S/N 44-15651 C/N 109-35539
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1945: Oct 25, Surplus, USAF Walnut Ridge AFB AR
1946: Jul 11, sale surplus, Steve Beville / Bruce Raymond, Hammond IN, $3,500
1946: Jul 15, ferry permit, from Walnut Ridge AR to Homewood IL
1946: Jul 22, reg, NX79111, Steve Beville / Bruce Raymond, Hammond IN
- stripped down weight, fill/paint wing - "Galloping Ghost" #77
1946: NX79111, Thompson Trophy Race - 4th - Bruce Raymond
- added water injection, ADI, SOHIO sponsored
1947: NX79111, Kendall Trophy Race - 1st
1947: NX79111, Thompson Trophy Race - 4th
1948: NX79111, Thompson Trophy Race - 2nd
1949: NX79111, highly-modified Beguine P-51 crash ended air racing for many years
1950: NX79111, Operations for ferrying and air racing. From Aug 30 1950 to Oct 31 1950
195?: NX79111, possession, Jack Hardwick, no docs in FAA reg file link Jack Hardwick to N79111
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1956: Feb 21, NX79111, FAA canceled registration for non-response to audit, (Steve Beville / Bruce Raymond last registered owners)
195?: Rumors: possibly went to Israel (at least the registration N79111 was used)
- registration N79111 was used by Inter Continental Airways / Irwin Schwartz VP of Burbank CA to funnel P-51s to Israel
1956: Irwin S. Schwartz
1956: Apr 09, NX79111, Sale/auction, Alamo Airways Inc / George Crockett, $1,700 for N79111 and N66111
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1958: Jul 16, NX79111, sale, Ralph Blum, Alhambra CA
1959: Jan 16, NX79111, rear seat installed
1959: Aug 19, N79111, reg, Ralph Blum, Alhambra CA, est airframe TT 650, Merlin V-321508 TT 404
1960: Feb 08, N79111, sale, Cliff Cummins, Ontario Ca
1965: N79111, repaired, Ontario CA
- Oct 04 - right wing lower wing skin replaced
- Nov 08 - left wing lower wing skin replaced
- Nov 08 - lower rear fuselage skin replaced
1967: N79111, repaired, Ontario CA
- Apr 11 - left fuselage skin behind cockpit replaced
1969: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 4th @363 - Gold 4th @ 358 - Cliff Cummins
1970: N79111, Mods to the canopy, wings clipped
1970: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 9th @ 357
- Heat 1 7th DNF blown engine Lap 4, belly landing in Lemon Valley - Cliff Cummins
1971: N79111, rebuilt Long Beach
1972: Airframe TT 953
1972: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 16th @ 318 - Medallion 1st @ 367 - Cliff Cummins
1973: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 3rd @ 412 - Gold 2nd @ 417 - Cliff Cummins
1974: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 2nd @ 420 - Heat 2 5th DNF Lap 2 electrical - Cliff Cummins
1975: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 4th @ 414 - Gold 6th DNF Lap 2 blown piston - Cliff Cummins
1976: N79111, blew engine enroute to Reno, did not show.
1977: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 3rd @ 397 - Gold 3rd @ 424 - Cliff Cummins
- blew engine in/after Gold race
1978: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 2nd @ 400 - Heat 2 7th DNF - Cliff Cummins
1979: May 19, N79111, sale, Dennis Schoenfelder / Dave Zeuschel, #69 Jeannie
1979: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #69 "Miss Candace" - Qualified 1st @ 446 - Gold 8th DNS - Mac McClain
- Set NEW qualifying speed of 446.93 mph - Mac McClain
- engine problems before race start, landed safely
1980: Jan 24, N79111, sale, Sanders Lead Company Inc. / Wiley Sanders, Troy AL
1980: Sep 04, N79111, test-flight, engine-failure, belly-landing, Chino CA
- miracle repairs - done in time for the Reno Air Races
1980: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races - GOLD WINNER! #69 Jeannie - Mac McClain pilot at 433.01 mph
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1981: Epic photo flight while in formation with SR-71
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1981: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races - GOLD WINNER! #69 Jeannie - Skip Holm, Rookie year, at 422.3 mph
1982: N79111, Modified clipped wing, #69, did not qualify: broken rod, runaway prop govener
1983: Jul 18, N79111 sale, Jimmy Leeward / Bahia Oaks Inc, Ocala FL, "Spectre #X"
1984: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #44 "Leeward Air Ranch Special" - Qualified 6th @ 425 - Gold 4th @ 407 - Jimmy Leeward
1985: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #9 "Leeward Air Ranch Special" yellow - Qualified 8th @ 416 - Heat 3B DNF - Jimmy Leeward
1986: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #9 "Leeward Air Ranch Special" yellow - Qualified 5th @ 430 - Silver 1st @ 409 - Jimmy Leeward
1988: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #9 "Leeward Air Ranch Special" yellow - Qualified 4th @ 457! - Heat 3A DNF - Jimmy Leeward
- engine problem, landed on dirt road, nosed upped and hit prop
1989: Sep, N79111, Reno Air Races #9 "Leeward Air Ranch Special" yellow - Qualified 21st @ 376 - Bronze DNF - Jimmy Leeward
1989: N79111, Last year flown for some time, put into storage
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2005: Great News! Leeward will bring back the "Ghost". N79111 will return to air racing as the "Galloping Ghost".
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2007: Parts of the aircraft are all around the US trying to get finished in time for Reno. We sure hope they make it. I've seen plenty of parts in Dan Martin's hangar over the past several months.
2008: Restoration continues
2009: working hard to make Reno Air Races in September
After several months of exhausting work, the racer was just not quite ready to compete in the 2009 Reno Air Races. Jimmy Leeward and his crew worked some very long days and nights doing everything they could, but there was just too much work and not enough time.
2009: Sep 21, N79111, first-flight, The Ghost has flown!

2010: Reno - the Gold Race that Never Was. Sunday Gold canceled, so we do not know how fast this racer really is. It looks fast and Leeward showed some speed on a few laps, but working from dead last on Thursday, he was never really challenged as he climbed the ladder to make it to the finals. The race on Sunday was canceled due to high winds.
2011: September -- Counting the days . . . again.

2011: Sep 16 - During the Friday Gold Heat

Jimmy Leeward perished in the crash of the Galloping Ghost on the third lap in front of the main grandstands. A mechanical issue developed causing a pull-up and roll over the top and then a near vertical decent before impact. Jimmy was a legend in air racing and a veteran P-51 pilot with thousands of warbird hours. He was a gentlemen and man of his word. He loved to race and fly. He worked for five years to get the Ghost ready to race. This year he and his team came to Reno to win. The Ghost was very fast and they were contenders for first place.

He passed us at pylon 2 shadowing Rare Bear and challenging him for 3rd place. By the time he pulled up off the course he had possession of 3rd and setting sites on Will Whiteside in 2nd. Leeward came to race and to win. He was very no nonsense and down to earth. He was 74 and lived in Ocala Florida, a friend to all in unlimited air racing.

Everybody was a fan of the Ghost and his Team. The return of the Ghost sparked a renewed passion in air racing. Reno will not be the same without Jimmy Leeward turning laps. Condolences to his family and crew who have supported the races for many, many years.

Condolences to all those families and friends that lost someone in this horrific accident.

Blue Skies and Tailwinds, Jimmy Leeward
16th September 2011