UK P51Ds - Can you identify this one?

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13 years 8 months

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I am trying to identify a P51D which did a low pass over the polo field in Taunton where we were flying R/c aircraft, pm on Friday 13th Jan (no, not a joke). Nice pass going North to South No complaint, but it definitely positioned particularly for us (or the field) and did a wing wag before climbing away.

Bristol ATC knows nothing. Exeter ATC knows nothing. Yeovilton ATC weren't active that day. But it was definitely a P51. It apparently did the same thing on the following Monday. Someone else saw it from a different location and definitely thought it was a P51.

It came straight over the top of me. Plain metal underneath.

All rather curious. So which one was it I wonder? As a first step does anyone know how many P51Ds there are on the UK register and, where they are located? I know there is at least one at North Weald and there will obviously be at least another one a Duxford.

Any help will be gratefully appreciated.

Nigel

Original post

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24 years 2 months

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Originally posted in GA, but I thought it might get a better response here.

Moggy
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24 years 2 months

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Is Robs Lamplough's 'Miss Helen' back from Germany yet? It could be one possibility.

There is also a scale replica/lookalike/wannabe thingy based in the south somewhere (French registered, with a sharkmouth IIRC)

Member for

13 years 8 months

Posts: 4

Originally posted in GA, but I thought it might get a better response here.

Moggy
Moderator

Thanks, Moggy. Appreciated.
Nigel

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20 years 9 months

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In addition to 'Miss Helen' there are five other UK based P-51's. Two at Duxford, two at Hardwick and one at N Weald. The Hardwick machines do not fly in winter and the N Weald based example is on jacks for servicing at the moment so it was not any of the last three. So, apart from the possibility of it being one of the two DX based examples are you sure it was an authentic NAA P-51?

Member for

13 years 8 months

Posts: 4

Originally posted in GA, but I thought it might get a better response here.

Moggy
Moderator

Is Robs Lamplough's 'Miss Helen' back from Germany yet? It could be one possibility.

There is also a scale replica/lookalike/wannabe thingy based in the south somewhere (French registered, with a sharkmouth IIRC)

Thanks, MikeJ. Miss Helen, if it is still based at Filton, does seem the most likely possibility.
Nigel

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24 years 2 months

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The replica thingy I was thinking of is apparently a Jurca Gnatsum.

http://www.marcel-jurca.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=240&Itemid=42&lang=en

It is now on the UK register, although the registered owners are in the North of England.

http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detail&aircrafttype=Jurca&dataindex=5

I saw it at Ron Souch's Tisted event a couple of years back, it is quite a growly thing with its Potez engine, so could possibly be mistaken for the real thing.

Member for

13 years 8 months

Posts: 4

In addition to 'Miss Helen' there are five other UK based P-51's. Two at Duxford, two at Hardwick and one at N Weald. The Hardwick machines do not fly in winter and the N Weald based example is on jacks for servicing at the moment so it was not any of the last three. So, apart from the possibility of it being one of the two DX based examples are you sure it was an authentic NAA P-51?

Hi Mark. Thanks for your input. Well it was very low level, head on, had the noise, and unless it was a full size replica, then yes, it was definitely a P51. As previously mentioned, it did the same thing a few days later, seen from a different location (a hill overlooking the polo field) by an aircraft enthusiast and he reckoned it was a P51, though whether a replica on not do not know.

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19 years 2 months

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I am sure I saw a piccie recently of Miss Helen back here....hope I did not dream it?!

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12 years 2 months

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I put a post in the Spotted thread about a piston warbird doing a brief display at Dunsfold at 1500 on 13th. That's about 40 minutes' flight time from Taunton – is it possible it could have been the same sortie? I was a couple of miles away but it didn't look like a P-51...

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20 years 7 months

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Hi Mark. Thanks for your input. Well it was very low level, head on, had the noise, and unless it was a full size replica, then yes, it was definitely a P51. As previously mentioned, it did the same thing a few days later, seen from a different location (a hill overlooking the polo field) by an aircraft enthusiast and he reckoned it was a P51, though whether a replica on not do not know.

In addition to the Gnatsum mentioned by Mike J, there's the Titan T-51, which is a 75% scale Mustang, based in the UK as well. CAA lists two of them.

There's also apparently a Stewart S-51, which is another scaled-down job, in this country, too.

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14 years 4 months

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I put a post in the Spotted thread about a piston warbird doing a brief display at Dunsfold at 1500 on 13th. That's about 40 minutes' flight time from Taunton – is it possible it could have been the same sortie? I was a couple of miles away but it didn't look like a P-51...

That was the Hangar 11 P-40 - there's a photo of it landing on the Dunsfold Park Facebook page, if anyone's interested.

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12 years 2 months

Posts: 42

Many thanks for that Elliott!