I could buy Merlin engines for $500 completely rebuilt in a crate in the late 60's there were 100's available.....put one in a 34' Hacker boat built a transmission to run 2 drive shafts boat would do 100 mph and burn 110 gallons per hour......
Remembering back in November 17, 1984 during deer season watching P51 Mustang was doing power dives then buzzing the sod farm fields a couple miles long just feet off the ground near my Grandparents farm....he didn't take into consideration the power lines a mile down the field on his second try hit them and crashed and burst into flames killing the pilot and passenger the plane was spread over 1/4 mile of the field it plowed a hole almost 6' deep for hundreds of yards in the ground.....I have never seen a plane so completely destroyed......the Merlin engine was the biggest piece still had the prop attached with the blades still attached bent back 90 degrees.....
Last edited by coyotewacker; 10/12/21.
