Silberpfeil 363 Posted February 27, 2019 Just a little too pricey for me, but for some of the CA high-rollers, the link below takes you to a website advertising "possibly the last unrestored P-51D" (former Guatemalan AF) along with many spares including twenty Merlin powerplants. Lots of detailed pix of aircraft and spares: https://www.platinumfighters.com/p-51d-n38227 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fallenphoenix1986 603 Posted February 28, 2019 (edited) Sod the P-51... I'll take the F-4 https://www.platinumfighters.com/phantom2 Pretty interesting collection they have there. Edited February 28, 2019 by fallenphoenix1986 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+streakeagle 867 Posted February 28, 2019 (edited) I doubt I will ever be able to afford either one, but that F-4 is pretty special. Look at the nose. It is a version prior to the F-4B, most likely designated as an F-4A in later documents. It looks like the front windshield has been replaced by the single-piece version used on a handful of F-4Es, F-4Gs, and RF-4Cs. That would be a sweet ride if restored to flying condition... but it is a hard wing that will bite you at high AoA. Edited February 28, 2019 by streakeagle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
one4five 26 Posted February 28, 2019 the P-51 and the F-4 are iconic, the P-51 seems better investment Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fallenphoenix1986 603 Posted February 28, 2019 16 hours ago, streakeagle said: I doubt I will ever be able to afford either one, but that F-4 is pretty special. Look at the nose. It is a version prior to the F-4B, most likely designated as an F-4A in later documents. It looks like the front windshield has been replaced by the single-piece version used on a handful of F-4Es, F-4Gs, and RF-4Cs. That would be a sweet ride if restored to flying condition... but it is a hard wing that will bite you at high AoA. Hadn't noticed but looks like you're right about the windshld. Bit odd for a restoration, would have thought the three piece would have been easier to find and more accurate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+streakeagle 867 Posted March 1, 2019 (edited) In comparison to the F-4, P-51s are a dime a dozen. I see two P-51s flying near my work place almost every day giving paid rides. The Collings Foundation F-4D Phantom is the only privately owned operational F-4 in the world to my knowledge. I think Congress had to approve its sale. It would be an absolute treasure to get this F4H-1F/F-4A fully restored and flying the airshow circuit. There are plenty of F-4s at museums (including this limited production early prototype), having something like this touring the country and/or world for public airshows would be awesome. When I got out o the Navy, I went to the Mac Dill AFB open house airshow nearly every year until I got married (and went to a couple more after my son was old enough). For me, the star of the flight demonstrations was the F-104 team with their awesome J-79 jet engines, which have a distinctive sound compared to all the more modern turbofan engines. It reminded me of my childhood airshows at Mac Dill with F-4s, which sound even better with twin J-79s :) Don't get me wrong, I love the P-51 Mustang. But they are fairly common compared to the F-4 unless you happen to live in one of the countries still operating F-4E variants. As for the one-piece front windshield, it was developed to increase resistance to bird strikes and also increased forward visibility. I would think it would be hard to get one, but maybe modern manufacturing techniques made it cheap to make a new one or they recovered a spare from one of the very few upgraded F-4s? As a safety upgrade with its much greater strength and much better forward view, I don't mind considering the goal was to make this aircraft flyable. Edited March 1, 2019 by streakeagle 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites