Who's Mustang #7

[Leo]

Haiti

I

Don't they have a Bobsled team, too?

It's the same team...

[Unregistered]

So who had the Tigercat at Torrance in '58? (see second pic above)

[Victor Archer]

I think Antelope Valley Aerial Surveys Co. at that time. I have photo's of that one and two more very nice looking red F7F's they also had a lot of P-38's. I will post pics of the big cats soon.
Probably under a new thread "Lost Tigers".

[W J Pearce]

Whoa Victor, slow down. You're getting too creative with the thread titles.

But seriously, thank you once again for sharing these with us. I love seeing this stuff. And thanks to your dad for letting them be shared.

Keep it coming.

Bill

[Victor Archer]

I found one!!!

Originally posted by W J Pearce
I did not even know Haiti had an air force.

Well after many hours of research and many e-mails here is a photo of a Haiti Air Force P-51.
I would like to thank Tulio Soto of LAAHS (Latin America Aviation Historical Society) for his help.
Merlins Magic was #650 and this photo is #656. Interesting fact that Merlins Magic or #650 at that time was the only remaining North American P-51 that was not sold to the Honduras Air Force for spare parts. I'm still not sure of it's USAF history but something I'll be looking into.

[W J Pearce]

Cool stuff Victor. Thanks for looking into it. The caption on that photo, what year does it say? 1970 or 1978? If you keep finding stuff like that, I'll have to ask you to come up with some info/pics on the Huges D-2.

Bill

[stuntflyr]

Ummm,
D-2, now were talkin'.
Chris...

[W J Pearce]

Yeah, and it was supposd to be Hughes D-2, but you knew that. Hangar fire due to lightning? What type of a story is that?

Bill

[Victor Archer]

Originally posted by W J Pearce
The caption on that photo, what year does it say? 1970 or 1978?

Hey Bill, it's 1970 0 with a 1 over it.

I was interested in the pilots name on the photo and I found this;

JERRY FRED DeLARM

GUATEMALA, 54 U.S. PILOTS LIKE JERRY FRED DELARM FLEW ABOUT ONE DOZEN WWII P-47'S AND C-47'S IN OPERATION SUCCESS. THEY TRAINED AT PUERTO CABEZAS, NICARAGUA.
CIA-REBEL AIR FORCE BOMBED A BRITISH FREIGHTER IN GUA. PORT ON 27 JUN 54 SUSPECTING IT WAS CARRYING WEAPONS. U.S. GOV QUIETLY SETTLED WITH SHIP'S OWNER FOR $1 MILLION.
TO PROVIDE COVER FOR THE TRANSACTION, P-47S "SOLD" TO NICARAGUAN AIR FORCE AND PAID FOR WITH $150,000 SUPPLIED BY CIA. HANEY IMMEDIATELY SENT THE FIGHTERS ON A 72 HOUR RAMPAGE THAT TURNED THE TIDE IN REBELS' FAVOR. BARRACKS WERE BOMBED AND MACHINE- GUNNED, AMMUNITION AND OIL DUMPS WERE HIT AND THE POPULATION PANICKED. RADIO LIBERATION ANNOUNCED MAJOR REBEL VICTORIES IN NONEXISTENT CLASHES. GUATEMALAN ARMY WAS DEMORALIZED BY RADIO REPORTS CLAIMING REBEL FORCE HAD GROWN TO 5,000 MEN AND THAT ITS RANKS WERE SWELLING BY THE HOUR. IN ACTUALITY THE ARMY OF LIBERATION NEVER TOTALED MORE THAN 400 MEN AND REMAINED CLOSE TO ITS HONDURAN SANCTUARY SO IT COULD FLEE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF AN ATTACK. KEPT FROM THE "FRONT" BY SUSPICIOUS ARBENZ, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS RELIED ON REPORTS OF REBEL ADVANCED FED THEM BY PEURIFOY, WHO SWAGGERED ABOUT THE CAPITAL WEARING A PISTOL.
CIA NEGOTIATED SALE OF AIR FORCE PLANES TO NICARAGUAN AIR FORCE, CIA PILOTS USED PLANES TO FLY SORTIES IN GUATEMALA.
GUATEMALA, 54 CIA PROVIDED EXILES WITH MORE THAN 30 PLANES FOR USE IN OVERTHROW OP. MEDICAL INSTITUTE SET UP TO COVER CIA INVOLVEMENT.
SMALL CIA AIR FORCE OF 47 THUNDERBOLTS BOMBED GUATEMALA, EISENHOWER'S AMBASSADOR TO UN. CATEGORICALLY DENIED ANY U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN COUP.

I guess after he was done with the NICARAGUAN AIR FORCE he went to Haiti.
Hope I don't bore you guys with this stuff.

[W J Pearce]

I think it is awesome stuff Victor. Keep it up.

Bill

[Victor Archer]

Here's something I've been working on. I think it's interesting to know where these planes have been and what they once looked like. Still have a few detials to add but have a look and let me know what you think.

[Victor Archer]

EEK! let me try one more time before I yell for help.

[FlyKidChris]

Thanks Victor

Thanks for all your research, Victor. I, for one, really enjoy your efforts, including your artwork. Great work, keep it up (please!).

[W J Pearce]

Awesome, great stuff. If I ever write a book, you're doing the color plates (if you want and will work for free). Maybe octo-threat could use you.

Bill Pearce

[Victor Archer]

?