North American P-51D Mustang

Jun 3 2010
The Mustang is now on display in Hangar 4.

Jun 3 2010
On display in Hangar 4 after just short of six years of work.

May 24 2010
A full side view of the completed aircraft. The landing gear doors will be installed once it is moved to its final display location in Hangar 4.

May 24 2010
The gun bay doors are open waiting for the installation of the aircraft's armament.

May 24 2010
A close-up view of the aircraft data block, pilot and crew chief names and scoreboard painted under the cockpit.

May 21 2010
Here the masking is starting to be removed after the plane's markings have been painted.

May 18 2010
With the basic painting done the Mustang is being masked for stenciled markings and personalized markings.

May 17 2010
Mustang during the painting of its markings.

Dec 8 2009
The engine mounts have been installed, drilled and triple checked for accuracy.

Dec 1 2009
The Header Tank has been mounted on the engine while it awaits further parts.

Nov 24 2009
The 4 blade prop is complete and wrapped in plastic while it waits for the engine and airframe to be completed.

Nov 17 2009
By the end of the day the prop will be completed and ready to be installed. The blades are being wrapped in plastic to keep the clean until the engine and aircraft ready.

Nov 12 2009
A Volunteer starts the prop assembly process. The prop spinner can be seen in the background.

Nov 11 2009
Three prop blades and the back half of the hub have been laid out prior to starting assembly. We estimate the completed prop will weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds.

Nov 5 2009
A Volunteer applies another coat of yellow to the front of the prop spinner.

Nov 3 2009
A Volunteer has just completed painting the back half of prop spinner.

Oct 29 2009
Two volunteers start the detailing process for the V-12 Merlin engine.

Oct 27 2009
The Merlin engine is ready for detailing prior to instillation in the airframe.

Oct 22 2009
The prop hub nears completion of repairs.

Oct 20 2009
A volunteer works on the prop hub before mounting the blades.

Sep 30 2009
The fillets for the horizontal stabilizer are nearing completion.

Sep 29 2009
An experienced volunteer cleaning parts of the propeller assembly.

Sep 27 2009
Detail components of the cockpit are being installed.

Sep 25 2009
A mold is under construction to fabricate the inner panel on a landing gear door.

Sep 24 2009
A Volunteer sprays a coat of anti glare black on the prop blades

Sep 24 2009
The fillets are being fitted to the joint between the vertical fine and the horizontal stabilizer.

Sep 23 2009
The yellow warning stripe is added to the prop tip.

Sep 23 2009
The radio antenna has been installed in this overhead view of the progress.

Sep 22 2009
The 4 blades get a coat of primer paint after clean up.

Sep 21 2009
A Volunteer is working on cleaning up one of 4 prop blades for the aircraft.

Sep 18 2009
Status of aircraft as of 9/18/09 with new replacement canopy.

Sep 16 2009
The canopy has been installed on the aircraft. Progress is moving at a very nice pace.

Sep 16 2009
Two Volunteers make the final adjustment to the canopy fit.

Sep 15 2009
A Staff member and a Volunteer work on the canopy rail preparing a new canopy for the aircraft.

Sep 2 2009
A staff member is working on one of the more complex inner landing gear doors.

Sep 1 2009
A volunteer is working on installing the right outer landing gear door.

Aug 31 2009
The left outer landing gear door has now been installed.

Aug 27 2009
Almost every week more details are added to the cockpit.

Aug 26 2009
The radio has now been installed in the rear of the cockpit.

Aug 21 2009
A volunteer is installing panels in the forward portion of the canopy.

Aug 20 2009
A casting of the carburetor air intake has been acquired and installed on the nose.

Aug 19 2009
The trim controls are almost ready to be installed in the cockpit.

Aug 7 2009
The weapons arming switches have been completed and are ready to be installed in the cockpit.

Aug 6 2009
A staff member and a Volunteer discuss the approach they will take on fabricating a landing gear door.

Aug 5 2009
One of the two door for the landing gear legs.

Aug 5 2009
You can see the detail the P-51 team is going to with the loading instruction on the inside of the cover to the left gun bay.

Aug 4 2009
A Volunteer starts on salvaging and cleaning parts for the propeller.

Jul 22 2009
A volunteer works to finish details behind the instrument panel.

Jul 22 2009
Cockpit details are progressing with the addition of a newly fabricated throttle quadrant on the left side of the cockpit.

Jul 21 2009
The fuel cell behind the pilot has been installed.

Jul 17 2009
An Oxygen Regulator is being compared with documentation before it starts the refurbishment process.

Jul 10 2009
Overall view of aircraft as on 7-10-09.

Jun 30 2009
Shackles have been installed on both wings.

Jun 30 2009
Flaps have been installed on both wings.

Jun 29 2009
The left wing gun bay is getting closer to completion. Dummy guns are being installed.

Jun 16 2009
A team of Volunteers and Staff hoist the large radiator into place in the rear fuselage. The job went quickly because of true teamwork between the workers.

Apr 22 2009
The P-51D progress as of 05-14-2009

Apr 20 2009
A volunteer installing part of the canopy wind shield frame.

Apr 17 2009
The pilot's seat and armor plate are ready to be installed and are waiting for other cockpit equipment to be installed.

Apr 14 2009
You see a close up of the nearly complete left wing gun bay.

Mar 27 2009
The instrument panel has been installed. Work continues on the controls on both sides of the cockpit.

Mar 18 2009
A Volunteer displays the newly completed instrument panel.

Mar 17 2009
Propeller blades await clean up and paint.

Mar 2 2009
The left side of the engine cowling is progressing.

Feb 5 2009
You can see from the painted name we have been able to salvage parts for the engine cowling from another aircraft.

Feb 4 2009
You see two latches for the ammo bay nearing completion, one original and one PASM fabricated.

Feb 2 2009
You can see the cavity for the Merlin engine taking shape.

Jan 17 2009
The framework for mounting the cowling is proceeding at a good pace.

Jan 16 2009
Detail work on the instrument panel is progressing.

Dec 16 2008
The recently repaired air scoop is installed under the fuselage. This nearly completes the profile view you recognize a P-51 Mustang by.

Dec 2 2008
A volunteer completed the first application of primer paint.

Dec 1 2008
The air scoop is completed and is waiting to be painted.

Nov 6 2008
Repair work is proceeding on a salvaged unique air scoop for the bottom of the fuselage.

Nov 5 2008
A temporary wood floor has been installed to allow team members to work in the cockpit.

Nov 3 2008
Three replica gun breeches yet to be installed.

Sep 3 2008
Three barrels have been test fitted in the right wing.

Sep 2 2008
One of the six replica .50 cal. machine gun that will be install on the museums P-51D.

May 21 2008
Radiator scoop being fabricated.

May 20 2008
A staff member works on one of the wing tips to get the correct shape.

Apr 29 2008
The under side of the engine cowling is being installed after fabrication.

Mar 18 2008
The current P-51 team takes a moment for a class photo.

Mar 12 2008
Tail wheel, canopy, dog house, rudder and wind screen have been fitted.

Mar 10 2008
A tail wheel has been installed and more details on securing the dog house to the airframe have been completed.

Mar 8 2008
One last coat of paint and the rudder is off to Hangar 5/Area 51 for installation on the aircraft.

Mar 6 2008
The team leader for the fabric shop inspects the P-51 rudder. It will soon be turned over the P-51 team for installation.

Feb 25 2008
In the photo you see the forward portion of the fairing for the right side of the horizontal stabilizer.

Feb 25 2008
The vents for the air after it has passed through the cooling system can clearly be seen in this picture along with the back half of the right horizontal stabilizer.

Feb 7 2008
A staff member is inside the doghouse (where the radiator is located) attaching it to the fuselage. You will also notice the tail landing gear (less the wheel) has been mounted.

Feb 5 2008
Our P-51 airframe is back home in Hangar 5 with fuselage and wings attached. Check back frequently to see the progress.

Feb 5 2008
After having wings and fuselage bolted together its starts its journey back to Hangar 5.

Feb 4 2008
You see the fuselage and wings were successfully bolted together while team members double check the results. The aircraft will now be moved back to Hangar 5 (Area P-51) for assembly and fabrication to continue.

Feb 4 2008
The fuselage and wing for the P-51 has been moved to the main Restoration Hangar where there is more room to work using a crane to assist in the joining of these two assemblies.

Jan 30 2008
In this picture you can see 3 of the 4 mounting fixtures to connect the wing to the fuselage.

Jan 29 2008
Final details are being completed on the center portion of the wing by a volunteer.

Jan 24 2008
A staff member and a volunteer are working on fitting a leading edge piece inboard of the gun ports on the left wing.

Jan 24 2008
In this photo you can see 3 of the many steps in making molds for pressing the wing tips from aluminum. This part is more wood working than metal working.

Jan 17 2008
The lead staff member on the P-51 project work on the careful fitting and cutting of leading gun port for the left wing.

Jan 15 2008
You can see one of the leading edge gun port covers prior to instillation on the right wing.

Jan 10 2008
A different view of the dog house after some minor change.

Dec 8 2007
Fabric covering is being applied to the rudder.

Oct 30 2007
A staff member and a volunteer inspect the "Dog House", the air scoop under the center of the fuselage. This part has had a difficult fabrication process.

Aug 15 2007
As you watch the wing take shape you realize the complexity of aircraft construction.

Apr 10 2007
You can see some of the internal structure of the right wing as it is being assembled by a staff member.

May 3 2006
The fuselage and tail have reached the point that the project can be recognized as a P-51 Mustang.

Oct 5 2004
The project has moved to its own Hangar 5 because of the large number of parts involved and sub-assemblies to be built up over an extended period of time.

Oct 1 2004
Shortly after the project started one of the Volunteers had two Commemorative Coins struck for members of the Project Team.

Sep 30 2004
A Merlin engine is being prepared for the P-51 project.

Aug 5 2004
This photo is of the center fuselage section two months after the start of the project