2009's "Amelia" stunt pilot died today in the Reno Air Races

[Ric Gillespie]

By the way Ric, do you know how many P-51's do still exist?

According to P-51 Mustang Survivors there are 288 complete airframes, 166 of which are airworthy.  "Survivors" is not quite the right word.  Although no one is manufacturing new Mustangs, virtually every component is being manufactured new by somebody.  Many P-51s have been "restored" so many times that they are essentially new airplanes.

[Dale O. Beethe]

Wow!  Talk about a "cottage industry"!  It's got to be a labor of love if you're producing parts for less than three hundred customers world wide.  On the other hand, I suppose it's a given they don't work cheap.  Thanks, Ric!