N6WJ Precious Metal is a rather unique racing Mustang, the second of only three modified with a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine driving contra-rotating propellers, instead of the Mustang's standard Merlin and single propeller.The other two P-51 with similar modifications were the RB-51 Red Baron (which was totally destroyed during the 1979 Reno races) and Miss Ashley II (which broke up in flight in 1999).

N6WJ is based on a P-51D, fitted with H-model wings and the aforementioned engine/propeller arrangement. The aircraft first raced in 1988 as Race 9, and was also fitted with a P-51H tail (though this was later replaced with the aircraft's original tail). After its first race, though, the Mustang was absent until 1995, where it appeared as the World Jet Race 38. The P-51 again disappeared until 2002, being sold to Ron Buccarelli from its original owner, Don Whittington. Buccarelli raced Precious Metal for a few years with pretty good results, before selling the aircraft to Thom Richard in 2011.

Richard encountered only limited success with the Mustang, sometimes due to factors not entirely within his control. The 2011 Reno race was cancelled as a result of the Galloping Ghost tragedy, and a landing gear door separated from Precious Metal in 2012, forcing it out of the race. Richard did manage to place fifth in the 2013 Reno, but several days before the 2015 race, a fire broke out while the Mustang was taxiing. Richard successfully shut down the engine and escaped, but the fire burned for over half an hour and the aircraft was severely damaged. Richard stated that Precious Metal would not race again, though in 2016 a lengthy restoration process was begun to return the Mustang to airworthy condition.

Image credit: MustangsMustangs.com

This build represents Precious Metal in the overall bare-metal paint scheme it wore from 2011 to 2012.

Controls

AG 1: Canopy
AG 3: Wing lights
VTOL: Flaps

All other controls are standard.

Credits

Jundroo (base P-51-D)

Substantial modifications were made to the Mustang, including a fairly radical wing clip and redesign of the cockpit canopy and turtledeck, as well as reshaping of the ventral air scoop.