P-51C NX1204 *prior* to Kermit Weeks restoration by Cal Pacific Airmotive

[MrSmoothie]

I've seen P-51C Mustang NX1204 up close and also lucky enough to see Kermit fly it. It's a stunning restoration. But I'm working on an RC model of this P-51C NX1204 as owned by Paul Mantz, in its 1949 color scheme, which is how it remained after being retired to his museum. Do you have any pre-restoration photos? Specifically, I'm trying to find out if it had the race number 46 *on top* of the port wing. I know the number appeared on the bottom of the starboard wing. I've searched high and low for photos from 1949 (the last Mantz paint scheme) or the museum years, to no avail. There are several widely circulated photos on the internet of the 1949 and later scheme, but none answer my question.

This can be a confusing endeavor as Mantz repainted NX1204 each year from 1946-1949, plus there was sister ship N1202 -- usually number 60, but on occasion re-numbered 46 when Mantz was piloting (N1202 was later sold to Charles Blair and became Excalibur III which also survives to this day in the Udvar Hazy.

 

[mjfur]

Not sure if 1949 but doesn't look like there are any numbers on the top of wing.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/North_American_P-51C_%2814284716796%29.jpg

 

[MrSmoothie]

That shot is from after it's Mantz flying days, when it went on display at his museum. You can tell because the records are all written on the side behind the cockpit.

I agree that it "looks" like there no number, but not quite enough to be 100% positive. Sometimes with multiple prints (and copies) details are lost. If this is all that surfaces, it's what I'll be going with.

 

[junkman3353]

At least the upper surfaces didn't have race numbers.

View: https://imgur.com/a/l8DzXpA

 

[MrSmoothie]

Thanks junkman -- that's the 1948 color scheme, which was really well documented for the LIFE article -- if only such photos existed for 1949! It does, however, tend to reinforce that they didn't bother with a race number on the top of the wing NX1204 and other Bendix Trophy racers, since this was a long distance race, and not a pylon race.