CA-18 Mustang “Snifter” Returns to the Air Following Overhaul [Video]

Earlier today, Complete Aircraft Care of Caboolture, Queensland reported that Mustang Flight Australia’s CA-18 Mk. 21 Mustang (A68-110) had performed its first post-overhaul flight.

As previously reported, the aircraft, an Australian-built example of the P-51D, was delivered to the RAAF in 1948 and saw little service prior to being decommissioned in 1957. After being sold, it sat for nearly four decades before becoming the focus of a seven-year restoration by Sandora Aviation in North Brisbane, during which it was converted to a two-seat configuration. In 2002 it returned to the air and is now the the centerpiece of the Caboolture Warplane Museum, providing regular flight experiences with the nonprofit Mustang Flights Australia while also supporting local war service commemorations.

The recent rebuild reportedly brought the aircraft to “better than original” condition while keeping it as historically correct as it was when it came off the production line. The exacting work even included minor changes to the livery to make it a better representation of A68-769 “Snifter,” a machine that served with 82 Squadron in Japan and 77 Squadron in Korea.

The machine’s return to flight reportedly occurred on Monday, and is briefly shown in the teaser video below.

"Snifter" return to flight

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I can say the Mustang Flights Australia CA18 MK21 Mustang "Snifter" has returned to the sky's once more. A Post overhaul test flight on CA18 MK21 Mustang "Snifter" was completed successfully on Monday 21/5/18.

Thank you to Paul from Against the Wind for filming this memorable occasion and for producing this sort clip of a forthcoming video of the test flights.

Posted by Complete Aircraft Care on Friday, May 25, 2018

 
(via Complete Aircraft Care Top Photo: Robert Frola via Wikimedia Commons)