Who Likes Aircraft ?

[Auggie56]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...set=gm.10155353772229583&type=3&fref=mentions

 

[super-bee_ski]

P-51 trivia of note....Piper aircraft was the last mfg'r to produce the Mustang,, as a civilian bird, it was a two holer, dubbed Excalibur, built into the sixties.
The XP-82 was also designated F-82. As P-51 also got an F designation.

....we have one here at Edwards AFB
It's in a "bone yard" tucked away

 

[Basket case]

 

[Bladecutter]

....we have one here at Edwards AFB
It's in a "bone yard" tucked away

Ski, Edwards has an Excalibur or an XP-82 stashed?

 

[super-bee_ski]

Hi Jimi
YES
Looks just like a P-51 from the front
I'm not sure what is going on with it
I'll shoot pics next week!

 

[Basket case]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n482pe.html

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n481pe.html

 

[Photon440]

It was a B-36 (six engine version, before the jets were added) that was involved in the first 'Broken Arrow', dumping a Mark 4 nuke over Canadian waters in 1950 due to multiple engine fires. Fortunately, it was a training maneuver and the weapon wasn't fully functional.
https://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/bc/fat-man-bomb-lost/

 

[Photon440]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n482pe.html

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n481pe.html

Pretty rare bird, since only four were made.

 

[Bladecutter]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n482pe.html

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/pa48-n481pe.html

Odd looking without the guppy belly for radiator. I didnt know about this bird.

 

[Bladecutter]

Self correction,, the civilian Mustang was called Cavalier, not Excalibur. 2 holers & tip tanks. 1st flight in 1958. There were 25 plus built, & it was during production that Cavalier A/C sold the production rights to Piper. Then Piper created the turbine variant PA-48.
The second pic is a P-51C named Excalibur lll that busted some endurance records in 1951.
Razor back 51's are prettier than the bubble canopy birds IMO.

 

[Photon440]

I find it somewhat ironic that Cavalier took ex-military Mustangs, modified them into these civil aircraft and now many of them have been reconverted back into P-51D configuration. But still a cool airplane.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_Mustang

 

[Bladecutter]

Another retro-fit that got refit again back to military.( i think it was Confedetate Air Force that brought it back to military spec) The 'skyhook' B-17 that was in Thunderball. Plane was converted to 'skyhook' by Intermountain Avionics(now Evergreen, @ Marana Airpark in Arizona just north of Tucson, same as Evergreen) Pic is on the Marana ramp. I was in the bird a couple of times when i was a kid. My school mate's Father flew it in Thunderball, making the pick up out of ocean....yes that was a real scene. The cover was the plane was built for rescue, but the reality was it was for extracting CIA field agents from hostile territories.

 

[Basket case]

not the CAF, but The Collings Foundation has it now. They are getting it from The Evergreen Museum (the ones that have The Spruce Goose), along with a P-38, and both will join their Wings of Freedom tour.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/2015/12/b-17-flying-fortress-to-join-cf/

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/2015/12/p-38-lightning/

 

[Car Nut]

 

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