Airframe history

Big Beautiful Doll is an Australian built airframe (Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation or CAC, more specifically CA-18 Mk. 22). It was built in 1951 and delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as A68-192 on March 8th , 1951.

It had no exciting history with the RAAF as it only flew a grand total of 4 hours of acceptance and test flights, after which it was put into storage. It wasn't until April of 1958 that it was sold to F. Chris Braund of Tamworth, New South Wales and was registered as VH-FCB.

It was now flown on a regular basis up until 1961 when it was sold on to Jack McDonald. Jack operated the aircraft from 1961 to 1966. In October of 1966, the Mustang changed owners again, this time to Ed Fleming of Skyservice Aviation in Camden, New South Wales.

In 1969 the aircraft was acquired by George A. Scholey of Frontino Inc., Manila, the Philippines. On its first test flight it suffered a forced landing as a result of an engine failure. During the next 3 years, the airframe was repaired and re-engined. After repairs she flew again, but disaster would strike again very soon: on October 18th , 1973, the aircraft crash landed on Manila airport and was totally written off.

The crippled airframe was stored in a warehouse in Manila until it was shipped to Hong Kong in 1975, together with a large number of spare parts and major components of another American built P-51D 44-72917.
44-72917 was en ex 170th FS IL ANG Mustang later sent to Korea. It returned after the war and was later delivered to the Philippines Air Force where it was registered as PI-C651.

Both A68-192 and 44-42917 were acquired by Mal Rose, Ray Hanna and others, who were all flying for Cathay Pacific out of Hong Kong. Both airframes were used to rebuild a new complete Mustang airframe. Even though major components were used from 44-42917, the new owners opted to keep the original Australian identity.

It was briefly under ownership of D.E. Baker & Partners and registered as VR-HIU.

The aircraft was restored for Ray and Mark Hanna by the Hong Kong Aeronautical Engineering Company (hence the registration of G-HAEC, the company's initials). After final assembly and engine runs, the aircraft made its first flight in February of 1985.

It was then palleted for shipment to the UK where it would fly with Ray Hanna's Old Flying Machine Company (based at Duxford) starting February 28th , 1985, painted in camouflage and coded CV-H. During its time with the OFMC,
G-HAEC acquired multiple paintschemes and also became quite the movie star.

Its first movie appearace was in 1987, when the aircraft was repainted as “592/Missy Wong from Hong Kong” in Steven Spielberg's “Empire of the Sun”, along with two other P-51s.
Later, in 1989, it made another movie appearance in the movie “Memphis Belle”, where it flew under the name “Ding Hao” (AJ-A), along with 6 other Mustangs. Filming was mainly done at Binbrook and Duxford.

Later, if briefly acquired the paintscheme of RAAF A-68-192 again.

G-HAEC would remain based at Duxford operated by the OFMC and the Historic Aircraft Collection, until it was sold to Rob Davies of Woodchurch Warbirds, Kent, in March of 1997.

It would briefly return to the big screen in 1998 in Steven Spielberg's “Saving Private Ryan”, along with P-51D N167F.

In 2001, the aircraft received the paintscheme it still wears today: that of Colonel John D. Landers' “Big Beautiful Doll” (463221/EZ-Z) of the 84th FS, 78th FG, which was based at Duxford during 1944/1945.

Becoming a regular star in movies, the latest movie in which it participates is George Lucas' 2009 movie: “Red Tails”, a movie about the 332nd FG also known as the "Tuskegee Airmen". It flew alongside P-51s N167F and F-AZSB.

Youtube video clips of G-HAEC in various movies:

Empire of the Sun	Saving Private Ryan	Red Tails - filming clip 1	Red Tails - filming clip 2	Red Tails - filming clip 3

In 2011, the P-51 was sold by Rob Davies to the Air Fighter Academy GmbH in Heringsdorf. Once in Germany, it was revised and given a polished skin by the people at Meier Motors. Registration was changed to D-FBBD.

Whilst the P-51 was now based in Germany, the plan was for it to be still flown regularly at UK airshows by its previous owner Rob Davies. Unfortunately, during the break for landing pass after the Balbo, Big Beautifull Doll was involved in a mid-air collision with the french Skyraider F-AZDP and crashed in a nearby field. The pilot, Rob Davies, miraculously bailed out of the aircraft and opened his chute just in time. The aircraft was totalled, it is unclear whether it will be able to be restored again.

Paintscheme information

P-51 G-HAEC is currently painted in the colors of Colonel John Dave Landers' “Big Beautiful Doll”, 78th FG, 84th FS.

John Dave Landers was born on June 23rd , 1920 in Rexroat, Carter County, Oklahoma. He received his wings on December 12th , 1941, just two days after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour.
Landers served with the 49th Pursuit Group, 9th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific Theatre, achieving 6 credited victories against the Japanese whilst flying P-40s. He evaded capture in December of 1942 after being shot down and bailing out of his fighter plane near Dobodura, New Guinea. After a period as a flight instructor in the United States, Landers joined the 55th Fighter Group, 38 th FS on April 25th , 1944.

After becoming group officer of the 357th FG on October 10th, 1944, he was promoted to commanding officer of the 78th FG on February 22nd, 1945, who were based at Duxford at the time. His personal mount was a P-51D which he named "Big Beautiful Doll" in which he raised his overall score to 14.5.

We can thus assume that the paint scheme of G-HAEC is situated in the period after February 22nd of 1945.

The 78th FG was the last group to convert to the P-51 Mustang. The conversion started in December of 1944. The black and white checkerboard was the group's recognition marking. This checkerboard initially consisted of eight-inch squares, six per horizontal line on the front of the engine cowling. They were further stylised with a rear line sweep down and forward from the anti-glare panel, which eliminated the number of squares per lower line to five.

A bit later on it was replaced by a checkerboard containing eight six-inch squares per horizontal line. Furthermore, a two-inch wide red border was used backing the rear of the checkerboard and swept back low down to the wing root. Further checkers were added with the sweep back and there were usually twelve squares per longitudinal row between the spinner and the wing root.

Additionally, the spinners were painted half black and half white along a longitudinal axis. In flight, these created an almost strobe-like effect, creating an illusionary slow motion visual effect.

The squadron code letters carried within the 78th FG were "MX" for the 82nd FS, "HL" for the 83rd FS and "WZ" for the 84th FS. The 8th AF made an additional "in-squadron-identification" modification in October of 1944 in the form of different squadron rudder colors.
The 82nd FS had a Insignia Red colored rudder, the 83rd had an Insignia White colored rudder with a two-inch wide red border around it and the 84th FS had a black rudder.

The original tail numbers were simply masked-over prior to rudder paint application leaving an unpainted horizontal strip on the rudder. This policy was soon modified with the numbers being removed entirely and repainted. In the case of the 82nd and 84th FS's these were relocated entirely forward of the rudder.

The 82nd and 83rd FS often accented their fuselage codes with a thin Insignia Red contour outline, some 84th FS aircraft were seen with this outline as well.

The former CO of the 78th FG began a practice which was ultimately adopted by several other Mustangs within the Group, although this was not command authorised. This entailed a pattern of between 7 and 9 alternating vertical B&W stripes running along both wing tips. The same 2-inch red border as used on the checkerboard nose markings also backed the end of the wingtop checkerboard.

By 1945, the QIM (Quick Identification Markings) used on P-51s was no longer necessary and was subsequently removed on new and existing airframes. The Invasion Stripes were also no longer used at that time. As a result, neither are displayed on Big Beautiful Doll.

Depicted on the port side of the forward fuselage are 36.5 kill markings, 6 of which are Japanese aircraft kills. A total of 14.5 were aerial kills (all of the 6 Japanese kills were aerial kills), all other were ground kills. The “half-kill” occurred on March 30th , 1945, where he shared in the destruction of a Me-262.
In total, Col. Landers was credited with destroying 14.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, 1 damaged and 20 more on the ground whilst strafing enemy airfields.

Why his aircraft displayed 36.5 kills is uncertain as his official tally remained 34.5

For more information on the following general P-51 markings, please click their appropriate links:
D-Day markings
US National Insignia markings
General P-51 markings

Pictures of G-HAEC Big Beautiful Doll

Walkaround pictures of G-HAEC Big Beautiful Doll

Contributor pictures of G-HAEC Big Beautiful Doll

Left to right, top to bottom:

1. © Malcolm Clarke - G-HAEC was repainted as A-AJ "Ding Hao" during the filming of "Memphis Belle". Picture taken at Duxford, April 29th, 1990
2. © Gareth Horne - Taken at Breighton, July 23rd, 2005
3. © John Myers - Taken at Little Gransden, August 28th, 2005
4. © Simon Thomas - Taken at Breighton, July 14th, 2007
5. © George Canciani - G-HAEC in the colors of A-AJ "Ding Hao" for the filming of "Memphis Belle". Picture taken at Duxford, August 4th, 1990
6. © Jan Žeravic - G-HAEC along with N167F and F-AZSB during the filming of George Lucas' "Red Tails", a movie about the 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen". All three Mustangs were repainted in 332nd colors for the occasion.
7. © Jan Ževaric - G-HAEC in "Red Tails" movie colors
8. © Suchy - G-HAEC repainted in 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" colors for the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails"
9. © Zdenek Hatas - G-HAEC and N167F make a low pass during the filming of the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails"
10. © Zdenek Hatas - G-HAEC repainted in 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" colors for the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails"
11. © Zdenek Hatas - G-HAEC repainted in 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" colors for the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails"
12. © Uwe Glaser - Beautiful air to air work from Uwe as G-HAEC forms next to the cameraship
13. © Derek Ferguson - G-HAEC in the "Memphis Belle" movie "Ding Hao" paintscheme. Picture taken at Duxford on July 2nd, 1989
14. © Derek Ferguson - G-HAEC in the "Empire of the Sun" "Missy Wong from Hong Kong paintscheme. Picture taken at North Weald on May 14th, 1988
15. © Filip "FiLM" Malát - Artistic photo of G-HAEC
16. © Filip "FiLM" Malát - G-HAEC repainted in 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" colors for the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails"
17. © Filip "FiLM" Malát - G-HAEC being stripped of its 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" paintjob after filming was complete for the 2009 George Lucas film "Red Tails".
18. © Kathleen Van den Abbeele - G-HAEC taxiing back after its display at the 2009 Oostwold airshow
19. © Geoff - GJC1 - G-HAEC repainted as "Ding Hao" during the filming of the movie "Memphis Belle". Picture taken at Duxford in 1989
20. © Geoff - GJC1 - Again, taken at Duxford during the filming of the movie "Memphis Belle"
21. © Martin Kotek - Picture taken on April 25th, 2009, at Milovice, Czech Republic. G-HAEC is seen repainted as a 332nd FG "Tuskegee Airmen" during the filming of the 2009 movie "Red Tails".
22. © Michael Ziem
23. © Martin Kotek - Again taken on April 25th, 2009, during the filming of the movie "Red Tails"
24. © Frank C. Duarte Jr. - G-HAEC in RAAF A68-192 paintscheme. Photo taken at Lakenheath in June of 1987
25. © Frank C. Duarte Jr. - Painted as 588 "Miss Wong from Hong Kong" for the movie "Empire of the Sun". Photo taken at Duxford in February of 1989
26. © Geoff - GJC1 - "Ding Hao" landing at Duxford during the filming of the movie "Memphis Belle"
27. © Fergal Goodman - Repainted as "Missy Wong From Hong Kong" for the filming of the movie "Empire of the Sun". Picture taken at Duxford on May 29th, 1988.
28. © Jarrod Cotter for Warbird Depot
29. © Uwe Glaser for Warbird Depot
30. © Uwe Glaser for Warbird Depot
31. © Jarrod Cotter for Warbird Depot
32. © Jarrod Cotter for Warbird Depot
33. © Uwe Glaser for Warbird Depot
34. © Alex Christie - Pictures taken at West Malling on August 26th, 1985
35. © Jean-Marie Hanon - Picture taken at Zoersel, Oostmalle, Belgium in June of 1996
36. © Stephen Blee - Picture taken at Breighton, UK, on July 14th, 2007

Pictures of the original "Big Beautiful Doll"

If you have any high-quality photographs of G-HAEC you would like to share on this website, please contact us.

Usefull links

Woodchurch Warbirds