Record attempt P-51 story.

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Profile picture for user 1batfastard

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11 years 2 months

Posts: 3,650

Hi All,
I just read this little article below courtesy of:- http://www.facebook.com/warbirdsonline/ I just wondered if anybody else had heard of this sad story. I did go onto the FB page that is mentioned on they're web page but it appears this is a very long term restoration I would have a guess using another P-51 as well as the acquired parts.?

The FB page has posts going back a few years regarding parts for the P-51 project, apart from that it's an interesting little FB page http://www.facebook.com/pages/catego...1335502242209/ in itself.....;)

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Did you know that a very significant Australian aviation survivor & record holder Ex RAAF CAC Mustang A68-5 was cut up for scrap & nearly destroyed in a furnace? The abandoned A68-5 (G-ARKD) remained at the Athens Airport for some years. So how did she get there? Well from 1955 until 1959 the Mustang flew from Bankstown infrequently, however in 1959 the aircraft was leased to Fawcett Aviation and used in the target towing contract with the Australian Army for several years. ...In 1960 the aircraft was sold to Ronald (Ron) Flockhart of Edinburgh, Scotland.

He had the Mustang modified for long range by Illawarra Flying School and the Rolls Royce/ Packard Merlin engine was checked over by Rolls Royce, having only run 110 hours by this time. Flockhart’s intention was to beat the England to Australia (Australia to England in this instance) air speed record still held by Arthur Clouston and Victor Ricketts in the DH88 Comet G-ACSS Grosvenor House from the 1934 England to Australia Air Race. The Mustang was finally refurbished and was placed on the UK Civil register as G-ARKD on the 24th of February 1961 issued at Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne after inspection by Brookes Aviation.

Flockhart completed around 10 hours flying the aircraft in Australia prior to departing Bankstown in 1961 and flying the route Sydney to London. The flight progressed well until Beirut where bad weather forced him to divert to Athens. Upon takeoff again from Athens a long delay resulted in an overheating engine, blowing the head gasket. The Mustang was parked awaiting a later repair however it was further damaged by a cockpit fire and abandoned as a result. However, in 2011 or 2012 there were reports that some of the aircraft had in fact survived and In June 2012 the aircraft identity reemerged on the UK civil register as Mustang G-ARKD, re-registered to Classic Flying Machine Collection Ltd at Dereham Norfolk UK. It had been chopped for smelting but not everything had made it into the furnace. This CAC Mustang will once again grace the skies in Europe a very lucky survivor by the barest margin.

Want to read more about her history? Then go to our news at - http://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/201...mustang-a68-5/

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G-ARKD at Athens Greece in June 1961 after Flockhart had been forced to abandon his speed record attempt.

Geoff.

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Yes. The denouement is Ron Flockhart acquired a second P-51D as G-ARUK in which he was killed in an accident at Kalista in April 62, Victoria. Kalista... Flockhart? Calista Flockhart, actress? Coincidence? Connection?

Profile picture for user 1batfastard

Member for

11 years 2 months

Posts: 3,650

Hi All,
Hooligan - I take it the Dandenong Ranges that are mentioned as the crash area in the last paragraph of the article are in Kalista as you pointed out then ? As for any connection I have know idea and it is not mentioned anywhere in the article, needs a bit of research I imagine.

A very sad ending as this was just prior to his second attempt....RIP Mr Flockhart.

Geoff

Member for

20 years 4 months

Posts: 1,713

Flockhart’s intention was to beat the England to Australia (Australia to England in this instance) air speed record still held by Arthur Clouston and Victor Ricketts in the DH88 Comet G-ACSS Grosvenor House from the 1934 England to Australia Air Race.

Small correction: The original record set during the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race was set by Charles Scott and Tom Campbell-Black. Arthur Clouston and Victor Ricketts flew to Australia and back in 1938, not as part of any race but to beat the 1934 record. They missed out on Scott and Campbell-Black's record but did set a new London-Sydney record, as well as some other records during their trip out and back.

Yeah, Kallista is in the Dandenong range. Think I've probably asked before, always struck by the coincidence which I expect is all it is (friend of mine had a bit of a thing about Callista Flockhart - Harrison Ford got there first!).

When G-ARKD's rebuild is completed, it'd be nice to see her in the scheme above.