History / Previous Identities:

WWII Vet: Delivered USAAF 11 Nov 44: 8th AF

15 Apr 1945 Delivery to RSwAF as 26015 to F16 wing codes: rM, s15
1952: Sold to Dominican AF as FAD 1904
1984: back to the US (Johnson Aviation)
1987: (Vincent Tirado) - restoration
1990: reg. N51VT (Vincent Tirado)
1996: N51VT (Johnson Aviation) later Bengt Kuller
199?: N51PW - Plane Works Inc. restoration as red noser VF X
1999: Sold to Sal Rubino Jr., flown and put on display at Reno '99
2000: Repainted as 44-63702 "Grim Reaper" of 9th AF
Flown by Capt Lowell K. Brueland, 355th FS, 354th FG, 9th AF.

2000: Finished, days before Oshkosh airshow
Col. Brueland was present for pictures, stories, autographs
2000: September - Col. Brueland was present at Reno for a 354th FG reunion and was able to come to the Reno Air Races on one of the days. He stopped by the P-51 and signed many photographs that were given out to wanting spectators. Again he was very helpful and a delight to be around.
2005: seen at a few airshows on the west coast, still a crowd favorite
2007: raced (stocker) at Reno in September. Curt Brown was the pilot. This P-51 missed the GML in Ohio because of a rough running Merlin just weeks before the trip.
2010: raced (stocker) with Dan Martin at the stick. Ended the week in the Silver!

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