Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Stalwarts of World War 2 (WW2) era United States and Allied air power, a P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt displaying together at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford during the Duxford Fling Finale 2024.
Fighter Aviation Engineering's Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, 'Nellie B', G-THUN, is operated by Air Leasing and flown here by Mark Levy.
It was built in 1945 at Republic’s Evansville factory, Indiana, as serial No. 45-49192 and served with the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Training Command during the last few months of WW2.
In 1953 it was one of a group of P47’s sent to the Peruvian Air Force. It was given the Peruvian Air Force serial 119 and served there until 1967. The aviation historian and enthusiast Ed Jurist recovered this and 5 other P-47s to the USA, with over 45 tons of spares.
All six were made airworthy and operated by the Confederate Air Force (CAF) from Harlingen.
In April 1975, Ed Jurist sold his aircraft,a Mosquito, Mustang, Spitfire and six P47s to David Tallichet.
This P-47 was delivered to the Kansas Wing of the YAF, in February 1977. In January 1980, it was sold to Robin Collard, in Texas, but it crashed during take off during its delivery flight due to engine failure. In June 1980 its remains, another fuselage and parts, were sold to Jon Ward in Nevada. In 1984 the project was sold to Ward’s friend, Jim Kirby, who in turn sold it to The Fighter Collection at Duxford, UK. The 2nd project fuselage was sold to the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, for completion of the static P-47D now located in the American Air Museum, Duxford.
This one was sent to Steve Hinton’s Fighter Rebuilders, Chino, California. It flew again in August 1985, and appeared as 'No Guts, No Glory', and arrivied at The Fighter Collection on 22nd of January 1986. It was sold to Claire Aviation Inc and went back to USA on 01/3/2007.
In early 2018 it was sold to Fighter Aviation Engineering in the UK and now wears the markings of 'Nellie B', the aircraft of Lt. Col. James K.Johnson, Commanding Officer of the 48th Fighter Wing, whilst the Wing were based in Belgium and Germany between October 1944 and June 1945. The aircraft was assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron (The Mad Hatters) - one of 3 Fighter Squadrons with the 48th Fighter Wing.
Fighter Aviation Engineering's Mustang, 'Jersey Jerk', G-JERK is flown here by Dave Puleston. It's a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) machine constructed by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. It was restored by Ed Field in Australia and had its first post restoration flight on 24 January 2002.
It was a composite restoration project purchased from USA as a Mustang airframe parts collection with sections and parts from different aircraft. In 1997 it was added to the Australian Civil Register as VH-MFT and identified as a CAC CA-18 Mustang Mk.21c/n 1435. CA-18 c/n 1435 was RAAF Mustang A68-110, damaged in a taxying accident at RAAF East Sale on 19 July 1955, and transported by road to RAAF Tocumwal, New South Wales. It was authorised for disposal on 6 February 1957 as a stripped airframe shell and sold for scrap to R.H.Grant Trading Co, carrying out large scale scrapping on the airfield at RAAF Tocumwal. Parts, perhaps the whole airframe shell, found their way to Florida, USA and were included in the project purchased by Ed Field.
On 19 March 1999 ownership changed to Warplanes Pty Ltd at Caboolture, with Ed Field continuing as the operator.
The resulting aircraft, with twin seats and dual controls, had its first post restoration flight at Caboolture on 24 January 2002. It was painted up as ex RAAF airframe A68-769/FA, named 'Snifter' and included a stencilled USAAF data block under the cockpit as "P-51-D-25-NT 44-84502", which corresponded with the original 'Snifter' airframe. It remained at Caboolture, Queensland, Australia until sold to Fighter Aviation Engineering,UK in 2023. It arrived at Sywell, UK in November 2023 and was put into this new colour scheme by Air Leasing who maintain and operate the aircraft on behalf of Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd.
The Mustang's new paint scheme represents the mount of Major Donald A. Strait, the commanding officer of the United States Army Air Force's (USAAF) 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk during 1944. Mustang 44-15152 QI-T was christened 'Jersey Jerk' in reference to the state he grew up in, and after the name he had originally wanted - 'Jersey Bounce' - had already been taken by another pilot. He was originally opposed to the word "jerk" in the name, but changed his mind when his crew chief said to him, "Sir, let me tell you why we want to name it that. Any guy that would take off in a single engine airplane, cross the North Sea in the winter time and take a chance of getting his ass shot off by the Luftwaffe or by anti-aircraft fire, has got to be a jerk!"
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
Stalwarts of World War 2 (WW2) era United States and Allied air power, a P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt displaying together at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford during the Duxford Fling Finale 2024.
Fighter Aviation Engineering's Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, 'Nellie B', G-THUN, is operated by Air Leasing and flown here by Mark Levy.
It was built in 1945 at Republic’s Evansville factory, Indiana, as serial No. 45-49192 and served with the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Training Command during the last few months of WW2.
In 1953 it was one of a group of P47’s sent to the Peruvian Air Force. It was given the Peruvian Air Force serial 119 and served there until 1967. The aviation historian and enthusiast Ed Jurist recovered this and 5 other P-47s to the USA, with over 45 tons of spares.
All six were made airworthy and operated by the Confederate Air Force (CAF) from Harlingen.
In April 1975, Ed Jurist sold his aircraft,a Mosquito, Mustang, Spitfire and six P47s to David Tallichet.
This P-47 was delivered to the Kansas Wing of the YAF, in February 1977. In January 1980, it was sold to Robin Collard, in Texas, but it crashed during take off during its delivery flight due to engine failure. In June 1980 its remains, another fuselage and parts, were sold to Jon Ward in Nevada. In 1984 the project was sold to Ward’s friend, Jim Kirby, who in turn sold it to The Fighter Collection at Duxford, UK. The 2nd project fuselage was sold to the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, for completion of the static P-47D now located in the American Air Museum, Duxford.
This one was sent to Steve Hinton’s Fighter Rebuilders, Chino, California. It flew again in August 1985, and appeared as 'No Guts, No Glory', and arrivied at The Fighter Collection on 22nd of January 1986. It was sold to Claire Aviation Inc and went back to USA on 01/3/2007.
In early 2018 it was sold to Fighter Aviation Engineering in the UK and now wears the markings of 'Nellie B', the aircraft of Lt. Col. James K.Johnson, Commanding Officer of the 48th Fighter Wing, whilst the Wing were based in Belgium and Germany between October 1944 and June 1945. The aircraft was assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron (The Mad Hatters) - one of 3 Fighter Squadrons with the 48th Fighter Wing.
Fighter Aviation Engineering's Mustang, 'Jersey Jerk', G-JERK is flown here by Dave Puleston. It's a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) machine constructed by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. It was restored by Ed Field in Australia and had its first post restoration flight on 24 January 2002.
It was a composite restoration project purchased from USA as a Mustang airframe parts collection with sections and parts from different aircraft. In 1997 it was added to the Australian Civil Register as VH-MFT and identified as a CAC CA-18 Mustang Mk.21c/n 1435. CA-18 c/n 1435 was RAAF Mustang A68-110, damaged in a taxying accident at RAAF East Sale on 19 July 1955, and transported by road to RAAF Tocumwal, New South Wales. It was authorised for disposal on 6 February 1957 as a stripped airframe shell and sold for scrap to R.H.Grant Trading Co, carrying out large scale scrapping on the airfield at RAAF Tocumwal. Parts, perhaps the whole airframe shell, found their way to Florida, USA and were included in the project purchased by Ed Field.
On 19 March 1999 ownership changed to Warplanes Pty Ltd at Caboolture, with Ed Field continuing as the operator.
The resulting aircraft, with twin seats and dual controls, had its first post restoration flight at Caboolture on 24 January 2002. It was painted up as ex RAAF airframe A68-769/FA, named 'Snifter' and included a stencilled USAAF data block under the cockpit as "P-51-D-25-NT 44-84502", which corresponded with the original 'Snifter' airframe. It remained at Caboolture, Queensland, Australia until sold to Fighter Aviation Engineering,UK in 2023. It arrived at Sywell, UK in November 2023 and was put into this new colour scheme by Air Leasing who maintain and operate the aircraft on behalf of Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd.
The Mustang's new paint scheme represents the mount of Major Donald A. Strait, the commanding officer of the United States Army Air Force's (USAAF) 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk during 1944. Mustang 44-15152 QI-T was christened 'Jersey Jerk' in reference to the state he grew up in, and after the name he had originally wanted - 'Jersey Bounce' - had already been taken by another pilot. He was originally opposed to the word "jerk" in the name, but changed his mind when his crew chief said to him, "Sir, let me tell you why we want to name it that. Any guy that would take off in a single engine airplane, cross the North Sea in the winter time and take a chance of getting his ass shot off by the Luftwaffe or by anti-aircraft fire, has got to be a jerk!"
This Video and Audio content is
Copyright © StephenKeeler (HightFlight/SkyHighFlightTV) All Rights Reserved
