P-39Q 44-2433 N57591 “Galloping Gertie”

[Lon Moer]

Looking for any other pictures of Elizabeth Haas' P-39Q N57591 “Galloping Gertie”.
I have only ever found this one picture and a description ..."airplane wore her red and white racing colors and the nickname "Galloping Gertie"".

44-2433 was first surplussed to Earl Ortman and raced by Charles W. Bing as NX57591 Race #12 "Juba", then sold to Elizabeth Haas.

Then donated to the NASM.
And then loaned to EAA, that did a static restoration in USAAF colors and keeping the name “Galloping Gertie”.

[Dan K]

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/us/b ... light.html


https://bettyflies.org/donate


https://bettyflies.org/galleries-1

(Be sure to click on the pic of Betty with the paintbrush, as it opens a slideshow.)

[Joe Scheil]

Some pics from the net...

Attachments

[Joe Scheil]

And,,,

Attachments

[Joe Scheil]

And more recent shots....perhaps NASM should restore this aircraft to its racing colors and better commemorate a brave and successful American Pilot in her own right.

Attachments

[p51]

I love this shot, she's wearing a A-2 with the transport/ferry command patch on it (can't tell which in b/w) and what appears to be one a few variants of WW2 flight suits. Was this A2 hers from WW2?

[Lon Moer]

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/us/betty-haas-pfister-dies-at-90-wartime-pilot-with-passion-for-flight.html


https://bettyflies.org/donate


https://bettyflies.org/galleries-1

(Be sure to click on the pic of Betty with the paintbrush, as it opens a slideshow.)

Thanks for those links.
There are some good color pictures but they are of the earlier paint scheme.



The only picture of the version I'm looking for is the same one I have.

[Lon Moer]

Still looking for some more reference.

Only thing more that I have found was......" "she prevailed upon a friend of her family, famous artist Norman Rockwell, to design a new scheme. The result was a red and white racing design that emphasized the lines of the P-39..."

[C VEICH]

I assume it must have been in the red/white scheme when it was donated to the NASM. Maybe they, or the EAA, have some pics taken prior to or during the restoration archived somewhere?

[bdk]

And using a pair of Vise-Grips to open the drain sump petcock?

I love this shot, she's wearing a A-2 with the transport/ferry command patch on it (can't tell which in b/w) and what appears to be one a few variants of WW2 flight suits. Was this A2 hers from WW2?

[mustangdriver]

I talked to a gentleman who has worked at EAA since the Hales Corners Days. He seemed to recall that the EAA didn’t paint the P-39.

[Lon Moer]

I talked to a gentleman who has worked at EAA since the Hales Corners Days. He seemed to recall that the EAA didn’t paint the P-39.

Did he say what color it was when it was there?

[mustangdriver]

He didn’t. I’ll see him tomorrow. He’s been on staff for over 40 years and was one of the guys who moved the museum from Hakes Corners to Oshkosh. He says that he remembers the plane coming to them already restored. I’ll talk to him in more detail tomorrow.

[cwmc]

And using a pair of Vise-Grips to open the drain sump petcock?

I love this shot, she's wearing a A-2 with the transport/ferry command patch on it (can't tell which in b/w) and what appears to be one a few variants of WW2 flight suits. Was this A2 hers from WW2?

But very carefully, note the concentration.
Chris...