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The North American P-51 Mustang
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P-51 Mustang Survivors
45-11381 N51CY
Oklahoma P-47 LLC,
P-51 Survivor 45-11381 N51CY
Status: Stored Wreckage - 01
NAA Type: P-51D-30NT
Serial #: 45-11381
Registry: N51CY
.. past:   N5471V
  C-GRLR
  N151MR
  N551CB
  P-51 Mustangs Survivors  
History: 45-11381 N51CY
1959: N5471V, Trans Florida Aviation
1963: N5471V, Vulcan Engineering Co Inc, Little Rock AR
1970: N5471V, Jack Huismann / Mustang Corp, civi-paint: red bottom, white top, with black stripe
From Tom Huismann:
This P-51 was owned by my father, Jack. He originally purchased the airplane with two other pilots, each put up $5000. The airplane was based at the Waukesha County airport. A short time later, dad bought the other two pilots out. In 1971, after an extensive overhaul with the help of ex-Wisconsin Air Guard P-51 mechanics, my father repainted 71V in the colors of William Shomo's "The Flying Undertaker."

Due to financial problems, my dad had to sell the Undertaker in 1974. Selling price at that time was $54,000. Not a bad profit from the original $15,000, however, I wish we could have kept it. I was lucky to get many flights in the airplane, but I wish that it could have remained in my family long enough so I would have gotten a chance to fly it.

1974: N5471V, sold as "The Flying Undertaker"
1978: N5471V, Ed Browning / Brownings Inc, Roberts ID
1981: Jun 6, N5471V, crashed near Casper WY
1983: N5471V, rebuilt as "Flying Undertaker" #66
1983: Jul/Aug, N5471V, EAA Oshkosh as N5471V
1983: Sep, C-GRLR, Ritchie Rasmussen
1985: Jul/Aug N151MR, EAA Oshkosh as "Snooks 5th"
1985: Apr 16, N151MR, Mickey Rupp, Port Salerno FL
1985: Sep, N551CB, Connie Bowlin, Griffin GA
1990: Jul 10, N551CB, Gary Honbarrier, High Point NC, "Glamorous Glen III"

2001: 6th September "Glamorous Glen III Crashed":
45-11381, N551CB, owned by Gary Honbarrier was being flown by Jeff Michael (owner of 44-74936 "Obsession") on Thursday, 6th September, when the P-51 had cooling problems and lost power. After being vectored by ATC to the nearest airport, the engine totally quit, sending them (Jeff and Butch Cauble) through the cloud deck. They came out at about 1200'agl and the plane was clear so they jumped! They are lucky to be alive from a very low altitude jump.

The P-51 was on its way from Salisbury to Springfield, Ohio for a private 357th FG reunion. They filed an IFR flight plan (we don't know if they were in any actual IFR conditions except for the emergency descent). The Charlotte tower received a radio call saying they had engine overheating trouble. They were then vectored to Lincoln County Regional Airport (IPJ). They couldn't make it after losing all power, going down six miles east of the airport, at 11:20AM.

Not all warbird pilots wear parachutes when just flying around, but many do when going cross-country. In this case, being able to parachute to safety was certainly the difference between life and death.

We are very glad to hear that Mr. Michael made it out safe and so did Butch Cauble. The P-51 was destroyed in the crash as a fire started on impact. Both the pilot and the passenger did a heck of a job getting out and getting their chutes opened in just enough time for a "safe" landing. Michael was stuck in a tree for a while and Cauble was taken to a medical center with injuries.
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2006: Nov 29, N51CY, Jack Roush, Livornia MI
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2019: Oct 16, N51CY, Oklahoma P-47 LLC, Oklahoma City OK

The Last of the Wild Horses

P-51 Survivors book featuring images from Dick Phillips and John Dienst, with Mark Phillips. To order, goto The Last of the Wild Horses. You can order online. Price is $100 for pages and pages of P-51 Survivor history and photos. Over 2,500 photos! The late Dick Phillips shared hundreds of his P-51 images with us at MustangsMustangs over the last 25 years. If you can, help support his life-long passion. I recently ordered my copy.

Thank you!
Curtis Fowles, MustangsMustangs

28 Images of   45-11381   N51CY   on file
Images of   45-11381
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Image Credits:
  Bill Green    
  Steve Williams   Airliners.net  
  Gary Maisack   Gary Maisack  
  Emil Strasser   courtesy Warbird Aero Press  
  Sid Roberts via Chris Luvara   Stick and Rudder Photo  
  Glenn Chatfield    
  Skywolf    
  Bob Flaherty    
  Floyd Fowles    
  Brian Silcox    
  Alastair McBean    
  Paul Nann   PaulNann.com  
  Curtis Fowles   MustangsMustangs  
  Mark Kallio    
  Bill Scheuerman    
  Tom Hildreth   Tom's GML Page  
  John H. Harris II    
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