in the sun today for the first time in nearly 60 years, ex RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force) P51D Mustang NZ2423, out of it's barn collection, but staying in New Zealand

This aircraft has been part of the historic collection of the late John Smith at Mapua near Nelson for the last sixty years. The aircraft is valued at about one million dollars, and is a complete time capsule but like the other Mustangs sold surplus from Woodbourne in 1958, it had its wings cut off just outboard of the main undercarriage for transport

It was built at North American‘s Dallas factory in 1945 and was part of an order of 160 Mustangs purchased by the RNZAF to replace the Corsairs.

I'm guessing from the info, that the owner, reclusive historic aircraft collector John Smith died without ever wanting to sell it or fix up any of his many WW2 airplanes. Now, they are getting sold by his inheritors, and finally going to get some attention

When he died last August, aged 84, he left his treasure trove in a large barn, and the huge job of sorting it out to his family, led by his older brother George and his son Rob

For more than 60 years an "Aladdin's Cave" of historic planes, including one of only 30 Mosquito combat aircraft left in the world, has remained largely out of sight on a rural Nelson property.

The World War II and other historic planes belonged to John Smith, from Mapua, west of Nelson, who began his private collection as a young man in the 1950s.

In a lifetime of hunting out and saving old aircraft he amassed a collection which also included a Tiger Moth biplane, Vampire jet airframes, two Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk fighters as well as a huge amount of parts from all over the country.




https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/121990112/treasure-trove-of-hidden-historic-planes-including-rare-wwii-mosquito-to-see-the-light
https://www.facebook.com/groups/avarch/permalink/1495690803952107/?__tn__=CH-R
https://www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555/permalink/4191872334188202/