Status Of Precious Metal II

[Mustang1957]

I heard precious metal II was involved in a crash at reno in 2008. does anybody know if anything was salvaged? if so,could it return to flying status?

[Race5]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

I'm not sure where you heard that. It is currently stored in flying condition, but has not been flown in some time.

[Danno]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

Are you maybe referring to the P-51A that was used in the TOR movie (I think it was named PMII for the movie) that crashed at Oshkosh?

Danno

[Mustang1957]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

good to hear that race 5. danno,you could be right.

[capjessop]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

Not sure if this is it or not...but it has similar paint to the original precious metal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I0J3...eature=related

[Mustang1957]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

yeah,i'm not sure either.I thought there was a stock P-51 also named precious metal.

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

"Precious Metal II" was a made-up name put in Gerry Beck's P-51A for the Thunder Over Reno movie. It crashed and was destroyed at Oshkosh in 2007.

The original Precious Metal (N5483V) crashed in 1990 in Galveston Bay, and it's remains may or may not have been rebuilt.

The Griffon-powered racer Precious Metal (N6WJ) is in semi-retirement down in Florida.

All three completely different aircraft.

[Mustang1957]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

randy,thanks for clearing that up.

[Race 29]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

Randy,
I've seen some pictures of the Griffon Precious Metal being built, with the Merlin Precious Metal in the picture as well. I've heard the the Merlin PM actually was salvaged, but I don't know if that is true. I'm just trying to remember back to the timeline. I thought the Merlin PM ditched BEFORE the Griffon PM was built. I'm sure you know better than I do, but I've always wondered if the Merlin PM in the pictures was after the salvage. I use Merlin and Griffon as the ID's of the two since they shared the same N number at the time. If those pictures were taken before PM ditched, was she ever salvaged?

Race 29

[flyingjibus]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

I've seen some pictures of the Griffon Precious Metal being built, with the Merlin Precious Metal in the picture as well. I've heard the the Merlin PM actually was salvaged, but I don't know if that is true.

1. The Griffon racer, N6WJ, was built in 1987/1988.

2. The Merlin-powered "original" Precious Metal crashed in 1990.

Thus, it's not possible to ascertain anything about the condition of the "salvaged" Galveston Bay wreck based on the N6WJ construction photos.

My understanding is that the wreck was salvaged, but I don't recall the condition.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Status Of Precious Metal II

The wreckage of N5483V was recovered a couple days after the ditching in Galveston Bay. It is currently in storage (either at World Jet in Ft. Lauderdale or at Darrell Skurich's place in Ft. Collins...not clear on that) and to my knowledge has not been rebuilt.