mantz

North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang 44-10947 "...SOC at Searcy Field, Stillwater, OK. Sold by War Assets Corp to Paul Mantz Feb 19, 1946 as NCX1202. Won 1946 and 1947 Bendix trophy races, placed second in 1948 Bendix trophy race. Registered as NC1202, placed 3rd in 1949 Bendix trophy race. Set coast to coast speed records in both directions in 1947. Purchased by Charles Blair and prepared for round the world record attempt as Excalibur III. Attempt pre-empted by Korean War. Set record New York-London time of 7 hr 48 min Jan 31, 1951, which still stands for piston-engined aircraft. First trans-polar flight from Norway to Fairbanks, AK May 29, 1951, winning Harmon Trophy. Now with Air and Space Museum as Excalibur III. Reported in 1990 as on display in Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA" - J. Baugher

grace!

Shot after 1948, when the simple "N" registration prefix replaced NC, NL, NR, NX - this is the same bird that Jimmy Doolittle used to operate in Shell Oil colors...

In the foreground of this photo is Ryan B-1 Brougham, NC7212 (c/n 159), one of a handful of Broughams rebuilt as "Spirit of St. Louis" replicas by Paul Mantz for the 1955 Billy Wilder directed film "The Spirit of St. Louis," starring Jimmy Stewart. The aircraft was also flown by Charles Lindbergh. The aircraft is currently is on exhibit in its "Spirit of St. Louis" guise at the Cradle of Aviation Museum at Mitchel Field on Long Island.