P-51 'Lope's Hope 3rd' Returns To The Air | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Sun, Oct 29, 2017

P-51 'Lope's Hope 3rd' Returns To The Air

Aircraft Being Restored At AirCorps Aviation In Minnesota

There's another airworthy P-51 Mustang flying, thanks to the efforts of AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, MN. The P-51C "Lope's Hope 3rd" recently flew for the first time following restoration on October 16. The airplane last flew in 1946.

The aircraft belongs to the Texas Flying Legends Museum, which counts two other P-51s in its collection. According to the museum website, the original Lope’s Hope 3rd was flown by Lt. Donald Lopez.  Donald and Lope's Hope 3rd served in the China-Burma-India theater with the 14th Air Force, 23rd Fighter Group, 75th Squadron.  The 23rd Fighter Group was the descendent of the famous American Volunteer Group or Flying Tigers after the US entered the war.

Warbirds News reports that the restoration project has taken three years, and marks the third "highly-authentic" Mustang restoration to be completed by AirCorps since 2011.

The original Lope's Hope 3rd was 42-103585, and this restoration is based on P-51C 43-24907, according to the report. The Texas Flying Legends Museum decided to restore the Mustang suing Lt. Lopez' color scheme to honor his service during WWII and after, as well as his commitment to the aviation community as Deputy Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

(Image by John LaTourelle for AirCorps Aviation)

FMI: Original Story

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 06.30.25: US v ADS-B Misuse, Nat’l STOL Fire, Volocopter Resumes

Also: Netherlands Donates 18 F16s, 2 737s Collide On Ramp, E-7 Wedgetail Cut, AgEagle's 100th In S Korea The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act was introduced in the House by Represent>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

Klyde Morris (06.30.25)

What Goes Around, May Yet Come Back Around, Klyde FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC