CAC Mustang CA-17 Mk20 ex RAAF A68-39

Mustang A68-39 VH-BOY as it exists today in the USA

Warbirds Online continues our series on surviving CAC built Mustangs with CAC CA-17 Mk20, C/N 1364 Ex RAAF A68-39. This aircraft was constructed at Fisherman’s Bend Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and delivered to the 1 Air Depot (AD) RAAF Laverton on the 3rd March 1945. However, as the war had ended the aircraft was placed into storage and eventually issued to RAAF Ballarat VIC Air Gunnery School as on the 6th of August 1947 and remained there until it was advertised for disposals by Defence Disposals as a complete airframe on the 4th of December 1953.

In 1954, the aircraft was sold to Wilmore Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Moorabbin VIC for the princely sum of 206 pounds, a lot of money in those days but not for such an unused and pristine aircraft. The next mention of the aircraft was on the 12th of October 1959 when the Mustang passed on to Fawcett Aviation/ Illawarra Flying School located at Sydney’s Bankstown airport NSW where, registered as VH-BOY. It was utilized as a target-towing aircraft on contract to the RAAF and other Australian Forces and the Mustang had a full career in this role, fitted with a rear facing passenger seat and a wind driven winch. However, on the 5th of June 1976 it ran off the end of the runway at Bankstown and required a rebuild.

: Mustang A68-39

: Two alternate canopies

: After an aborted takeoff

: In pseudo RAAF markings

The aircraft returned to service, in 1978 the Mustang was sold to Doug Arnold owner of Fairoaks Aviation Services also trading as Warbirds of Great Britain Ltd, Blackbushe UK. The sale to Arnold along with several other Warbirds including a Me 109 and an Mk XIII Spitfire did not proceed for complex legal reasons related to export permits and the aircraft was again sold to Gordon W. Plaskett, of King City California (CA) USA in 1980.

Upon arrival in America the aircraft remained with Plaskett in storage until it was sold on to Bill Destafani of Flying Tiger Farms, Bakersfield CA in 1981 flying on the US civil register as N551D on the 5th of October 1983 after restoration at Shafter finished in5.10.83 as RAAF “A68-39/BF-D”.

A68-39 didn’t remain long with Destafani, moving on to Jack Erickson of Erickson Air Cranes, Central Point, Oregon (OR) in late 1983 where it adopted the US ID 45-11489 later changing to 44-14826 on the USA FAA civil register for ease of registration. A68-39 remained with Erickson’s and flew with them until 1997 when it was placed on loan to Tillamook NAS Museum, Tillamook, Oregon (OR) and remained with them until 2007 when it was advertised by Provenance Fighter Sales and later that year was sold to Australian Geoff Milne of Melbourne. Tragically Milne was killed before the transaction was completed and the aircraft reverted to the ownership of Jack Erickson in 2009 and remained with him until on the 30th of April 2015 it was registered to P51 Mustang Llc, Beaverton, OR where it still resides. The Mustang is finished in a USAAF scheme as P-51D, 44-14826 “O 7” in silver with a red nose and tail.

: Bankstown Aug 1975

: Mustang A68-39

This Mustang is another great survivor of the Australian production CAC Mustang and although it had limited RAAF service it served Australia well in the target towing role well past the service life of most other Australian Markings. Sadly it missed one opportunity to return to Australia due to tragic circumstances but who knows what the future brings.