In 1967, they contracted Cavalier to provide aircraft for their Project Peace Condor program. The successful conversion of these airframes caught the attention of the military, particularly the Defense Department, for the COIN (Counter-Insurgency) role, especially for actions in South America. They also began adding the tall tail of the P-51H onto these models. Additional options and upgrades began to be offered with variations in fuel capacity, including fitting of wing tip tanks, with the eventual offering of Cavalier 750, 1200, 15 models, all which roughly corresponded to their ranges. With the successful sales of these first aircraft, Lindsay began buying up more airframes and Mustang spare parts. From there, the plane could be customized to the buyer’s specifications. The cockpit was upgraded with sound-proofing, upholstery, updated avionics, and a new seat added in place of the fuel tank. Gun bays were converted to luggage compartments. The airframe was totally overhauled with upgraded engine components, inspection and repair of the structure, re-skinning areas if necessary. He took a stock Mustang, stripped it of military equipment and weapons, and removed the fuel tank behind the cockpit. He started a company, Trans-Florida Aviation, Inc – later re-named Cavalier Aircraft Corporation. His idea was to transform these old airframes into high-performance executive aircraft. Amazing to us now, a low-time Mustang could be had for as little as $800 to $1600. noted the increasingly large number of WWII fighters being sold as surplus if not scrapped. In the late ’50s, Florida businessman David Lindsay, Jr. Halberd Models | Cavalier F-51D Mustang/Mustang Mk 2 Conversion Set Reviewed by Ray Peterson Introduction
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