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Collings Foundation P-51C at Omaha


gwb123
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Along with their B-24 and B-17, the P-51C "Betty Jane" came to Omaha a couple of weeks ago.

 

Looking through the internet, this is probably one of the most heavily photographed aircraft still flying in the world today.

 

Well, here's a few more pictures to look at... can't hurt, right?

 

Technically this is a TP-51C dual control trainer, believed the only one still in existence. Per their website:

 

"P-51C 42-103293 “Betty Jane” was built by North American at its Dallas Facility. When the aircraft was rebuilt in 2002 and 2003 it was built as a 2 seat version of the P-51C. The TP-51C was a field modification that added a second seat with a full second set of controls and instrumentation that could be used for training purposes. There were at least 5 TP-51Cs that were built during WWII for training purposes, and VIP transport."

 

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/aircrafts/north-american-tp-51c-mustang/

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There was something familiar about the markings on this aircraft when I first saw it.

 

It is featured on the cover of the Osprey book Mustang Aces of the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF by Jerry Scutts, which I had coincidentally picked up about a month earlier. Talk about history come to life!

 

The original was a P-51B flown by Col. Charles M. "Sandy" McCorkle, CO of the 31st FG, 15th Air Force. Somewhat unique for the USAAF, the fuselage code was actually his initials, with the same repeated on the nose behind the props. McCorkle scored 11 victories during the war, 6 of them in a Spitfire.

 

As far as I could tell from the book, the markings on this aircraft have been scrupulously duplicated. If you look closely, there is a lot of detail, including the tail stripes being superimposed over the aircraft number as well as a white tail rudder.

 

Oddly, I would have known none of this by looking up the aircraft on the internet. However, there are a few entries about McCorkle himself.

 

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?pid=132201256

 

http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=260

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mustang-Fifteenth-Forces-Osprey-Aircraft/dp/1855325837

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I'd seen both the B-24 and the B-17 flying that morning, and although I have seen Mustangs before I really wanted to see this one fly as well.

 

However, I knew at $2,200 per half hour, there were not going to be very many takers. ($3,200 for a full hour!)

 

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/flight-experiences/

 

I was about to get out of the sun and seek out lunch at the flight terminal when pre-flight things started to happen around the aircraft. I wanted to watch the prep work and also get a couple of photos.

 

In the course of this the fuel truck driver and I had a minor disagreement about where I should be standing as his vehicle was approaching, but this was resolved to our mutual satisfaction.

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Contrary to all those WWII films you see with a squadron scramble, the flight of a rare, historic aircraft that has survived to see 2015 is a bit more methodical process. But eventually they were up and running.

 

There is a big difference between seeing a museum aircraft, hearing that engine park to life...

 

(Note to photographers out there: I had hoped to catch a photo of a fully spinning prop. However, I had my camera set on automatic, and the speed of the shutter was so fast that it tended to freeze the motion of the prop, making the shot look like the aircraft was just sitting still!)

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And off it went! Just a wonder to watch. Unfortunately, beyond the telephoto range of my humble point and shoot camera!

 

In the meantime, I went and bought my cheeseburger from the local JROTC detachment and checked out the air conditioned flight terminal. There were also displays of recovered aircraft artifacts and B-24 book signing.

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So who got to ride it that day?

 

Well, of course there was going to be a pilot.

 

I had seen a gentleman wandering around in a modern USAF flight suit full of patches. I just assumed that was the pilot and he was just dressing for the part, and very sharply at that.

 

When I got closer, I saw he was wearing 3 stars on each of his shoulders! Well goodness, I thought! I am all for authentic uniforms and all, but that is just going a bit too far. I was just waiting for someone to challenge him for his "reenactor" uniform.

 

I think the sun must have gotten to me at that point.

 

It turns out he was a real general officer up from Offut, AFB. From the conversation that I could pick up from his family, he was apparently getting ready to retire, or at least changing assignments.

 

The real pilot is the gentleman in the khaki shirt. If you look closely, the pilot is holding something in his hand.... I believe the good general gave him one of his challenge coins in appreciation for a really great flying experience.

 

I think the grin tells it all!

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Bonus photo: How often are you going to see a dual control cockpit on a Mustang of any kind!

 

I hope you enjoyed the photo tour.

 

If you look on the Collings Foundation website, you can find the schedule for their tour. All three of these aircraft are worth seeing if they come to your part of the world.

 

(Period photo of McCorkle and his pilots, from the book cited above.)

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Word is out that Collings obtained a second B-17 along with some other planes that were part of the Evergreen. collection

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