Another Mustang Thread?

[Sisu]

At the Miami Air Race in 1979,

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[Sisu]

I do love green Mustangs, and this was one of the greenest. It caused some consternation back in the 1970s -- many thought this could not be an authentic WWII paint scheme even though the owner insisted it was. I think he got the shade of green a bit off. though.

 

[Sisu]

Here is John Marlin's airplane at a race in the fall of 1978 at Mojave, California. This was one of the first public appearances after restoration.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Sisu]

A couple of years later it had a different race number and pilot.

I do like green Mustangs.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!

 

[Sisu]

This is one of the first Mustang photos I ever did -- long before the races or press passes or any of that. This was just for fun, and for learning.

The show was right in Fresno, Califonia in 1976 -- the audience was remarkably close to the runway. You could never have a show like that in 2026. It was great for a beginner...

This airplane was restored in the very early 1970s -- it had been a movie prop in "Battle Hymn" and then sat outside for years before being rescued by Elmer Ward. It was flown constantly and taken to airshows everywhere for years.

This is the airplane on Biff's address thing on this site.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Sisu]

This is N5441V, one of the best known of the civil Mustangs, and cetainly the longest in single ownership. It was purchased by Ed Maloney in 1957 from McLellan AFB in Sacrmento California and has been owned and constantly flown by the Air Museum ever since. Here it was at the Mojave Air Race in 1979, flown by Ed Maloney's son Jim (brother in law to the well known Steve Hinton). I love the background in this shot.

 

[Sisu]

5441V in action at Mojave...

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[Sisu]

Those races in Mojave were really great fun.

 

[Sisu]

By Reno 1980 5441V had become "Spam Can", which is how she was best known for many years..

 

[Wurger]

 

[Sisu]

A couple of years later it had a second name -- "Budweiser Lite II". The Bud Lite Special was the Museum's 4360 Corsair.

I remember wishing the sponsor was a better beer, though...

 

[Wurger]

 

[PNW Guy]

Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum at Paine Field in Everett Washington.

 

[Wurger]