Dates

Event

Constructed as a P-51C-10-NT by North American at Dallas, Texas, USA.

Circa 1943

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 44-10911.

Converted to a F-6C.

Transferred to 803rd AAF Specialized Depot, Park Ridge, IL.
With the 803rd for disposal.

Transferred to Kingman, AZ.
One bill of sale indicated it was disassembled and sold for scrap with the 803rd, but photo evidence indicates it was flown to Kingman for scrapping. A bill of sale at Kingman gave the ID as 2925 which is important to the reincarnation of the airframe any years later.
For more information about this other airframe see this Airframe Dossier

February 1947

Photographer: William T Larkins
Notes: 44-10911 at Kingman, Ariuzona, Feb 1947.

From Circa 7 April 1948 to Circa 1949

To Joe de Bona Racing Co/James Stewart, Santa Monica, CA with new c/r N5528N {1}.

1948

Restored.
Rebuilt as a racer at Clover Field, Santa Monica. Weight was reduced by removing self sealing fuel tanks and the fuselage tank. It was converted to a wet-wing.

From 4 September 1948 to 6 September 1948

Raced as #90, named Thunderbird.
The race was from Long Beach, CA, to Cleveland. Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Bendix Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was Joe DeBona. Started the B Feature race, but did not finish. Ran out of fuel short of Cleveland and had to land. One sources says Mr. DeBona landed at Norwalk, OH, and another suggests it was Elyria. Both towns have airports and are about 20 miles apart.

Circa 1949

Modified with a wet-wing.

From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

Raced as #90, named Thunderbird.
The airframe was equipped with a wet wing and was sponsored by Jimmy Stewart. The race was from Rosemond, CA, to Cleveland. This was the first race-horse start. Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Bendix Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was Joe DeBona. Raced in the B Feature race. Finished in 1st place with an average speed of 470.136 mph.

1949

Photographer: Peter Bowers
Notes: Pete Bowers took this photo of the victorious 1949 Bendix winner Thunderbird at Cleveland.

Photographer: Jim Pyle

Photographer: Chalmers Johnson
Notes: Not really at Cleveland. This photo was taken by Chalmers Johnson at Muroc as the race start was near.

19 December 1949

To Jacqueline Cochran, Burbank, CA keeping c/r N5528N {1}.

29 December 1949

Miss Cochran set a record for speed over a closed circuit of 500 km without payload at 703.38 km/h at Desert Center, CA.

9 April 1951

Miss Cochran at a Federation Aeronautique International (FAI) world record and National Aeronautic Association U.S. national record with an average speed of 747.34 km/h (464.374 mph) over a straight 15 km (9.942 mi) high-altitude course at Inio, CA.

20 January 1953

To Jimmy Stewart keeping c/r N5528N {1}.

Circa April 1953

Markings Applied: Mr Alex
Finished in a yellow and black paint scheme and named in honor of Mr. Stewarts father, Alexander Maitland Stewart.

1955

Crashed.
The airplane was being ferried to to Nebraska to have some radio work done when the pilot discovered that one of the main landing gear had failed to retract. The pilot bailed out near the Mitchell, Nebraska Airport. The airframe crashed and was destroyed.

Wreck parts were used in the restoration of c/r N5528N {2}.
For more information about this other airframe see this Airframe Dossier

5 June 2023

Certificate of airworthiness for NX5528N {1} (P-51C, 2925) issued.

5 June 2023

To Warren A. Pietsch, Minot, ND keeping c/r N5528N {1}.