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The North American P-51 Mustang
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P-51 Who?   Case # 223
44-73857     N651D     Closed
Solved by: Joe Scheil, Norm Schea, Dick Phillips
P-51 Who 223
Case#: 223
Date: Nov 01 2002
By:
Photo:
unknown photo info
Status: Closed
Serial: 44-73857
Registry: N651D
P-51 Who? Viewer Responses
Joe Scheil:
11/10/2002 17:39
P-51D 44-73857 RCAF 9245 N6351T to James Defuria. Then as N651D to Richard Snyder as a racer "Miss Phoebe II" #45. The aircraft was modified with a wet wing at this time. The aircraft passed through two more owners before Don Plumb of Windsor, Ontario bought her 23 January 1975. Quickly passing to John Bolton of Sandford, FL 21 February 1975 she was destroyed less than 8 months later, crashing alongside CF-USA and Don Plumb, 15.10.75.
Norm Shea:
11/17/2002 08:45
The plane in this case, # 223 figures prominently on the CD. This is N651D, 44-73857, Johnny Bolton’s “Hi Honey” sitting on the runway at Sanford, FL.
Dick Phillips:
11/18/2002 14:44
This is "HI HONEY" N651D 44-73857, ex N6315T, ex RCAF 9244.
It went thru seven owners between RCAF service and 15 Oct 75, when it crashed
near Big Spring, TX, killing owner Johnny Boulton. He was flying with Don
Plumb who was in CF-USA, and they both crashed within 5 miles of each other,
but it was not believed to have been a midair. They both flew into the same
Texas thunderstorm, and didn't make it.
Richard Burgan
10/26/2020 08:39
Just a few misspellings in your text. The name is spelled "Bolton", he was Ford Dealer in Maitland Florida, Johnny Bolton Ford. The location for the plane was "Sanford" Florida. I watched him fly that thing in the sky over Maitland many times. He certainly knew how to have fun with it. I assume that he was strictly VFR and never had any IFR training.
Bob Bolton
09/14/2021 15:09
They took off from the Lazy E ranch that the Edwards Brothers owned (both of them are deceased now) and both got caught in a thunderstorm. There were 4 planes that took off, two of them made it out and my dad and Don Plumb both crashed. My dad actually had a passenger, Norm Danielson, who used to be the dental assistant for Dr. Steve Shulke, who died in a trainer plane with his son a few years earlier. Dr. Shulke used to fly Mustangs and inspired my dad to start flying.

Incidentally, the plane was equipped with radar.
Tom Kennedy
07/16/2022 08:19
Bob, did your dad also own a P38 Lightning? I remember seeing your dad’s P-51 over the Winter Park CC golf course as a kid, but I also saw a P-38 fly overhead on a couple of occasions.
Bob Bolton
08/16/2022 16:28
Yes he also owned P-38, which I flew in several times with him. That was an amazing bird. At the time, it was one of 7 known in the world to be airworthy and the only one know with functioning turbos (I am not certain about the total know to be airworthy, but that is what my dad told me).
The FAA got a few calls on his "buzzing" over Winter Park and Maitland so he had to move that out to New Smyrna beach over the water.

Incidentally to Richard Burgan - he had thousands of hours both VFR and IFR and was fully certified IFR. As far as the accident, they got caught in a Texas thunderstorm and were in a hurry to get home to Florida. Unfortunately, it was a bad decision. I married Don Plumbs daughter and still am married to her. There were 4 mustangs that took off that day, two made it out and two crashed. One f those that made it out was Jimmy Leeward, who you all may know was killed at the Reno air races in a very modified mustang.
Gregg McElwain
03/26/2023 21:25
Want to know something messed up?

I Googled Johnny Bolton plane crash because, for some reason, I remembered something my grandmother told me decades ago.

She said he sold her a lemon, he wouldn't make good on it, she cursed him, and he died in a plane crash.

Take from that what you will...
Mike Mugele
04/13/2023 19:12
I lived a few blocks away from Johnny Bolton Ford. I watched both the P51 and P38 fly over all the time. I also knew a few of the techs that left and went to McInerny Ford after the crash when Don Reid acquired the dealership.... they didn't like Don Reid. However, they spoke very highly of Johnny Bolton.

I really miss watching those two war birds.
Mike Mugele
04/13/2023 20:57
Bob Bolton,
I heard that there were prop marks on the bottom of Johnny's plane. Is this true?

btw, I didn't notice your name at first. I was just reading what others were posting. Must have been a blast riding that bird! Are there more photos, of both the P51 and P38, around that are not on the internet?
Bob Gruenhagen
07/01/2023 01:30
Airshow '75, Harlingen, Texas one week before the thunderstorm crash. Flew a four ship missing man with Johnny Bolton in the lead, Don Plumb left wing, Jimmy leeward in MM position on Johnnie's right wing. I was with Max Hoffman in Boomer on Jimmie's right wing. We had 14 Mustangs at that show, CAF Airsho '75.
Peter Disher
07/10/2023 20:08
Hello, I would like to contact Bob Bolton. Im doing a story on Johnny Bolton Ford. Would it be possible for you to share some biographical information on your dad?

Thank you

Pete D
Larry Seguin
08/20/2023 10:32
This was so interesting to come across. Don Plumb was my uncle, the 2nd of 9 kids after my mother. His death was a huge shock to the family and very hard on Mom. It was Uncle Don who took me and my two brothers up in our first plane ride over Windsor-Essex, Ontario back in the early 70s. He and his family had just achieved a long-held dream and moved to Florida a year or so before the crash.
Carol Plumb Bolton
08/20/2023 17:13
My name is Carol Plumb Bolton. My dad is Don Plumb and I am married to Johnny
Bolton’s son Bob. Met at the memorial service for our dads and have together ever since. Bob would be happy to fill you in on the dealership. You can email us or he is on fb under Bob Bolton and I am under Carol Plumb.
Now for Gregg’s post. How heartless of you to suggest or be glad that Johnny Bolton crashed. He was an awesome man. I am sorry about your grandmother’s car but you sound quite satisfied that he crashed and it was because your grandmother wished something would happen. I would never wish something so bad would happen to someone. My Grandmother, Mother and Father instilled much better values in us. Shame on you!
Carol Bolton
08/20/2023 18:14
Now, things needs to be cleared up. Mike, it was impossible to know if there were prop marks on Johnny’s plane. The planes were completely destroyed, nothing left AND they were found miles apart.
People need to think of the families that went through this and stop thinking they know what went wrong. It hurts all of us who suffered the loss of these wonderful men. Hurt back then and still hurts all these years later.
Bob Bolton
08/20/2023 18:30
To Gregg McElwain
No interest in taking about my dads dealership. For those that would question his character, when I was a kid I had my first job in his body shop at age 13. The manager there told me he was explicitly told not to show me any favoritism and he worked my butt off. I got to know all of the guys there that worked not only in the shop but in his service department. He employed almost 150 people and they told me he made rounds every day and knew every single person there by name. He started from nothing and made himself into one of the largest ford dealerships in the country.

For someone to imply that he crashed due to some kind of karma for treating a customer bad is ridiculous. As far as the crash, there was not a piece bigger than a breadbox left of him or the plane, so for someone who thinks they know more, you are obviously completely ill advised.
Case Closed!
P-51 Mustang

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