SQUIRL033 Loc: Chehalis, WA

Several people mentioned, in response to my post of an FG-1D Corsair at a local airshow yesterday, that their favorite WWII fighter was the P-51 Mustang. Herewith, for you Mustang fans, is "Upupa Epops", a P-51D-20-NA owned by Paul Allen's Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett, WA. Upupa epops is the latin name for a species of bird informally known as the hoopoe. The pilot of the Mustang during WWII, Harrison Tordoff, was an ornithologist before enlisting, and when he was assigned the aircraft in March of 1945, he submitted the name "upupa epops" just to bug the bureaucrats who were responsible for approving aircraft names at that time. He figured the censors wouldn't know what it was, and therefore couldn't deny it. His assumption proved correct, and he flew the plane with that name for the remainder of the war. This is one of very few currently airworthy P-51s that actually saw combat in WWII...

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http://image.ibb.co/kgFyNk/IMG_7649_crop_sm.jpg

http://image.ibb.co/hnjToQ/IMG_7712_crop_sm.jpg

RonLR

You forgot the BEST part.... VarOOOOOOOOM..

flathead27ford Loc: Colorado, North of Greeley

Very nice series of shots. LOVE WWII planes. Have any P-40s? :-) Cheers.

SQUIRL033 Loc: Chehalis, WA

In fact, I do... the same museum operates a P-40C in AVG markings... dead ringer for one of the original "Flying Tigers" aircraft... will post a couple for you in a bit.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Nice shots!

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

Very, very nice shots of a beautiful airplane!

RickL Loc: Vail, Az

Great photos

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Beautiful shots, Rocky! Interesting info. too!

SQUIRL033 Loc: Chehalis, WA

Thanks, everyone!