26, 1945.
- SOC: February 7, 1949.
- Used as instructional airframe, Rome-Ciampino AB.
- Stored dismantled, Cappenelli, Italy.
-- Marked as SM-64.
Robs Lamplough/British Aerial Museum, Duxford, IK, circa 1980.
Paul Raymond/Whitehall Theater Of War, 1982-1985.
Robs Lamplough, North Weald, June 5, 1985.
- Acquired at Auction.
- Registered as G-BMBA.
Aces High Ltd, Duxford, UK, June 1985.
Steve Dill, Orlando, FL, August 2, 1985.
- Shipped from UK1985.
Cougar Helicopters, Daytona Beach, FL, 1987.
- Restoration project.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51regis ... 73098.html

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:32 pm

Not as of this minute, but... The history past Cougar Helicopters is...

The aircraft was sold to Don Whittington/ World Jet in Ft. Lauderdale, FL around the end of 1987. World Jet advertised the 51 as a static display aircraft that would be good to a museum in Jan 88. This was a rather crude and pretty rough Mustang with fibreglass parts from its days with Paul "King of the Soho strip clubs" Raymond's Whitehall Theatre of War museum.

Whittington had the 51 put on guard near the flagpole outside World Jet where it sat for a while. Apparently parts were then stolen off of the airframe and it was taken inside again. It was later sold as a project, but I have no idea as to whom.

I think I have asked this here before, but do anyone have any good photos of the 51 sitting outside World Jet at the time?

T J

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sun Nov 23, 2014 9:20 pm

Paging Mr. Dick Phillips....

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:44 pm

At one time, a P-51 project that belonged to the Whittingtons was being stored a N. Perry in Hollywood Fla. I had seen the doors open on a hangar on the north side of the airport one day when I was kicking out banners on the opposite corner. I looked all day at what appeared to be a mustang wing stored up on the leading edge in a cradle. The curiosity got the better of me and I went over and the above info was told to me. Were looking at anywhere between 1989 and 92 on that.

VintageAviationNews · **Posted:** Mon Nov 24, 2014 3:51 pm

Thanks guys.

Pretty much the same info I have found on the web.

3-5 years from now, it might pop out again!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Tue Nov 25, 2014 12:01 am

T J Johansen wrote:

Not as of this minute, but... The history past Cougar Helicopters is...

The aircraft was sold to Don Whittington/ World Jet in Ft. Lauderdale, FL around the end of 1987. World Jet advertised the 51 as a static display aircraft that would be good to a museum in Jan 88. This was a rather crude and pretty rough Mustang with fibreglass parts from its days with Paul "King of the Soho strip clubs" Raymond's Whitehall Theatre of War museum.

Whittington had the 51 put on guard near the flagpole outside World Jet where it sat for a while. Apparently parts were then stolen off of the airframe and it was taken inside again. It was later sold as a project, but I have no idea as to whom.

I think I have asked this here before, but do anyone have any good photos of the 51 sitting outside World Jet at the time?

T J

We moved to FLL in 88 just west of Exec and I don't remember a P-51 on a pole there in 88. I don't think it was on it long.

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Tue Nov 25, 2014 2:41 pm

This is the ad from Flypast's Jan 88 issue showing the 51 outside World Jet most likely in mid- late 87. At the time I thought it was just outside for the photo, but more recently one of the regulars at Exec at the time told me that the 51 did spend time outside the facility. When parts disappeared, it was put inside again. The plane didn't sit on a pole, it was parked next to the flagpole.

T J

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P-51 MUSTANG/44-73098 - Where is it?

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