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The North American P-51 Mustang
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P-51 Who?   Case # 37
44-72483     N151DM     Closed
Solved by: Jim Church, Mike Luchessi, Mike Meek
P-51 Who 37
Case#: 37
Date: Mar 01 2000
By: Curtis Fowles
Photo: Watsonville, 1980
Status: Closed
Serial: 44-72483
Registry: N151DM
P-51 Who? Viewer Responses
Jim Church
03/19/2000 18:02
I'm pretty sure your photo shows Dan Martin's 'Ridge Runner,' previous to its Reno '82 incident. Now painted as 'Ridge Runner III,' and sporting a cuffed Hamilton Standard prop following repairs. Previous to this, as your photo shows, it had a broad chord Aeroproducts prop, although I don't recall ever seeing the red/white prop tip markings on it before. If it is Martin's ship, it would be P-51D-20-NT, N151DM, s/n 44-13250 with the c/n being 111-36533.
MustangsMustangs
03/20/2000 12:00
That's correct Jim, but Dan's P-51 is not 44-13250 like the FAA has on file. It is 44-72483. After return from down south, 44-72483 was already registered by another P-51. The prop is certainly a different look.
MM.com
Mike Luchessi
03/21/2000 20:46
Okay, Curtis, one more. If I'm not mistaken, this is an early shot of Dan Martin's "Ridge Runner III"! Propeller appears to be an Aeroproducts from an "H" model Mustang, and I believe Dan used to run one prior to his accident at Reno '82.
MustangsMustangs
04/11/2000 12:00
Actually, Mike Meek points out, and was confirmed by Dan Martin, that the prop was off of a P-63F. The blades were about 7" longer than standard slowing the Ridge Runner III down about 10 mph. This dates the photo to 1979. Dan also noted that the best prop he has used over the years was from a P-51H.
Case Closed!
P-51 Mustang

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