P-51B & P-51D Mustang Flight - Vintage Aircraft Weekend

The main air show of the Ninth Annual Vintage Aircraft Weekend at Paine Field was held on Saturday, September 3rd. This flight featured Heritage Flight Museum's F-51D Mustang "VAL-HALLA" and Historic Flight Foundation's P-51B Mustang, "Impatient Virgin?"

F-51D Mustang:
Built in 1945, this aircraft is believed to have served in the Texas Air Guard and with the Indonesian Air Force. Along with one other, it was returned to the US by Stephen Johnson, sold to the War Eagles Museum where it went through initial restoration. It was further restored by Pena Olivas for Bill in 1995 . Donated by Bill to the museum when the museum was started in 1996, “Val-Halla” reflects the the colors of the 57th FIS (Fighter Interceptor Squadron), the Black Knights. This is the squadron Bill flew F-89’s with back in 1958. Bill raced this plane at Reno in 1997, ’98 and ’99 as race #68, commemorating the year Apollo 8 went to the moon. His best showing with this airplane was on a gusty race Sunday in ’97, taking third in the Unlimited Class Silver race.

This airplane is named ‘Val-Halla’ to honor Bill’s wife (and museum secretary) Valerie. The name also reflects the fond memories Bill has for the time he spent in Iceland and the year he spent as Ambassador to Norway. Val-Halla is Viking heaven and Bill’s Air Force call sign was “Viking.”

P-51B Mustang:
Nicknamed “their little friend” by Allied bomber crews in World War II, the P-51B Mustang emerged in 1942 as the fast, high-altitude North American fighter that could escort bombers deep into enemy territory and turn the tide of losses sustained during long-range missions. The P-51B also saw action in the Korean War and remains a favorite racer and aerobatics performer for today’s aviators. Between 1944–1945, our Impatient Virgin flew more than 700 hours for the 376th North American Fighter Squadron in England. That’s a more than exceptional record—in most cases, the P-51B flew only about 25 hours before sustaining irreparable damage. After a rather interesting crash, our plane lay scattered in a British beet field for more than a half-century, when it was rediscovered and “harvested” by extremely patient archaeologists.

www.heritageflight.org
www.historicflight.org