Ted Contri's Mustangs

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 7:50 pm

Ted quietly flew and owned Mustangs for many years. 44-84753 was the first N51TC. I think Ted owned her from about 1978 til 1986. Photo taken at Minter Field in 1985.

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 8:05 pm

Ted owned 44-63542 from about 1979 on. Shot at Reno 1993.

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 8:15 pm

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 8:45 pm

Here he leads Skip Holm in the Silver Race at the 1993 Reno Air Races. Afterwards he said that he'd had his "Walter Mitty moment". He had a good time, but had no desire to race again...

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 8:58 pm

Here Ted's good friend Al Goss arrives at the 1990 Mustang gathering in Santa Maria, California in 44-75009. This is the second N51TC.

levier · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 9:13 pm

Here is Rosalie, in 1980, Chico, CA in the boneyard at Aero Union.

Ted convinced the 80 year old owner of the Mustang to sell it to him, after many many offers, and he later explained that it was because Ted said he would give him a ride in it when the restoration was completed. I was there when the flatbed truck arrived, and they separated the wings from the fuselage and loaded it for transport.

Sopwith · **Joined:** Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:49 pm **Posts:** 548

I like the first photo with the civilian colour scheme, looks just right.

Robbie Stuart · **Posted:** Thu May 19, 2016 8:33 am

Always love seeing your pics Neal! :drink3:

Robbie

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Thu May 19, 2016 11:40 am

Thank you Robbie. You know it was Gary Austin who got me started over here. I'd had doubts whether my racing oriented and sometimes kind of "artsy" stuff would be welcome here and he insisted that I give WIX a try.

He's another one I miss very much.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2016 3:38 pm

Neal, thank you for these. Ted gave me my first ever Mustang ride in Rosalie in 1988 during the Reno Air Races. I met him that same year at the Breckenridge Air Show and saw him for the last time at the services there for Howard Pardue.

Lynn

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Sat May 21, 2016 7:22 pm

Sopwith wrote:

I like the first photo with the civilian colour scheme, looks just right.

This was Ted arriving at the '79 Watsonville Fly-in. It was just after he had bought this one from Les Grant, and it was his first ever airshow he displayed at.

I made copies and sent them to him, he signed this one and returned it to me.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:13 am

Are there any updates on the selling of his Mustangs?

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 15, 2016 1:15 pm

Sizzling Liz is now listed separately with info:

NORTH AMERICAN P-51D • HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT FOR SALE • 1944 North American P-51D " "SIZZLING LIZ". Beautifully restored Mustang TTAF:2482, Engine: 522 SMOH, Aircraft is being sold as is where is . Prop AD:5/08.Last annual: 12/12, Last flown:7/13. AVIONICS: Dual KX-155's, TXP, Sigtronics intercom. Aircraft is located in Reno, NV. • Contact Fred L. Austin located Sparks, NV USA • Telephone: 360-477-3100 . • Posted May 17, 2016 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad • View Larger Pictures

https://www.barnstormers.com/cat.php?mode=listing&main=

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