Readers' Responses:
Thanks Again! to Jim Church for this information.
I would like to solve who's P-51 "case 14," if I may............ Your
picture shows the late Bill Clark's P-51D-30-NT, N51WB, "Dolly." The
serial for this a/c has been quoted as 44-74690 (but this is questionable, it
has also been quoted as 44-11153, as well as 45-11559!), and it had served in
the El Salvadorian Air Force. In El Salvadorian service, it carried the serial
FAS 409, and upon return to the U.S., it was initially registered as NL34FF.
Previous to it going to El Salvador, it wore the U.S. civil registrations
N5469V, and N6451D. In March 1998, while en-rout to the Valiant Air Command air
show in Florida, Clark was killed in N51WB after he failed to emerge from
clouds following take off. His friend, Bob Byrne flying "Rascal"
(44-74774) took off with him, but emerged from the clouds alone. After this
photo was taken, Clark had "Dolly" rebuilt by LyCon Aviation, here in
Michigan, and emerged in a new paint scheme representing, but not completely
matching, the mount of 339th Fighter Group ace Colonel Bill Clark (no
relation). Colonel Clark's World War Two aircraft was called "Happy
IV," but the restoration continued to carry the name "Dolly."
Case Closed!
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