The OFMC Mustang was built at the North American Aviation
Factory at Inglewood, California and accepted by the USAAF
on 27/02/1945. One month later she was sent to the 8th Air
Force, via Newark and Liverpool docks, serving at Leiston in
Suffolk among other stations. She stayed in England for only
11 months and went back to Newark, New Jersey in January
1946. She was then kept in storage before moving to the
Royal Canadian Air Force 9568 on 18/04/1947 and operated in
Suffield, Alberta. In 1953 with only total 433 flying hours
she was completely overhauled in Winnipeg. On 4/01/1954,
after only 81 hours, she was put into outside storage in
Carberry Manitoba, and sold in 1957 into private hands and
registered as N6340T. The aircraft was bought for $5,400 in
1962 and had a total of 511 airframe hours. In 1974, she
flew in the Unlimited race at Reno finishing second with an
average speed of 384mph – in what was effectively a stock
(original) aeroplane.
In April 1980 the aircraft flew across the Atlantic to her
new owners, The Fighter Collection. She was re-sprayed and
known as Candyman / Moose from the name on one side of the
fuselage and the Moose’s head on the other. The Mustang was
first displayed in the UK at Biggin Hill in 1981, flown by
Ray Hanna, the OFMC’s founder.
In 1989, after filming in ‘Memphis Belle’, the aircraft was
given a complete overhaul by The Fighter Collection at
Duxford. The airframe was remarkably free of corrosion and
damage, but a full strip down and component overhaul was
undertaken. An overhauled original flying panel was
installed. The rear fuel tank in the fuselage has been
removed and a wartime style modification made to fit a
‘dickey’ seat. This ‘mod’ in 1944 allowed Eisenhower to
survey the D-day beaches from the back of a Mustang. A
special 1720hp Merlin engine now powers the aircraft.
OFMC acquired the aircraft early in 1999 and now carries the
colours of Wallace E. Hopkins, “Ferocious Frankie”, named in
honour of his wife Frankie, coded B7 H of the 374th Fighter
Squadron, 361st Fighter Group. Wallace Hopkins was born in
Washington, Georgia and flew a total of 76 combat missions
with the 361st where he flew as Operations Officer. He was
an ACE credited with 8 victories and 1.5 damaged. His
decorations include the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying
Cross both with Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Croix de
Guerre, one of four awarded to members of the 361st.
The OFMC Mustang played a major part in the Breitling
Fighters Team.
|
OFMC Homepage
