| Status: | Flying |
| NAA Type: | P-51D-30NA |
| Conversion: |
TF-51D Restoration |
| Serial #: | 44-74978 |
| Registry: | N74978 |
| .. past: | N6169U |
S/N 44-74978 C/N 122-41518
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182nd FS of TX ANG
1955: Jan 16, BOC, delivered to Costa Rican AF from the TX ANG as FAC #4
1964: Mar 31, N6169U, Will Martin / MACO Sales, Chicago IL, ferried to USA
- Between 1963 and 1965 Will Martin / MACO Sales purchased P-51Ds from the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica
- most were sold in small batches
- Martin prepped the P-51s capable of flying for the long ferry flight to the USA
1966: N6169U, Richard Vartanian, Pasadena CA
1972: N74978, Richard Vartanian, Shafter CA
1973: Aug 4, photo, Chino CA, bare metal w/ large N74978 on tail
1988: N74978, Arthur McDonnell, rep.destroyed, hangar fire, Shafter CA
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2003: N74978, Cal Pacific Airmotive, Salinas CA
2008: Sep 16, N74978, Tallevast LLC, Tampa FL
- Restoration as TF-51D
2020: May, N74978, restoration: wings on - engine in
2020: Oct 15, N74978, First-Flight
- Congrats to Art Teeters and the entire crew at Cal Pacific Airmotive in Salinas CA!!
2022: Apr 28, N74978, sale, JC Aviation LLC, Raleigh NC
2023: Aug 01, EAA Airventure KOSH
2024: Oct 08, sale, David Ellison 124X LLC, Walnut Creek CA
--------
182nd FS of TX ANG
1955: Jan 16, BOC, delivered to Costa Rican AF from the TX ANG as FAC #4
1964: Mar 31, N6169U, Will Martin / MACO Sales, Chicago IL, ferried to USA
- Between 1963 and 1965 Will Martin / MACO Sales purchased P-51Ds from the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica
- most were sold in small batches
- Martin prepped the P-51s capable of flying for the long ferry flight to the USA
1966: N6169U, Richard Vartanian, Pasadena CA
1972: N74978, Richard Vartanian, Shafter CA
1973: Aug 4, photo, Chino CA, bare metal w/ large N74978 on tail
1988: N74978, Arthur McDonnell, rep.destroyed, hangar fire, Shafter CA
--------
2003: N74978, Cal Pacific Airmotive, Salinas CA
2008: Sep 16, N74978, Tallevast LLC, Tampa FL
- Restoration as TF-51D
2020: May, N74978, restoration: wings on - engine in
2020: Oct 15, N74978, First-Flight
- Congrats to Art Teeters and the entire crew at Cal Pacific Airmotive in Salinas CA!!
2022: Apr 28, N74978, sale, JC Aviation LLC, Raleigh NC
2023: Aug 01, EAA Airventure KOSH
2024: Oct 08, sale, David Ellison 124X LLC, Walnut Creek CA
The Last of the Wild Horses
P-51 Survivors book featuring images from Dick Phillips and John Dienst, with Mark Phillips.
To order, goto The Last of the Wild Horses. You can order online.
Price is $100 for pages and pages of P-51 Survivor history and photos. Over 2,500 photos!
The late Dick Phillips shared hundreds of his P-51 images with us at MustangsMustangs over the last 25 years. If you can, help support his life-long passion. I recently ordered my copy.
Thank you!
Curtis Fowles, MustangsMustangs
Image Credits:
Mike Shelton
Curtis Fowles Collection
Bob Groenendijk Airliners.net
Cal Pacific Airmotive
Brett Godown
Ron Cline
Juha Ritaranta
Curtis Fowles Collection
Bob Groenendijk Airliners.net
Cal Pacific Airmotive
Brett Godown
Ron Cline
Juha Ritaranta
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