It's a thing of beauty!

[Idaho_cowpony]

[cragdweller]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Whoa! What's the story with this plane!? Wing leading edge radiators, carb air inlet back by the landing gear...some serious mods.

[badman]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

This is Anson Johnson's Cleveland era racer - I think this museum just completed the restoration on it and I assume that's what the video is about. It was the first scoopless racing Mustang.

[Race5]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

This is Anson Johnson's Cleveland era racer - I think this museum just completed the restoration on it and I assume that's what the video is about. It was the first scoopless racing Mustang.

Beguine was the first scoopless Mustang. Anson built this to beat Odom.

[supercub]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Maybe it's just me, but looks to me like the vertical and rudder are clipped on that mustang?
Brian

[Big_Jim]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Don't overlook the biggest part of this plane.....it may have been modified in 1949, but it also DID win the 1948 Thompson Trophy. The reason Anson Johnson had the money TO modify it to this configuration was because of the prize money from winning the biggest race there was.

[Lon Moer]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Now it needs to be raced again!!

[Race5]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Now it needs to be raced again!!

It was not restored to airworthy condition.

[catalinadave]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Did the aircraft race in this configuration? And if so how were the flying/racing characteristics?

Thanks,

Dave

[ChrisMX105]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

I read somewhere that he was attempting the 3km or getting ready for it and grenaded the engine which was a rare -#

[badman]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Beguine was the first scoopless Mustang. Anson built this to beat Odom.

Yep - I typed it faster than I thought about it. It was the second scoopless Stang.

[ChrisMX105]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/anson-johnson-p-51-racer-restored-neam.html

[Big_Jim]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Did the aircraft race in this configuration? And if so how were the flying/racing characteristics?

Thanks,

Dave

Yes, it ran at the 1949 Cleveland races in this configuration. But Johnson never really had a chance to test it's mettle "in combat". Taking into account that the race course configuration at Cleveland was different between 1948 and 1949, Johnson qualified significantly slower in '49 with the new modifications--8th place at 383.4 mph (15 mph slower....while in comparison, Cook Cleland qualified his F2G only 4 mph slower).

He DNS in the Tinnerman. And in the Thompson Trophy Race he had gear retraction problems that slowed him for the first two laps, and then in the process of trying to catch up he burnt off a couple of his custom exhaust stacks and had to pull out of the race on the 9th of 15 laps.

Johnson attempted to go for Fritz Wendell's 3km record in 1952, but it was done at almost sea level in humid air in Florida and didn't even come close.

So while it looked cool, the results don't reflect a significant improvement in handling/racing characteristics. I would like to see the lap times in the Thompson from lap 3-9 before he had to pull out, but my guess is it still wouldn't have been able to keep up with the F2G's.

[Samuel]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

That Mustang is awesome! Looks like they did a very nice job on the restoration. How many "unlimited type" airplanes are in museums?

[catalinadave]

Re: It's a thing of beauty!

Thanks for the info Big Jim.

Dave