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Eaton, Scheil, Vadeboncoeur, Smith, Stubing
by Dick Phillips
via Pima Co. Museum
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Readers' Responses:
Bill Eaton: Dienert's
modified D seated four under the T-33 canopy, according to a blurb and
photo in a 1974-75 Air Classics "Warbird Report." The photo shows the
airplane in a civil scheme with a stripe down the side.
As I said, back in the mid-'70s Air Classics showed a photo of a
4-seater Mustang reported as owned by Canadian warbird collector Bob
Diemert.
Another possible explanation comes from the 1996 Warbirds Worldwide
Directory. This is A68-175, CF-WWH, modified by a Canadian owner
sometime during 1967-71 as a 4-seater using a CF-100 canopy, yet Mr.
Diemert's name is not in the ownership history. Perhaps Diemert
performed the conversion? If this is A68-175, this airplane is now with
Art Vance in Santa Rosa, CA, as N64824.
Note: The WW text also states that the id from A68-175 was transferred
to a composite rebuild using parts from another Mustang recovered from
an Illinois junkyard. The composite was rebuilt at Shafter, CA,
1975-82, and became Vance's "Million Dollar Baby." Art Vance has since
changed the scheme on his Mustang, but I can't remember the new name.
The new scheme is authentic to a specific WWII pilot.
MM.com:
Correct except for the fact that this is not Vance's P-51. The '96 directory uses the
FAA registration for the serial number, but paperwork was switched during the
conversion.
Who is that P-51 now?
Joe Scheil:
This one is tough. Its hard to really say where all the parts went, but this is
now the airframe that makes up "Slender Tender and Tall" N51DT...
Mike Vadeboncoeur:
That is Slender Tender and Tall! You should have heard the Lauderbacks
discussing the extra holes in the longerons when they restored the airplane
for Dick Thurman. I am fairly confident that this is the four place/T33
canopy conversion that Diemert had done.
Tom Smith:
I think this is 44-74950 which today flies as "Slender Tender & Tall"
Kevin Stubing:
Back in early to mid 70s four seat mustang was owned by the late Frank Guzman and based at
Westhampton Airport on Long Island (now Gabreski Airport). Frank said aircraft came from Canada.
I am almost positive this was the Diemert Mustang. It was a real bizarre bird ...four seats in a row.
Flew in it once. The memory (and the hearing loss) will last a lifetime.
Not sure if the canopy was off a T-33... I seem to remember mention of a
Avro CF-100 a short lived Canadian jet fighter. At the time Frank had a T-28
and a Temco Super Pinto TT1 Jet. The Pinto was a fun ride too.
At the time I was also helping out with another Mustang based at Farmingdale
Republic Airport also
on Long Island. This was a stock 51D 201F owned by Sandy Edelman & John Bosco.
They also had a SNJ. I learned to fly a tailwheel in the J bird. Exciting
and nervewracking. I put on a great show for the fence-sitters as I swerved
up and down the runway.
I wrote down the build # from one of the Stangs but I can't remember
which one. It was an Australian bird A68-175fg, I later heard 201F was in a
museum somewhere and the 4 seater was converted to a stock canopy after Frank sold it.
Case Closed!
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