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Dates |
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Event |
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Constructed as a P-51A-1-NA by North American at Inglewood, California, USA. |
5 February 1930 |
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Certificate of airworthiness for NX51Z (P51A-1NA, 99-22109) issued. |
3 April 1943 |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 43-6006.
Delivered to USAAF at Mines Field, Los Angeles, CA. |
1 May 1943 |
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Transferred to Ladd Field, AK.
Assigned for cold-weather testing. |
14 February 1944 |
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Crashed.
Crashed during snow storm; went down in the mountains near Summit, AK. Pilot lt. Edward W. Getter killed. |
February 1944 |
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Abandoned on site. |
October 1977 |
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Recovered.
Retrieved from the crash site by W. Spillers. |
From February 1978 to By 1995 |
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To Waldon D. Moon Spillers, Versailles, OH with new c/r N51Z. |
From 1978 to 1985 |
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Restored.
Markings Applied: 36006
The work was carried out at Versailles as a P-51A with the use of parts from P-51D USAAF s/n 44-73483 c/r N351D and a TNI-AU mainplane. |
3 July 1985 |
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First post-restoration Flight. |
2 August 1988 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: At Oshkosh, WI |
2 August 1988 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: At Oshkosh, WI |
11 October 1995 |
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To Gerald Gabe, Hollister, CA keeping c/r N51Z. |
23 August 1997 |
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Photographer: Nick Taylor
Notes: Hawthorne Air Faire 1997 |
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Based at Hollister Municipal Airport, Hollister, CA.
 View the Location Dossier |
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Markings Applied: Polar Bear, 36006 |
30 May 2002 |
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Certificate of airworthiness for NX51Z (P51A-1NA, 99-22109) issued. |
Circa 9 September 2005 |
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Photographer: Charlene Aro
Notes: Photographed at the National Championship Air Races at Stead Field near Reno, NV. |
From 12 September 2005 to 18 September 2005 |
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Raced as #25, named POLAR BEAR.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was Dave Morss from Redwood City, CA. Qualified in 22nd place with an average speed of 346.787 mph. Raced in Heat 1C. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 331.020 mph. Started Heat 2D, but did not finish. Raced in Heat 3. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 323.297 mph. Raced in the Medallion 2 race. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 334.400 mph. |
From 11 September 2006 to 17 September 2006 |
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Raced as #25, named POLAR BEAR.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was Dave Morss from Redwood City, CA. Qualified in 23rd place with an average speed of 334.995 mph. Raced in Heat 1C. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 341.985 mph. Raced in Heat 3. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 345.424 mph. Raced in the Medallion 2 race. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 344.211 mph. |
11 September 2006 |
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Photographer: David Lednicer
Notes: The Unlimited Class racer Polar Bear being towed in at the end of the last practice session of the day at the Reno Air Races. |
29 September 2007 |
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Photographer: Robert Bourlier
Notes: GML Airshow, Columbus, OH. |
29 September 2007 |
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Photographer: Robert Bourlier
Notes: GML Airshow, Columbus, OH. |
From 14 September 2009 to 20 September 2009 |
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Raced as #25, named POLAR BEAR.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was Dave Morss from Redwood City, CA. Qualified in 19th place with an average speed of 337.568 mph. Raced in Heat 1C. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 312.998 mph. Raced in Heat 2D. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 324.443 mph. Raced in Heat 3D. Finished in 8th place with an average speed of 312.417 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 7th place with an average speed of 336.219 mph. |
From 13 September 2010 to 19 September 2010 |
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Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was Dave Morss from Redwood City, CA. Qualified in 16th place with an average speed of 325.722 mph. Raced in Heat 1C. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 334.425 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 324.16 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 335.435 mph. |
16 September 2010 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races. |
16 September 2010 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger |
16 September 2010 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger |
16 September 2010 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger |
2010 |
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Used for the flight testing of a four blade propeller assembly to be installed on two P-82 restoration projects. |
1 May 2011 |
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Photographer: Chris Wood
Notes: Seen at Half Moon Bay, wearing a four bladed propeller. |
From 12 September 2011 to 16 September 2011 |
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Raced as #4, named POLAR BEAR.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was Dave Morss from Redwood City, CA. Qualified in 22nd place with an average speed of 343.741 mph. Raced in Heat 1D. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 331.24 mph. Raced in Heat 2D. Finished in 5th place with an average speed of 337.104 mph. |
15 September 2011 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: This was the propeller assembly used for flight testing. Photographed at the Reno Air Races. |
15 September 2011 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: The blade needed to be notched out to provide clearance for the P-51A cowl. |
14 April 2012 |
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To unknown owner.
Sale reported to a new owner in Syracuse, KS. |
4 May 2012 |
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To John J. Dowd Jr, Syracuse, KS keeping c/r N51Z. |
2 May 2015 |
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From 2015 to 2017 |
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Restored.
Markings Applied: 1039
Restored marked as XP-51 41-039. |
From 11 September 2017 to 17 September 2017 |
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Raced as #6, named Shanty Irish.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was John Muszala II from Idaho Falls, ID. Qualified in 12th place with an average speed of 301.334 mph. Raced in Heat 1C. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 305.998 mph. Raced in Heat 2D. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 311.792 mph. Raced in Heat 3D. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 323.856 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 319.644 mph. |
15 September 2017 |
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Photographer: Mike Woodley
Notes: Reno National Championship Air Races 2017 |
15 September 2017 |
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Photographer: Allen Hess
Notes: Unlimited Class, Race #6 North American P-51A Mustang Shanty Irish Pilot: John Maszala III.2017-0915-0865 Reno Air Races, Stead Field, Nv |
27 May 2021 |
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Certificate of airworthiness for NX51Z (P51A-1NA, 99-22109) issued. |
From 15 September 2021 to 19 September 2021 |
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Raced as #6, named Shanty Irish.
Was to have competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class, but did not arrive. The primary pilot was Dusty Dowd. |
11 September 2022 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV. |
From 14 September 2022 to 18 September 2022 |
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Raced as #6.
Competed at the National Championship Air Races in the Unlimited class. The primary pilot was John J. Dowd Jr. from Syracuse, KS. Qualified in 11th place with an average speed of 310.811 mph. Raced in Heat 2C. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 330.009 mph. Raced in Heat 3D. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 330.476 mph. Raced in the Consolation race. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 326.470 mph. |
17 September 2022 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV. |
18 September 2022 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at the Nation Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV. |
