A round trip to Duxford 18/8

[keithh]

I was given a flight in a Tiger Moth for Christmas so I decided to go from Duxford to get a free look around the museum as I haven't been there for many years. I left early to take in a few fields on the way. My first stop was Little Gransden and I had rung the operator the day before to make sure that he was fine with it. Some hangars were closed but I accessed all the rest.
Little Gransden. Types by those needed
BOHW
EXIL EXTRA EA300
CBEF (XX621)
HIYA
BRXY
CHHI
IHHI EXTRA EA300
PH-FCF TB20
AWLO
BXWK
ARLZ
CCBG
BUBT
N80035 PITTS S2A
OYAK
CJLD MISSION M108
BKBP
ATIR
IVAR
CBMI
AVLB
SAMZ
CFGM
CCDH
AYLA
PUGZ QUIK GT450
CHUX QUIK R
BXFC
BKXA
AIBX
CHRE
DORN DORNIER C3605
BTRZ
BVUG BETTS TB1
MUDX
BGUB
I moved on to the adjacent Gransden Lodge gliding field
CKOR DG300
CJXR DISCUS
CFJZ SHK 1
CHTV ASK21
CFVV PEGASE
CKFY ASK21
PCGC SZD54
PRBB SHARK
CJJH DG800
ELSB ROBIN DR400
OCGC ROBIN DR400
CHEK SZD51
CJEC PUCHACZ
BODU
CHSK ASW21
CHDU SZD51
Next stop was Bourn but all the hangars were closed so I just saw three Cessnas parked on the apron.
BGBI
GCWS CESSNA 177
BUEF
It was time to report to Duxford for my flight which was absolutely brilliant. There were three Tigers doing flights and mine was DE974 (ANZZ) and there were also three Rapides doing the same plus a Harvard and Spitfire. I have only listed the exhibits that I hadn't seen before. Firstly the visiting aircraft.
BKIJ
NIKK KATANA
OVPM EUROPA
GFZG PA28
F-GGBD PA32R
BOHO
BXVK
BNKP CESSNA 152 (huge gap filler!)
AYHA
GUAR PA28
BRPK
BFWB
TSFC
N177SA CESSNA 177
Tigers
ANZZ
APAO
AGPK
Rapides
AKIF
AIYR
AIDL
Exhibits
BRVE BEECH D17S
CCVH CURTISS HAWK
CIXJ CURTISS P36C
CIIO CURTISS P40C
CGZP CURTISS P40F
BYSJ CHIPMUNK
DHCZ BEAVER
CGYD FIREFLY
CBLS FIAT CR42
CBZP FURY
BURZ MINROD
CHFP SEA FURY
AWHK HA1112 BUCHON
AWHH HA1112 BUCHON
CORS HARVARD
BYNF YALE
BFYO SPAD
CFGJ SPITFIRE
CGUK SPITFIRE
CGYJ SPITFIRE
PRXI SPITFIRE
CTIX SPITFIRE 
CCOM LYSANDER
BJST HARVARD
A couple of these were in the Aircraft Restoration Co hangar along with
BXGX CHIPMUNK
OIOB CAP 10B
N515ZB MUSTANG
Also in this hangar was an American fighter but I don't know the type. The cockpit looked similar to the Curtiss ones but the undercarriage had large doors which none of the Curtiss had. It was dark blue with a large circular decal on the engine cowling that I could just see through a thin cloth that was over the engine. The belly was black and white chequers and in front of the USAF star was B6. If anyone has any idea what type it could be or maybe recognises the colour scheme, I would be grateful for any hints please.
Finally I went to Fowlmere but the gate was locked so I had to give it a miss which was a shame as I had never been there before. I could see across the fields a Cessna and a couple of Pipers parked out but the crops obscured their identities.
I have some photos which I will try to post tomorrow although I didn't take much in the museum as everything is so packed in together.

[gtf4j2m]

Could it have been a P51 Mustang. Code B6- was the code worn by 357th Fighter Group USAAF although I don't know what is current in those marks.

regards

Graham
GTF4J2M

[rh226]

Hi Keith,

It is possible that you saw P-51D-25-NA 44-73877/N167F code B6-S "Old Crow" which belongs to the Scandinavian Historic Flight, based in Oslo.  This could have been in Duxford for some TLC, repaint, etc.

www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/985875/n167f-scandinavian-historic-flight-north-american-p-51d-mustang/ (picture taken Nov 2017).

[gtf4j2m]

N167F is now registered as G-SHWN & marked KH774 :GA-S in RAF-112sqn scheme (since 2015). Whilst there are others with B6- codes that I have seen they have all been in the USA. So possibly a new arrival.

The photo in the link provided was taken 4-5-2008 

I will continue to look

Graham
GTF4J2M

[rh226]

Oops. I've even got it as that in my own database............premature senility!!

[keithh]

I have a pic showing part of it through the window but there was a lot of reflection. I don't really want to put it on flickr to transfer here as I don't know how to delete from flickr!

[gtf4j2m]

On Flikr click on photo and when it comes on the screen there are 4 icons on the lower right. The left icon is edit photo, this has a delete option.

Graham
GTF4J2M

[keithh]

Cheers, you learn something new every day!

[keithh]

DSC08322 by keith harbor, on Flickr

my mystery fighter

[davebasing]

Looks very much like P51B N515ZB B6-O re-built after its crash at Beckley in 2012?

[rh226]

Lost its canopy during its display at the 2017 Flying Legends at Duxford. Canopy hit tail on the way back, but aircraft landed safely.

[gtf4j2m]

Just checked ABPIC site and that is your aircraft. N515ZB c/n 104-25866

Graham
GTF4J2M

[keithh]

Cheers guys

[keithh]

Duxford trip pics

Little Gransden

DSC08227 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08228 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08231 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08233 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08234 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08236 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08237 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08238 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08239 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08243 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08245 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08246 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08247 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08248 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08249 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08250 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08251 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08253 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08257 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08259 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08261 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08262 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08264 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08265 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08266 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08268 by keith harbor, on Flickr

Gransden Lodge

DSC08272 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08272 by keith harbor, on Flickr
DSC08275 by keith harbor, on Flickr
DSC08276 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08278 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08279 by keith harbor, on Flickr

Bourn

DSC08288 by keith harbor, on Flickr

Duxford

DSC08301 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08302 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08303 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08304 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08306 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08307 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08308 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08309 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08310 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08311 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08312 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08313 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08316 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08317 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08318 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08319 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08320 by keith harbor, on FlickrDSC08321 by keith harbor, on Flickr