Home › Forums › Explore Subjects › Aviation Art › The Galloping Ghost
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Yorky Administrator Ormskirk.
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June 22, 2019 at 12:38 pm #474793
The Galloping Ghost was the fastest and most modified P51 in the world. During the 2011 Reno air races the plane reached 530 mph during the race. The P51 was modified beyond safe for speed. Losing a trim tab the plane pitched up violently putting the pilot under 17 G’s of force. After a vertical climb the plane rolled over and hit the ground vertically at over 400 mph, killing 10 spectators and the pilot, Jimmy Leeward. The accident brought about new safety rules for the aircraft at Reno.
June 23, 2019 at 7:21 am #844698A very sad end all round. To me that aircraft was so modified it almost ceased to be a P51 .
June 23, 2019 at 3:32 pm #844697If you look at the photos of it during the race you can see the fuselage oil canning, and the canopy wasn’t fitting right. I think they found that removing the radiators structurally weakened the aircraft.
June 24, 2019 at 6:10 am #844696Wow! and Ouch! are all I can say .
July 14, 2019 at 9:29 am #844699Wonderful tribute to this machine and pilot. It was a sad ending. Recently another Mustang has set the current record; P-51 Voodoo. Modified F8F Rare Bear held the record for a long time. There is talk about rare Bear making an attempt to get the record back but the airplane has not flown in a number of years.
Website: Mark Karvon Art Studios
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