eBay: North American P-51 Mustang

[Snautzer01]

Look at the edges of cut. No engineer would have done so. To re use it. No clamps. Bad case of ventilation i think.

 

[Peter Gunn]

I feel like a total idiot for asking, but on many a Mustang you see, what gives with the massive oil streak starting at about the rear of the engine cowling and arching back down the fuselage?

I know I know, I should know that, I go to penalty box two minutes... feel shame.

 

[Crimea_River]

It's a vent for an oil breather I believe.

 

[fubar57]

F-51D-25, 44-73888, 39th FIS 18th FBG Seoul City AB (K-16) Korea 1951. Can anyone shed some light on the "cut open" tank under the wing? I have reached out to the 39th FS folks and have no response....yet! It is probably being used as a 'travel pod' but why wouldn't a 'door' be made for it? It has the squadron stenciled on it....and it may be painted 1/2 blue and 1/2 white, the squadron colors. I put it up on my facebook group and folks there are scratching their head too.View attachment 586379

In the book, "F-51 Units of the Korean War" by Warren Thompson, there is the same photo. The caption says, "....It was photographed in early 1952 carrying drop tanks that had been converted into cargo pods....lost over the target area on 27 April 1952 - eyewitness reports stated that the aeroplane exploded in mid air after being hit by AAA. Its pilot, 1Lt. William Sankey perished...."

 

[Snautzer01]

492 - Original B&W 616 Aircraft Negative - P-51H Mustang 44-64302 OHIO ANG 1950s | eBay

P-51H-5-NA

 

[Snautzer01]

488 - Original B&W 616 Aircraft Negative - F-51H Mustang 44-64335 MASS ANG 1954 | eBay

P-51H-5-NA 44-64335 to 101st FIS, Massachusetts ANG in winter of 1951.

 

[Snautzer01]

489 - Original B&W 616 Aircraft Negative - P-51D Mustang 44-73578 SD ANG - 1950s | eBay

P-51D-25-NA

 

[Wurger]

 

[Navalwarrior]

492 - Original B&W 616 Aircraft Negative - P-51H Mustang 44-64302 OHIO ANG 1950s | eBay

P-51H-5-NA

View attachment 586951

Resp:
Nice. To me, the 'H' model just doesn't have the lines as the 'D/K' models. Too bad it didn't get to do battle.

 

[Snautzer01]

P-51 In Foggia, Italy Receiving Repairs, 1944 | eBay

 

[Wurger]

 

[Navalwarrior]

P-51 In Foggia, Italy Receiving Repairs, 1944 | eBay

View attachment 587016

View attachment 587017

Resp:
Nice. Negative was reversed for photo.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[Snautzer01]

Original WWII Snapshot Photo - P-51 With Nose Art at 42nd Air Depot | eBay

 

[Wurger]

 

[Navalwarrior]

Original WWII Snapshot Photo - P-51 With Nose Art at 42nd Air Depot | eBay

View attachment 587269

Resp:
'Lady Katherine,' just SW of Oxford of 9th AF?

 

[Airframes]

Nose markings look like 78th FG, 8th USAAF, based at Duxford, south of Cambridge.

 

[Navalwarrior]

Nose markings look like 78th FG, 8th USAAF, based at Duxford, south of Cambridge.

Resp:
Yes. When I googled 42nd Air Depot it listed it as 9th AF. If so, what was a 78th FG Mustang doing there?

 

[Airframes]

If it is 78th FG, and it probably is, then as it's at an Air Depot, it could be there for any number of reasons - storage, transfer, awaiting or having just had major work done, disposal etc etc.
It may just be visiting, or may have even landed there due to problems, and be awaiting collection - who knows ?

 

[fubar57]

Repairs and re-assignments? Late in war the 42nd was involved in shipping Luftwaffe War prizes to the USA