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OT: Brief P-51D 'Worry Bird' glossary...

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  • OT: Brief P-51D 'Worry Bird' glossary...

    Good-day,
    This week marks one year since my father passed away. As many of you know, he was an avid P-51 historian, and researcher, and one of his favorite birds of modern day was P-51D N951M, 'Worry Bird', owned and operated by Michael George, in Springfield Illinois. He kept an 8x10 glossy photo of 'Worry Bird' in his office.

    But our story dates back to Merced California, in the early 1960's.

    My dad's family lived in Merced at the time, and his dad (my grandfather) flew out of Merced regularly for business.
    'Dr. Cooper', (William, or better known, 'Sherm') housed his aircraft at Merced as well, and it was in 1964 that Cooper traded a Swift, plus a few spare coins, for the purchase of a shabby P-51D, with an ill-engine. He flew his newly acquired Mustang to Merced, from Willows California. It was then he began engine work on the aircraft. The aircraft would be registered N5445V.

    During this time, another much cleaner, and well groomed P-51D adorned the ramp at Merced, and it was that of JJ Wolohan and then Hawke Dusters. (Registered N5438V).

    People would compliment Sherm on his beautiful new Mustang, and he just didn't have the heart to tell them that it wasn't his, but the shabby one kept back in the hanger, minus an engine!

    As a young boy, my dad is shown standing in front of N5438V.


    At one point, dad was invited into Sherm's hangar, where he was helped into the cockpit of N5445V, as Sherm warned him seriously about the button on the control stick, stating 'boy, don't touch that, it will fire the machine guns!'.

    N5445V, circa. 1971


    Eventually the polished N5438V would move on, and become a frequent pylon racer, flown by John Sandberg, and later Gary Levitz. My dad would have the opportunity to negotiate sale of the aircraft, as it was packed, and shipped overseas. Today it is freshly restored, as 'Trusty Rusty', PH-JAT, operated in the Netherlands.

    Sherm's N5445V would also see the pylons, if only briefly. It made an appearance at Reno in 1967, bud didn't race. Sherm was busy racing his highly modified 'Signal Sea Fury', also known as 'Miss Merced'. This Sea Fury race #87 would win the famed 'California 1000' in 1970. In 1971, for the California 1000 (now km) Sherm's Mustang would race as #4, by Bill Jackson. It finished 39 laps, and in a respectable 3rd place! The aircraft would also visit Reno in 1986, while owned by Jack Rose.

    In 1990, the Mustang was purchased by Michael George of Springfield, who still operates it today. It is immaculately restored, and wears the paint of the 503s Fighter Squadron; 339th Fighter Group. The original was P-51D-10-NA s/n 44-14118, flown by Lt. Robert J Frisch.

    44-14118, 1945


    Lt. Robert J Frisch


    How 'Worry Bird' appears today.



    With some of my artwork, I've re-created in simulated, yet exacting fashion, 'Worry Bird'.






    - Joseph
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