Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

[k5083]

Thanks John for tracking these movements for us. Unless I have missed it, please let us know the new owner of Impatient Virgin when able. I have a hunch.

I see a photo of Geraldine dated 2022 with all of the same markings except "Geraldine" removed. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/N5500S

August

[JohnTerrell]

With regard to the ex-Geraldine P-51D (44-63655/N5500S), its previous owner, the late Chuck Greenhill, put it up for sale in 2014 when it was still painted as 'Geraldine' and was fully military-stock throughout, just as it was when he had Square One restore it in the late 90s. However, after there were no buyers, Mr. Greenhill made a number of changes to the aircraft, which included removing a lot of the stock elements, such as the fuselage tank, armor plate and WWII radios, and installed a jump seat and a modern panel. The nose was also repainted around this time. There was a post recently on FB that mentioned that the new owner, Bob Bull, intends to put it back into stock configuration again, which would be fantastic if that comes true.

August, the new registration for the P-51B 'Impatient Virgin' indicates that it has been acquired by Louis Horschel. In addition to his FG-1D Corsair, 'Impatient Virgin' is now his third Mustang, the other two being the TF-51D 'Mad Max' and the ex-Evergreen P-51D 44-63576, which is said to be under restoration and conversion to TF-51D configuration.

[Ryan Harris]

August, the new registration for the P-51B 'Impatient Virgin' indicates that it has been acquired by Louis Horschel. In addition to his FG-1D Corsair, 'Impatient Virgin' is now his third Mustang, the other two being the TF-51D 'Mad Max' and the ex-Evergreen P-51D 44-63576, which is said to be under restoration and conversion to TF-51D configuration.

It looks to be 4 Mustangs. P-51D 44-73751, N5444V, is also now registered to the address of Horschel Brothers Precision and was seen on the grass at Geneseo just a few weeks ago.

[JohnTerrell]

Thank you, Ryan, that one clearly slipped by me.

Richard Grace's Ultimate Warbird Flights at Sywell in the UK announced this morning that they are the new owner of the two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX MH367 that had been operating in New Zealand since 2008. Beginning next year, they plan on offering flight experiences in MH367, alongside their two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX ML407.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Tue Aug 06, 2024 2:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[LegendaryWings]

Thank you, Ryan, that one clearly slipped by me.

Richard Grace's Ultimate Warbird Flights at Sywell in the UK announced this morning that they are the new owner of the two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX MH367 that had been operating in New Zealand since 2008. Beginning next year, they plan on offering flight experiences in MH367, alongside their two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX ML417. I recall reading that during the rebuild of MH367, some parts from ML417 were used, so it is neat that the two will be residing and flying together.

It is exciting to hear that Spitfire MH367 and Mustang Shangri-La (I wonder where this one will be based) are coming to the UK, but I do have a correction for you: Ultimate Warbird Flights' two-seat Spitfire is ML407 (ML417 was converted to a two-seater after the war, but it was restored back to a single-seater).

[Ryan Harris]

Thank you, Ryan, that one clearly slipped by me.

Richard Grace's Ultimate Warbird Flights at Sywell in the UK announced this morning that they are the new owner of the two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX MH367 that had been operating in New Zealand since 2008. Beginning next year, they plan on offering flight experiences in MH367, alongside their two-seat Spitfire Mk.IX ML417. I recall reading that during the rebuild of MH367, some parts from ML417 were used, so it is neat that the two will be residing and flying together.

When The Fighter Collection had ML417 restored back to stock single seat configuration in the 80's, the T.9 parts were acquired by Charles Church and Dick Melton. They were incorporated into a new build fuselage, which at the time didn't have an identity, and from what I remember reading was considered the first "new" Spitfire since production ended. After Charles Church died, the project eventually ended up in Florida along with TE392 and BR601. Somewhere along the way it acquired the identity of MH367. TE392 was completed for Lone Star, BR601 traveled to Texas with her as a project, but MH367 stayed and was finished in Florida.

[JohnTerrell]

It is exciting to hear that Spitfire MH367 and Mustang Shangri-La (I wonder where this one will be based) are coming to the UK, but I do have a correction for you: Ultimate Warbird Flights' two-seat Spitfire is ML407 (ML417 was converted to a two-seater after the war, but it was restored back to a single-seater).

I'm terribly sorry, I think it was too early when I had those thoughts/was typing that out this morning.

[Mark Allen M]

What a Solid Gold sticky thread this is. Thanks kindly for the knowledge and insight. A ‘go to’ thread for any serious warbird information.

[Matt Gunsch]

add another SB2C Helldiver, the 3rd one flew today.

[JohnTerrell]

Registration N75552 - same numbers as the aircraft's Navy BuNo.

[Stoney]

must have missed it, when did Chuck Greenhill go West?

[JohnTerrell]

Chuck Greenhill passed away in April 2022: https://www.hamsherlakeside.com/obituar ... -Greenhill

[JohnTerrell]

The combat-vet Douglas C-53 Skytrooper USAAF Serial No. 42-68810, registered as F-HVED, named 'Gruesome' (same as it had during WWII), has made its first post-restoration test flight today in Rennes, France, and has been added to the list of flying DC-3 types.

Here is some information on the restoration from 2021: https://www.aerovfr.com/2021/12/gpp-202 ... -gruesome/

[shuck]

Mustang question ... is N1751D Sierra Sue II still regarded as the most accurate and authentic P-51D flying.

[JohnTerrell]

Mustang question ... is N1751D Sierra Sue II still regarded as the most accurate and authentic P-51D flying.

In my view it is. It's an early-production P-51D-20-NA restored with all of the right details of an early-production P-51D-20-NA. More things were done to match original NAA factory processes, fit and finishes than I have seen on any other P-51D restoration. The FHCAM P-51D-20-NA 'Upupa Epops' is also of a similar caliber, being a late-production P-51D-20-NA restored with all of the right details of a late-production P-51D-20-NA. Both also lack the highly-inaccurate polished mirror finish, have original WWII-type rivets, have profiled wings per original factory process, are painted in the same markings they had when in USAAF service, and have the bare minimum modern avionics that don't remove any authentic details from the cockpit. They have everything in them as they would have had in 1945, including the fuselage fuel tank, original early-mid production battery location behind the pilot, WWII radios, gun camera, armament, etc. Both are also highly original airframes with a lot of their original parts remaining (even skins in areas). One of the several unique things about 'Sierra Sue II' is that it was restored with real zinc chromate, something that you don't see in other warbird restorations (most use modern paints/primers tinted to match original wartime shades of zinc chromate), and for the markings they also used lacquer and enamel-based paints, as were used in 1945, rather than modern alternatives. Of course, 'Upupa Epops' hasn't flown since 2019, and I don't know if 'Sierra Sue II' has been flown since it arrived in Arizona back in February after being sold.

Speaking of 'Sierra Sue II' and the warbirds that were owned by the late Paul Ehlen, three of the Ehlen warbirds have now been sold - 'Sierra Sue II' to Craig Potts in Arizona, the also very WWII-stock AT-6D (N85696) to Exuma Air LLC in Montana, and the George Bush Stearman (N50061) to a new owner in Savage, MN (who I just recently spotted flying into Fleming Field, where it was based at during WWII - then part of 'Naval Air Station Minneapolis'). Just the TBM Avenger N93818 and the damaged/destroyed P-40E N4420K remain registered to the late Paul Ehlen. The P-51B 'Shillelagh' project at AirCorps Aviation, which was partly owned by Ehlen, was also recently sold to the Dakota Territory Air Museum (AirCorps are slated to have it completed in 2026).

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sun Aug 25, 2024 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.