San Jose Mustang

[Airracer75]

Many of us around the Bay area remember the P-51 that sat on the San Jose airport for 40+ years that I know (N5444V), its flying again. First flight was Nov.6 2009. I first saw it in 1969 I dont know how long it had been there before that time. The owner had many offers but would not sell. But here it is. Check it out.http://www.americanaeroservices.com/...P51200911.html

[sierra fox]

Re: San Jose Mustang

Many of us around the Bay area remember the P-51 that sat on the San Jose airport for 40+ years that I know (N5444V), its flying again. First flight was Nov.6 2009. I first saw it in 1969 I dont know how long it had been there before that time. The owner had many offers but would not sell. But here it is. Check it out.http://www.americanaeroservices.com/...P51200911.html

What a beautiful airplane

[AirDOGGe]

Re: San Jose Mustang

Didn't Bob Love use to store a P-51 at San Jose in the '80s? Dunno if it was actually his or not.

[Shawn Aro]

Re: San Jose Mustang

his was at Hanger 5 during the 80"s being rebuilt and Later moved to Livermore. Shawn

[Airracer75]

Re: San Jose Mustang

No because Bob Love's P-51 was up and flying and 44V was still sitting on flat tires, it was only two or three year ago that this Mustang was finally moved off of San Jose airport.

[Shawn Aro]

Re: San Jose Mustang

well in the eraly and late 70"s Bob had his other mustang at San jose it was about 1975 i went to summer school down in Cambull sanjose and on the way home we would drive around san Jose airpart and his mustang was sitting on the ramp that was his cavelier. A friend of my dads Don Ryder took us up for a photo shoot with Loyld Hamiton after a airshow at moffet one year and we landed at San Jose that the first time i saw that mustang just sitting out there. shawn

[RAD2LTR]

Re: San Jose Mustang

That is a really pretty P51. Very nicely done. I hope I get to see it in person some day. Its always nice to hear that something that has been neglected for a long time is restored to a high standard.

Will

[BKB]

Re: San Jose Mustang

This picture is from 1974.I used to ride my bike out to the airport and snoop around that plane.Saw it move 3 different times.Was very pleased to see it finally moved off the field before it totally rotted away.Sure looks alot better now that's for sure.

Brian

[cheapskater]

Re: San Jose Mustang

Someone who knows these things told me that the Mustang at San Jose Airport had made a hard landing and that the main spar of the wing had been bent/damaged severly which didn't prevent the family of the original owner from trying to sell the plane for more than it was worth for several years. Guess the increasing value of Mustangs finally made the deal. Anyone know more about this theory? What condition was the plane in when it went in for restoration?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: San Jose Mustang

A little info here, but no landing/damage histories:

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/survivors/pages/44-73751.shtml

flightaware.com claims they may have that kind of info, but they want money fof their data...uh-uh.

Perhaps the restorers can say if there appeared to be any damage when the wings were disassembled.

[Airracer75]

Re: San Jose Mustang

When it was taken from San Jose it was a complete airplane sitting on the gear. The last time I looked at it up close was 1993 and we did'nt notice any damage we looked up and down the wing and up in the wheel wells every thing looked good but who knows. Family could have sold the airplane anytime got good money out of it even with damage history it don't add up because they payed storage all those years to the city of San Jose, they also had a Stearman in the shelters there it had'nt flown in year the fabric was falling of the wing it was in sad shape. I was flying in and out of San Jose everyday for a while and quite a few times I would hear pilots ask ground control about the Mustang and if it was for sale. It attracted a lot of attention.

[dvddude]

Re: San Jose Mustang

I used to fly in and out of SJC many times over the years and always saw that Mustang parked there on the civilian side of the field away from the terminal. I don't know if this is true or not, but the rumor was that the plane was the subject of an internal family custody battle. I can't remember if it was a divorce thing, or an inheritance thing. Hopefully someone here can set the record straight.

[WASP-kid]

Re: San Jose Mustang

I was renting a C-170 parked 2 spots over from this airplane in 2002. I never gave it a fine-tooth-comb lookover, but my friends & I walked around it many times and there was no obvious damage other than that caused by sitting in the sun for many years. Sure glad to see it looking as fine as it does now! Great to have another beautiful P-51 cruising the skies (even if it is on the wrong end of the country). Kudos to the ownership & restoration crew.

[Hawker Driver]

Re: San Jose Mustang

Now someone needs to pick up the one in Baton Rouge as it needs some work and a new home...
Lynn

[SCEPTER]

Re: San Jose Mustang

Now someone needs to pick up the one in Baton Rouge as it needs some work and a new home...
Lynn

pics?

Then there is the one in Morgan hill, Calif.