p51c10nt

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

Beautiful...lindo.

In 1953 - Repainted and sponsored by NBC to fly the film reels of the UK Coronation Coverage. The film would be flown from UK to Goose Bay, Labrador by a Canberra jet bomber. From there, the networks would have to get the film to Boston. The reels needed to get back to the NBC headquarters to be aired asap. CBS, not to be outdone, hired Joe DeBona to fly their reels back in P-51 N5528N. ABC? tried to beat everyone by hiring a Canberra, who's pilot scratched the flight for political reasons. The two P-51s raced and it is rep. that CBS won the flying race, but was not first with the coverage. NBC convinced ABC to share its feed from CBC and both networks aired before CBS. Credit and full history at : www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/42-103831