16th August 2011
Eddie Andreini taxis out to runway 26 at Salinas Ca (KSNS) for his first flight in his newly restored N451EA 44-73079 on Tuesday 16th Aug 2011. Dave Teeters performed the restoration work.
On Monday the 15th, Dan Martin performed the first post-restoration flight. Dave Teeters made a few adjustments and then climbed in the back with Martin as they took off for a follow-up test flight on Tuesday afternoon before handing the P-51 over to Eddie.
Dan Martin checking out the great sounding Merlin as Dave Teeters performs a run-up.
Eddie Andreini has flown in airshows up and down the west coast for many years and has 950 airshow performances logged in his Yak and Super Stearman. He learned to fly at age 16 and has logged thousands of hours in many types including P-51s.
He purchased 44-73079 in 2010 and resurrected a restoration put on hold for over a year. Dave Teeters went back to work turning an all black P-51 in need of some care into a head-turning polished P-51D with a unique black-yellow checked paint scheme. His take-off and landing with a quartering crosswind were perfect.
Congratulations to Eddie Andreini and Dave Teeters for bringing another P-51 Mustang back to life.