P-51 Restoration Photos
The Warbird Heritage Foundation began a project to restore the North American P-51D Mustang, SerialNo 44-72086, to airwworthy condition in December of 2008. The aircraft had been in storage since 1996 when we took delivery. You can follow along with the restoration activities above. The restoration project was completed, and the aircraft made it's first post-restoration flight on July 8, 2011.
Explore the photos of the P-51 restoration on this page by clicking the play arrow, or click on the square in the upper right hand corner to go to full screen. Once on the page, click play. To return to this page, click upper right hand button again. In full screen mode, you can double click the image to get a close-up view.
Restoration - Part 1
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The Foundation P-51D Mustang, S/N 44-72086, as it looked when we took delivery in December of 2008.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
A closeup of the Packard "Rolls Royce" Merlin V-1650-7 Engine.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Sections of the left wing opened up for inspection.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
View of front cockpit left side.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Front cockpit instrument panel.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Front cockpit right side.
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The Foundation P-51D as it is being disassembled for shipment to Tab-Air in East Troy, WI, for restoration work (6/26/2009).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
The Foundation P-51D as it is being disassembled for shipment to Tab-Air in East Troy, WI, for restoration work (6/26/2009).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
The Foundation P-51D as it is being disassembled for shipment to Tab-Air in East Troy, WI, for restoration work (6/26/2009).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
Wing disassembly work in progress at Aero Trader in Chino, CA (1/15/2010).
Photo by Carl Scholl -
Wing disassembly work in progress at Aero Trader in Chino, CA (1/15/2010).
Photo by Carl Scholl -
Wing reassembly work in progress at Aero Trader in Chino, CA (2/17/2010).
Photo by Carl Scholl -
Wing reassembly work in progress at Aero Trader in Chino, CA (6/15/2010).
Photo by Carl Scholl -
Fuselage at Tab-Air (8/3/2010).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Fuselage at Tab-Air (8/3/2010).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Wings, after restoration work completed, at Tab-Air (8/13/2010).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Wings, after restoration work completed, at Tab-Air (8/13/2010).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
Wings, after restoration work completed, at Tab-Air (8/13/2010).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The fuselage being mated with the re-built wings, at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The aircraft with the wings and landing gear attached to the fuselage, rolls out of the hangar at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt
Restoration - Part 3
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At Tab-Air (3/22/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (3/22/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (3/22/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (3/22/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (3/22/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (4/13/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (4/13/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (4/13/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (4/13/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (4/21/2011).
Photo by Paul Wood -
At Tab-Air (4/21/2011).
Photo by Paul Wood -
At Tab-Air (4/21/2011).
Photo by Paul Wood -
At Tab-Air (4/21/2011).
Photo by Paul Wood -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty
Restoration - Part 2
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The aircraft with the wings and landing gear attached to the fuselage, rolls out of the hangar at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The view with the main cockpit control panel removed, at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The rear cockpit control panel, at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The view behind the cockpit firewall, at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The 3 .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the right wing, at Tab-Air (2/8/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The newly refurbished Packard "Rolls Royce" Merlin V-1650-7 Engine at Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The newly refurbished Packard "Rolls Royce" Merlin V-1650-7 Engine at Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The newly refurbished Packard "Rolls Royce" Merlin V-1650-7 Engine at Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
At Tab-Air (2/25/2011).
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The Rolls-Royce engine, back from Vintage V-12's, installed in the aircraft - at Tab-Air (3/22/2011)
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The Rolls-Royce engine, back from Vintage V-12's, installed in the aircraft - at Tab-Air (3/22/2011)
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The Rolls-Royce engine, back from Vintage V-12's, installed in the aircraft - at Tab-Air (3/22/2011)
Photo by David Staffeldt -
The Rolls-Royce engine, back from Vintage V-12's, installed in the aircraft - at Tab-Air (3/22/2011)
Photo by David Staffeldt
Restoration - Part 4
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At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
At Tab-Air (5/20/2011).
Photo by Sean Roarty -
Preparing for an engine test run - At Tab-Air (6/17/2011).
Photo by Paul R. Wood -
Side artwork on Foundation P-51D Mustang - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011.
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
Pilot Vlado Lenoch prepares to climb aboard for the first of two test flights of the Foundation P-51D Mustang - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
Paul Wood discusses P-51 instrumentation with pilot Vlado Lenoch - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
Pilot Vlado Lenoch waves as he prepares to taxi for takeoff - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang takes to the air for it's first post-restoration flight - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang takes to the air for it's first post-restoration flight - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang makes a high speed low pass during it's second test flight - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang makes a high speed low pass during it's second test flight - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang makes a high speed low pass during it's second test flight - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang short final with gear down - At Tab-Air(7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang about to touch down - At Tab-Air(7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang rolls out after two successful test flights - At Tab-Air (7/8/2011).
Photo by Rob Edgcumbe -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang parked on the WHF ramp after it's flight home from Tab-Air (7/20/2011).
Photo by Mark M. Suchecki -
The Foundation P-51D Mustang, it's restoration work now completed, parked in the hanger with the other WHF aircraft (7/20/2011).
Photo by Mark M. Suchecki
