Day at the Hanger

P-51 "Charlie" (P-51C), the "Ds" had the familiar Bubble canopy. The canopy on the "Charlie" is similar to the P-40 Warhawk.

Cheers - Jim
 
Just beautiful. About gasoline...What octane is this airplane getting? How much does it cost. High octane specialty gas, off road use, is running about $10.00+ a gallon here. Highest unleaded gas is 110 octane. Highest octane leaded is 140. Don't know what the leaded 140 octane costs.
 
It just keeps getting more interesting around there. I was dropping off a clutch alignment tool and I think there was radial engine skyraider variant taking off as I pulled up. Beautiful looking and the exhaust sound was amazing.
 
phantomjock said:
P-51 "Charlie" (P-51C), the "Ds" had the familiar Bubble canopy. The canopy on the "Charlie" is similar to the P-40 Warhawk.

Cheers - Jim
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I don't think it's a P-51C. The P-51C, I believe, was a very limited edition two seater. It did have a bubble canopy. After the Normandy invasion, Gen Eisenhower overflew the battlefields as a passenger in the P-51C. About a year ago, there was a P-51C at the Hawthorne airport, along with a B-17 and a B-24 Liberator. Half hour ride in the P-51C was $2500. Hour ride was $3500. I talked with them about the airplane. As I recall the yearly "minor" maintenance on the engine was $150,000. The next maintenance level was $300,000. These engines must now be restored. Amazingly, it was up until just a few years ago that 0 time new engines were still actually available as war surplus. The supercharged Merlin engines were in production up until the late 1950's. They were used in Shackleton bombers that were serving as marine surveillance aircraft far beyond the late 1950's.
 
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Garys 68 said:
It just keeps getting more interesting around there. I was dropping off a clutch alignment tool and I think there was radial engine skyraider variant taking off as I pulled up. Beautiful looking and the exhaust sound was amazing.
Click to expand...

Yes Gary, it's quite a beast. One of the last of an era. I think it saw some service in Vietnam.

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1936 Waco

Happened to be pulling into the airport heading for the hanger when this baby just transferred in from previous home in Florida. Its a one of a kind 1936 WACO with a JACOBS 7 cylinder. Couldn't pass up the photo op. :)

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That was it. I stood behind it so I could feel all 18 cylinders. Wow...
 
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