Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

[Jason S.]

Precious Metal Practice and qualifying, Reno 2003

Jason

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

I'm bummed we likely won't see any more evolution of this plane. It had so much potential.

Will

[marada mx3]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

I'm bummed we likely won't see any more evolution of this plane. It had so much potential.

Will

Are you saying she's put out to pasture never to round the pylons again? Say it ain't so. That would be another shame, like CM, DR, and others.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Are you saying she's put out to pasture never to round the pylons again? Say it ain't so. That would be another shame, like CM, DR, and others.

I can't say for sure, but there is evidence that it being turned into a TF (it never was stock, so it cant go back to being a stock mustang.) I've heard from various sources that there have been a lot of stock parts being requested for the rebuild (Things that weren't damaged by the fire.) We saw the wingtips go to Goldfinger, as well as something else (can't remember if it was the scoop or what.) last year. Thom hasn't been forthcoming with any info on the rebuild either. (You would think if it were being rebuilt as a racer he would keep us posted to keep the enthusiasm up.)

I'm not holding my breath that we will ever see Precious Metal rounding the pylons in anything close to the form it was not so long ago.

Will

[Bob]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

What mods were done to her airframe that prevents her from going back to stock? Besides the obvious motor mount and cowling mids to fit the engine?

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

What mods were done to her airframe that prevents her from going back to stock? Besides the obvious motor mount and cowling mids to fit the engine?

Everything. For the most part, the fuselage is all custom built. There are bits and pieces of Mustang there, but for the most part its all custom fabricated. The wings are standard Mustang wings, as is the tail section, but the fuselage, largely custom. There are pics here on AAFo of it being built by the Whittingtons back in the '80s. As far as I know, there isn't even a full serial number for it just 44-88A. (There should be an additional 3 digits so, 44-88XXX in this case.) Its history starts in 1987.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/87-4488

There is nothing preventing the rebuild being a stock D model converted to a TF, but the fact that it never was a stock D model means it cant be returned to stock. Its stock configuration is a racer, making it a normal D model makes it a D model replica.

Will

[GRNDP51]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Sadly as Will already said, I see PM's future being a "TF", but in the sense of the only P-51 with a Griffon up front that you can pay for a flight in. Look at the American Dream business model. At the time it was really the only TP-40 to get flights in, and I still think it's more "exclusive" to actual flight training than Collings is. And who knows is Collings will even be allowed to do anything in the near future.

PM as a dual control Griffon powered ex-racer P-51 that can give rides or "training" in? Seems close to American Dream.

IF Thom races it, at this point zero chance there's any intention of it being a 450+ Super Unlimited like it was destined to be in 2015... sucks.

[John H]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Same things I’ve heard. I say too, there’s zero chance of this ever being raced again, unless someone buys it and wants to fix all the damage to go race.

[Samuel]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Everything. For the most part, the fuselage is all custom built. There are bits and pieces of Mustang there, but for the most part its all custom fabricated. The wings are standard Mustang wings, as is the tail section, but the fuselage, largely custom. There are pics here on AAFo of it being built by the Whittingtons back in the '80s.

Is it a completely scratch built fuselage and wing? I find it hard to believe that in the 80's (back before I was a star) they would have been building fuselages from scratch, but I suppose it is possible.

[Samuel]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

IF Thom races it, at this point zero chance there's any intention of it being a 450+ Super Unlimited like it was destined to be in 2015... sucks.

It's still possible it could go 450 if they did Ridge Runner mods for the week of Reno.

[GRNDP51]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

It's still possible it could go 450 if they did Ridge Runner mods for the week of Reno.

We never saw what PM's fully race-prepped Griffon could do, but I don't think it was going to be anything like the Sparrow Merlin that was in Dago and RRIII. It's a lot easier to slick up a Merlin P-51, and I think if PM could've had the race Mustang scoop and doghouse done in a similar fashion, that would've been done already too... Lastly, if it really is going to be dual control, that's A TON of weight and I don't think that can simply just be removed for the week.

I would love to think opposite of all of these statements, but I think Miss America and Goldfinger are the only Mustangs that have RRIII potential, and only one of those seems to want to get close...

[CG51]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Is it a completely scratch built fuselage and wing? I find it hard to believe that in the 80's (back before I was a star) they would have been building fuselages from scratch, but I suppose it is possible.

It is possible because my dad done it,with my dad retired doubt you will find anyone with the talent to rebuild PM,I have posted photos in the past if the construction on PM and provided photos for the article in Warbird Digest several years back.

[John]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Was PM re-built with a stock-like Mustang tail after the 1988 Reno Gold incident, or was that before? ...I remember seeing it briefly at Oshkosh one year(long ago) with the short tail. We had high hopes for that racer and a few others in '88. Bear dominated though, and Shelton was deserving of that.

[Bigger Al]

Re: Precious Metal Practice and qual, Reno 2003

Considering Thom's day job, PM is probably going to be used to give rides and dual time for those with the financial resources to do so. It only makes sense to at least try to offset some of the operating expenses. Honestly, who wouldn't want to take a 30-minute spin around the patch?