$2200 for .5 in a P-51 ... eeeyouch!

Let me have the controls and I'd do it!
 
Money to burn.......literally!!! What's that.....about 2x operation cost?
 
I'd do it but I'd much rather fly one by myself.
 
Money to burn.......literally!!! What's that.....about 2x operation cost?

Probably, but you have to figure acquisition cost in there somewhere. I remember reading a while back that they were fairly inexpensive in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Prices went up a lot in the 90s. And exponentially just in the last 15 years.
 
Rather fly a D model with the bubble canopy. When I say fly I mean me. :eek:)
 
I only charge $1100 for .5 in a Pitts Model 12 :)
Half price and more fun..... Ha Ha
 
If I'm the one flying, sure, if I'm just getting a ride then no.
 
My great uncle brought his P-51 home from WWII, he sold it in 1974 IIRC, he said it was costing him $500hr to fly back then...
 
Got any photos, a registration or serial number on that P-51 he "brought home?" Did he have a warehouse full of jeeps in a crate too?


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
 
Got any photos, a registration or serial number on that P-51 he "brought home?" Did he have a warehouse full of jeeps in a crate too?


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4

No, I'm gonna try to get the S/N next time I see him and try to track it down if it's till flying. No no jeeps lol. At the end of the war they gave them the option to keep the planes for $1500 IIRC. I saw it once when I was a kid, but by the next visit he had sold it.
 
The Mrs. and I are in the queue for a ride in the B-24.

They need four more for a total of six or it's no go....

We've been up in the CAF B-17. Now we want to ride in the B-24 because her Dad and mine both were in them bombing the **** out of the Germans and Japs. Umerca! **** Yeah! :rockon:


 
My great uncle brought his P-51 home from WWII, he sold it in 1974 IIRC, he said it was costing him $500hr to fly back then...

My old man said they were selling a whole lot of former Guard P-51's (or I guess F-51's) when he was pretty new in the service.....late 1950's timeframe. Apparently selling for about $500 apiece. The guy has always been pretty frugal and of course did not buy, nor did he agree to invest in what would become Nike when he was at UofO a few years later and a young Phil Knight was pedaling for investors.
 
$2,200 is a small price to pay to fly a piece of WWII history. Only two of us went up the whole day when they came to my town. Ironically both of us retired Army Aviators. Oh yeah, I got to log .8 as well because the B-17 held us up coming back to the field.
 

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Money to burn.......literally!!! What's that.....about 2x operation cost?
It might be double or more the operating cost, but the important factor is how many hours will someone pay for at that rate in order to generate a return that will pay for acquisition costs and fixed costs. I would be surprised if this actually returns a positive ROI.
 
If Max Chapman still owns and flies it.. He is FAR from suffering financailly, he just loves to share WW2 Birds........
You should have seen his pristene Corsair .....
 
1965, york penna. Airport. Olive drab canadian surplus d model. Flown by ibm private contract repairman. Said he Flew all over east of Mississippi. He carried big tool box, dressed in coveralls. Did not look like he had a lot of dough but maybe he did. Gun ports taped shut, faded paint. Hard to imagine it cost five hundred an hour back then . For instance , gas was dirt cheap as was oil. At this juncture of history, it probably had pretty low time. Quite a few around back then. He said other than tendency to go off the runway due to torque on takeoff, (had to use half throttle or so until he was off the ground, ) it was not hard to fly.
 
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