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"Polar Bear"

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Serial #: 43-6006
Construction #:
  99-22109
Civil Registration:
  N51Z
Model: P-51A
Name: Polar Bear
Status: Airworthy
Last info: 2003
   History:
Delivered to USAAC as 43-6006.
- BOC: Apr. 3, 1943.
- Delivered to Ladd Field, AK, Feb. 14, 1944.
- Crash landed, Summit, AK, Feb. 24, 1944.
Waldon D. "Moon" Spillers, Versailles, OH, Oct. 1977-1992.
- Wreck recovered Oct. 1977.
- Registered a N51Z.
- Rebuilt at Versailles using P-51D fuselage components (N351D/44-73483)
   and ex-TNI-AU mainplane.
- First flight July 3, 1985 as "USAAC/36006".
Gerald Gabe, Hollister, CA, June 6, 1995-2003.
- Flown as USAAC/36006/"Polar Bear".
Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
 Photo Source(s):
Ernie Viskupic via JetPhotos.net
Steve Tournay, 1986.
Dick Philips/Warbird Images.