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

Paintscheme information

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

John Landers received his wings in December of 1941 and first flew P-40s with the 9th FS, 49th Pursuit Group. He had six aerial victories in the Pacific before he was shot down in December 1942. After evading capture and a small time away from the front as a flight instructor he was sent to Europe to serve with the 38th FS, 55th FG.

After becoming group officer of the 357th FG he was promoted to command the 78th FG 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.

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. The 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.

Furthermore the spinners were painted half black and half white along a longitudinal axis. Code letters carried were MX for the 82nd FS, HL for the 83rd FS and WZ for the 84th FS. The Fighter Squadrons could also be recognised by the difference in rudder colors (a modification that was made by the 8th AF in October of 1944).

The 82nd FS had a red colored rudder, the 83rd had a white colored rudder with a two-inch wide red border around it and the 84th FS had a black rudder.

Six inch alternating black and white bars on the wing tips were a popular addition to the paintscheme, but it was not command authorised.

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

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