John Bagley's N.A. P-51D Mustang "Ole Yeller"

John Bagley is the owner and operator of this famous North American P-51D Mustang "Ole Yeller" (S/N 44-74739), which is on display at the Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg, ID. and is available for airshows, flybys and film. "Ole Yeller" is probably one of the most recognizable Mustangs in the world and is also a regular unlimited racer at the Reno National Championship Air Races.

Bob Hoover made "Ole Yeller" famous as the official pace and safety plane for the Reno National Championship Air Races Unlimited Class for over 20 years. "Ole Yeller" and Bob also made over 1,000 Air Show performances in the United States, Canada and Mexico, thrilling millions of airshow spectators with a remarkable, and very memorable, aerobatic performance. "Ole Yeller" still holds the prop plane speed record from Los Angeles, California to Daytona Beach, Florida - 5 hours 20 minutes - established on March 29, 1985. The aircraft is powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin 12-cylinder engine, one of the most powerful inline engines ever produced.

The P-51 was designed by The North American Aviation Company in 1940, from specifications provided by the British Government. The first P-51 models ( the A-36, the P-51 and the P-51A ) were powered by Allison engines. The subsequent models; the B, C, D, H and K, were powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, or variants of that engine. The Packard Motor Car Company was licensed to build the Merlin engine in the United States to provide sufficient numbers of the engine as production of the P-51 increased.

A combined total of over 15,000 Mustangs were produced, including all models. The Mustang was produced by North American in Inglewood, California and in Dallas, Texas.

The Mustang's maximum speed is 505 mph, with a cruising speed of 437 mph ( at 25,000 feet ). The average fuel consumption is 60 gallons per hour at economy cruise. During WWII combat conditions, pilots confirmed speeds of 600 MPH in a vertical dive in pursuit of enemy aircraft
and both the pilot and aircraft survived to fly and fight in future air battles.

The P-51 originally cost the U.S. Government $51,000. As late as 1959, they were sold at surplus auction for an average sales price of $1,490. Today these aircraft are valued in excess of $1,000,000, depending on aircraft condition.

This particular aircraft is a "D" model was the most produced P-51 model during the War with over 8,000 built. Today, about 140 Mustangs exist, world-wide, in Museums, flying or under restoration. No country in the world any longer flies the Mustang as part of their inventory. The Dominican Republic was the last country to do so and sold these aircraft on the civilian market in 1985.

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