Paul Besterveld has purchased 44-73454, N2051D and will restore it keeping the same scheme but adding a polished metal fuselage. This Is It was owned since 1984 by Richard Bjelland and seen on the west Coast.

P-51 Air Racing "Rookies" Chuck Greenhill and Rod Lewis are schooled by the best like Stu Eberhardt and earn their air racing wings for the upcoming Reno Air Races in September 2010.

Hirani was described as one of the nicest persons you could meet. He regularly took the time to show everyone his P-51 and enjoyed meeting new friends. He enjoyed spending time at air shows talking to the crowd. He was killed instantly when his P-51 veered off landing course and tumbled into hangars at Stellar Airpark in Chandler Arizona. Details of the crash are not yet available. There was no radio call for help. Impact was estimated at over 100 mph. A fire prevented an immediate rescue attempt from witnesses at the airport. Nazzi was a true patriot and proud to be an American. Everyone who new him always spoke highly of Nazzi.

Long time P-51 owner and pilot Tom Wood lost a tough battle with lung cancer on Feb 4 2010. Wood has owned and flown the same P-51 for 40 years, quite an accomplishment. He also owned and flew a T-6 and an F-86 Sabre. Wood was 77, just a few days from his 78th birthday.

Cielos LLC purchased N251BP from Bernie Jackson in mid 2009. New paint and a few upgrades were next: 78th Fighter Group white and black checkered nosed "Buzzin Cuzzin" flown by Lt. William B Spengler of the 83rd FS was chosen and 44-84753 was sent to Pacific Fighters in Idaho to do the work.

The P-51 Mustang is the most popular warbird fighter of all time. Many P-51s changed owners in 2009 . . .

For years, and years, and more years I watched P-51 44-73751 rot and weather on the southeast ramp at San Jose Muni (now San Jose International). Rumors would fly about why this P-51 is sitting outside ...

David B. Lindsay Jr., owner and Architect of Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, died on July 2, 2009 at home in Florida. Lindsay was 86 years old and had been battling Parkinson's disease for several years. He had experienced 6,000 hours of flying in many aircraft, especially the P-51 Mustang. Lindsay was president of and founded Air Caicos, an airline that worked in the West Indies. He also published the Sarasota Herald-Tribune which was founded by his father.

John Bagley's Cavalier F-51D 67-22579 crashed in December of 2006 after an engine failure. Bagley skillfully put her down on a busy highway median close to the airport in Rexburg Idaho. He came out with minor injuries but the aircraft was substantially damaged.

After nearly 18 months of work, she flies again. N551BJ (formerly N251RM) was seen in a bare metal finish with no markings at the Rexburg Airshow. We are looking forward to seeing the finished paint when completed. Congrats to John Bagley and crew for some hard work the last year or so.

Thanks to Travis Hopkins for the report.

Ryan and Greg Costo's dream of bringing Dago Red back to the winner's circle at the Reno Air Races, fell short. Costo's sold the famed multi-year champion in May 2009 to Frank Taylor. Taylor was one of the original creators of Dago Red back in 1981. Taylor is joined by three others in a partnership to add a 7th first place trophy for Dago Red.

Last year in 2008, Dago Red was flown by Dan Martin and powered by a Sparrow Rolls-Royce V-12 and came up just a bit short finishing in 2nd place. The crew put together a very successful week and even flew home with the race motor. Dago Red was in Hollister, being rebuilt for the 2009 races, but that came to an abrupt stop. The racer was broken down, put on a flatbed truck and sent to Chino. Hopes for any showing in 2009 are doubtful.

P-51 owner and pilot Robert Baranaskas died when his P-40 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on April 5. He was practicing for an upcoming airshow on the east coast. Baranaskas was 61.

A Vintage P-51 Mustang can be yours for a cool million (or two)!

The P-51 Mustang continues to be a hot seller ...

Elmer Ward, P-51 owner, pilot, restorer and parts supplier passes after long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Tough summer for P-51 and warbird fans. Two dedicated owners and pilots were lost in separate accidents.

The P-51 Mustang is still a popular selling warbird. 2006 has seen many new P-51 owners.

The warbird community is in shock. Art Vance, long-time P-51 owner and pilot, Reno Air Race Check Pilot, crashes near Cookville Tn. while ferryng the Chino Air Museum's Hellcat. Vance, 64 from Sebastapol, Ca, was killed.

Richard James, owner of P-51D, 44-74417 N6327T, crashed while holding with three other P-51s during the EAA Airventure show in Oshkosh Wi. James, 56 of Fennimore, Wi was killed.

Bob Baker with his 2nd P-51, Sweet and Lovely, brings home the gold with an excellent presentation at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, WI. The competition was extrememly tough ...

Don Hinz, flying the CAF P-51C -- Tuskegee Airmen by Request -- redtail, was killed when the aircraft lost power during an airwhow and crashed in a residential area of Red Wing, Mn. in May 2004.

P-51 crash during maneuvers over Urbana Indiana takes the life of local businessman, James Shuttleworth, owner and pilot of TF-51 44-72977 N93TF, Scat VII.

Jeff Michael and passenger Butch Cauble escape from powerless P-51 45-11381 N551CB as they emerge under the overcast at about 1,200 feet agl in a North Carolina wooded area. Both Michael and Cauble were wearing chutes and jumped from -- Glamorous Glenn III -- owned by Gary Honbarrier.

Warbird collector and P-51 owner/pilot John Macguire died of a heart attack in August 13, 2001. Macguire was founder of the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, NM. Macguire was 80 years old.

P-51, It's About Time, owner and pilot, Heber Costello, died when his C-185 crashed during a landing in Louisiana. While on short final he had to avoid a vehicle and hit power lines and crashed.

With overcast and a slight crosswind, new P-51 owner Ken McBride became a P-51 pilot. After lessons from Stu Eberhardt and Dan Martin, McBride gets airborn in his RCAF P-51 Mustang.