WWII warbird at Tehachapi Airport

Mark LaCiura

P-51A Mustang taxing at Tehachapi Airport.

By luck, I ran into a pilot friend driving near Tehachapi Airport. In talking with him he asked me if I saw the P-51 at the airport. I said no. So, he was happy to take me out to the hangar where people from Vintage V-12 were working on the ship. Vintage V-12 is a locally based engine maker for the P-51 warbird power plant.

This North American P-51A Mustang with registration number "N 51Z" is a special bird. It's made of parts from a "D" model and "A" version P-51 World War II fighter, bomber and escort aircraft. Some folks call this P-51A a replica because parts from aircraft 43-6003 were used, as well as the wings from a P-51 D model. The original name on this P-51A warbird was "Polar Bear."

This P-51A Mustang was delivered to the Army Air Corps at Ladd Field in Fairbanks, Alaska in May 1943. In February of 1944 the ship crashed near Summit, Alaska. The pilot did not survive. In 1977, the wreckage was recovered and then restored in Ohio. It was an 8-year labor of love. The first flight after this restoration was July 3, 1985.

In 2005, this P-51 was raced at the Reno Air Races and did laps around 300 MPH.

I found out this Mustang completed an immaculate newer restoration in August of 2017. For me it's a always treat to see and hear these historical warbird's fly. We are very lucky here in Tehachapi that we get to see these P-51 Mustangs from time to time.

For more information about this P-51 Mustang go to http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/.