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P-51 Mustang Survivors
44-73129 N151SE "Merlin's Magic"
Marilyn Eberhardt, Livermore Ca
P-51 Survivor 44-73129 N151SE
Status: Flying
NAA Type: P-51D-25NA
Serial #: 44-73129
Registry: N151SE
.. past:   N5480V
  N51SL
  P-51 Mustangs Survivors  
History: 44-73129 N151SE "Merlin's Magic"
1953: photo of 44-73129 in KY ANG formation, 165th FBS
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1958: N5480V, Tony Randozza, Oakland CA, All orange w/ black reg on side of fuselage, fixed tail wheel
1963: N5480V, J.M. Jackson, Long Beach Ca
1963: N5480V, Tom Winship, Corona Del Mar CA
1966: N5480V, Stans Aircraft Sales, Fresno CA
1969: N5480V, Frank Barrena, San Luis Obispo CA
1969: rep. Haiti FAH 15650 - unconfirmed
Might have been cover to go to El Salvador. FAS rep. 44-73129 in inventory, FAS # unknown.

1972: N51SL, recovered, Dixon Smith, Seattle WA
1978: N51SL, Rod Barnes, Oconomowoc WI
1982: restoration at Chino
1987: N151SE, Stuart Eberhardt, Danville CA
1988: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 "Merlin's Magic"
1989: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Bronze 327
1990: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 351
1991: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - qualified 370
1992: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 347
1993: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 361
1994: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Gold 331
1995: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Gold 332
1996: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 375
1997: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 348
1998: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 380 - Bill Eberhardt
1999: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 364 - Bill Eberhardt
2000: Firewall forward restoration
2000: Reno Races - raced very fast 430+ mph! Had problems with the throttle linkage breaking twice, kept Stu from finishing the Gold race on Sunday. An excellent improvement from prior years.
2001: Reno - races canceled
2002: Reno - finish 5th in Gold at 413 mph - Bill Eberhardt flying
2003: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 389 - Stu
2004: Reno - Bill qualified 1t 423 mph, engine problems during the week caused a Thursday night engine change. Got it done and back into the races. Stu finished the week at 375 mph in the Bronze.
2005: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 355 - Bill Eberhardt

2006: Monday during qualifying, the race motor gave up under moderate race power. Crew worked hard to get a stocker in. They qualified on Wed, last chance qualifier, in the middle of the pack. On Saturday, high pressure O2 was put in a low pressure bottle in the rear fuselage and it exploded! Damage is major as skins blew off, cable were broken, the tank was flattened and blown apart. Witness's said "it was like a bomb". Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt. Merlins Magic was broke down and put on a truck for a trip home and a rebuild. Good Luck to the crew of Merlins Magic! We hope to see her back in the skies as soon as possible.

2006: December - Merlin's Magic is airworthy once more! Gerry Beck's shop and the crew of Merlin's Magic with help from Jim Martinelli did a super job getting the repairs done so quickly.
2007: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 360 - Stu
2008: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 353 - Stu
2009: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Silver 348 - Bill

2010: Stu Eberhardt is unlimited check pilot and looking very good chasing students around the course. If you want to race unlimiteds at Reno, you must pass through Stu. Eberhardt is fair and by the book.
2010: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Qualified 363 - Bill
2011: N151SE, Reno Air Races #22 - Qualified 383 - Bill
2012: Stu Eberhardt is retiring Air Racing! 2011 was the end of many things at Reno. Merlins Magic and the Eberhardts are part of the Reno Air Races. You could always see the Race 22 flag flying in their favorite pit spot. The Eberhardts and the Merlins Magic crew have been extremely hospitable to me and I would like to thank them for all the great memories.

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2023: May 19, N151SE, Marilyn Eberhardt, Danville CA

The Last of the Wild Horses

P-51 Survivors book featuring images from Dick Phillips and John Dienst, with Mark Phillips. To order, goto The Last of the Wild Horses. You can order online. Price is $100 for pages and pages of P-51 Survivor history and photos. Over 2,500 photos! The late Dick Phillips shared hundreds of his P-51 images with us at MustangsMustangs over the last 25 years. If you can, help support his life-long passion. I recently ordered my copy.

Thank you!
Curtis Fowles, MustangsMustangs

83 Images of   44-73129   N151SE   "Merlin's Magic" on file
Images of   44-73129
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Image Credits:
  John Blizzard Jr    
  Don Vance    
  Curtis Fowles   MustangsMustangs  
  Anthony Taylor   WarbirdFotos  
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