Maralinga tests

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Yes, there were 6, and the best of them was the pattern aircraft, A68-1.
They were put up for tender in the late 60s, towed back to the Emu Claypan all weather airstrip and all of them actually had their engines run, but A68-1001 was the only one to be ferried out by air, with the undercarriage locked down. It was an unauthorised flight and DCA prosecuted, but a sympathetic judge fined the pilot $40.00.
At that time the P51s could not be legally flown in private hands in Australia, and 5 of them were exported to the USA. A68-1 was kept here for a time in the hope the ban on flying would be revoked, but was eventually sold to the US where it is still airworthy.

Interesting about the Civil Aviation ban, which I have heard about from other sources (and also from the owner of the Mosquito in a Barn), yet the MustangsMustangs.net site gives the following info regarding A68-1:

1945: RAAF used in atomic tests then left in desert in 1953.
The plane was placed less than 1 KM from the blast.
1967: A68-1 was rescued from the desert by Tony Schwert who fixed and flew it out. He restored the P-51 and named it "Desert Rat" registered VH-EMQ
1969: A68-1 was shipped to USA (deck cargo) for Ed Jurist of Nyack, NY
1970: N7773 was reg. to Stan Air Inc of CA, then Ed Jurist of NY
1970: sold by Jurist (as shipped) to partners
Randy Sohn and Roger Baker
Later sold to John Sandberg, then Levitz, then Whittington.
1979: Whittington Bros. sent the parts to CO for restoration pictured as above. N51WB
? 1981: (Gary Levitz) named the P-51 "Kangaroo", race #38
1982: (Wiley Sanders)
1983: "Jeannie Too" forced landing from runaway prop, repaired
Ron Hevle was pilot until 1989.

VH-EMQ is a civil registration!! It would be great to see A68-1 and Centurion 169041 together again, or would this create a "critcal mass" reaction?