1971 P-51 ID??

[drmull]

Hello - An internet friend of mine looked through his old photos and found some shots from St. Louis in 1971. Does anyone know the ID of this Mustang? He also included some shots of Clay Lacy's Omni Special from the same event.

[RandyGoss75]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/p51who/177.shtml

My guess- I think it was Tom Kuchinsky's Mustang

[Chad Veich]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

This would be N6165U which was owned and flown by Tom Kuchinski of Milwaukee and lost in a fatal crash at Harlingen in the early '70s.

Doh! Randy got in ahead of me. Great photo by the way, let's see some more.

[SCEPTER]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

does that seafury in the back have 232 on the side?

[RandyGoss75]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

That is Frank Sander's 232 and Bill Ross's Spitfire in the background.
My guess would be Leo "Baron" Volkmer's "racing" TBM.....what do you think Brad?? RG

[drmull]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

Thanks for the QUICK answer, guys! Here are the other shots I received - how about that ticket - very cool!

[jarrodeu]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

Miss Merced sure had shiny blades.

Is that the Whittington's bearcat in the second picture?

Jarrod

[Tha Doctor]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

I REMEMBER BEING AT THAT EVENT IN 1971. I BUILT THE ENGINE FOR CLAY LACY.

I DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT MUSTANG. TOM KUCHINSKY WAS KILLED THE PREVIOUS YEAR (1970) AT HARLINGEN IN HIS SECOND MUSTANG N6518D.

[Uh-sure]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/p51who/244.shtml

[440_Magnum]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

Miss Merced sure had shiny blades.

Jarrod

And FIVE of them

Is it just me, or after all these years do 4 blades on a Sea Fury still look "wrong" to anyone else? Somehow the airplane doesn't look as aggressive with a Skyraider prop. My brain knows the 3350 conversions are faster, but my eyes refuse to believe it


Oh, and Drmull, you put one of your slides in the ol' Kodak Carousel the wrong way

[jarrodeu]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

And FIVE of them

Is it just me, or after all these years do 4 blades on a Sea Fury still look "wrong" to anyone else? Somehow the airplane doesn't look as aggressive with a Skyraider prop. My brain knows the 3350 conversions are faster, but my eyes refuse to believe it

I agree, the 5 blader looks a lot better, and as you put it, more aggressive.

Oh, and Drmull, you put one of your slides in the ol' Kodak Carousel the wrong way

I honestly thought it was intentionaly painted that way as a joke.

Jarrod

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

Miss Merced sure had shiny blades.

Is that the Whittington's bearcat in the second picture?

Jarrod

No that is N9G Gunther Balz's Bearcat. BuNo #90454

[speeddemon]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

I've been down and out with the flu for a couple of days, so this is the first time I"ve checked the site.

GREAT PICS!!!

When I saw that it was at St. Louis in '71, the 'Mustang Roundup" was the first thing I thought....THEN I saw the scanned ticket in a follow-up. Yeah...the kid still has it! :-)

Great to see all the stuff. I'm sure that is Kuchinsky's Mustang...most likely the white one with the red stripe that he raced in '69. He eventually painted both of them in a camo paint scheme...but I think one had a yellow and black checkerboard band on the tail and canopy rail. Been a while since I've seen pics of both of them, though...so I can't be sure.

Its interesting to note that when Tom raced his two Mustangs at Reno, he was literally just cruising around. I'd have to go back and check the speeds, but I don't think he ever got them above the 275 mark or anything. Tom Camp probably could have beaten him in the Wildcat. Just out 'having fun', I'm sure!

Nice to see 232, and N9G, N64CL, 878M and yes RG, I'm sure that is Leo's TBM. There weren't that many 'restored' Turkeys flying around back then. I'm wondering about the Corsair in one of the shots. My initial thought was that it was Blue Max, but I don't think it had the checkerboard cowling on it in '71. I think that was in about '74 when Guilford started racing at the 'smaller' races.

[drmull]

"Backwards" shot

Sorry guys - the backwards shot came to me that way. I should also credit Dusty who was at the event and sent me the photos. I don't even know his last name but we correspond about Mustangs - both the 4-legged & 12-cylindered types.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 1971 P-51 ID??

I REMEMBER BEING AT THAT EVENT IN 1971. I BUILT THE ENGINE FOR CLAY LACY.

I DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT MUSTANG. TOM KUCHINSKY WAS KILLED THE PREVIOUS YEAR (1970) AT HARLINGEN IN HIS SECOND MUSTANG N6518D.

Hey Doctor... good to see you're visiting!!

Wayne