US ARMY Aircraft P-51D-25NA 44-73287
Also known as: Worry Bird; Mustang
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Why it's listed
A World War II fighter plane may seem an unusual entry among historic properties, but this North American P-51D-25NA Mustang, serial number 44-73287, is a documented structure at Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois. Built at the company's Inglewood, California plant in 1944 and delivered to the U.S. Army in March 1945, it is an aluminum-skinned single-seat fighter powered by a Packard-Merlin V-1650-7 engine and a four-blade Hamilton Standard propeller. It was later modified with a rear seat and a GPS map screen. The nomination treats it as representative of the 8,202 P-51Ds produced and as the high point of propeller-driven American fighter engineering before jets took over. Its significance rests on the Mustang's long range, which allowed it to escort bombers all the way to their targets in Europe and the Mediterranean. Units such as the 332nd Fighter Group flew these aircraft in combat.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the aircraft as a representative example of the 8,202 P-51D Mustangs built between 1942 and 1945. It argues the P-51 marked the peak of propeller-driven U.S. fighter design and, as a long-range escort, shaped American air operations in Europe and the Mediterranean. The surviving text does not give the criteria or period of significance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000254, listed March 11, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Capital Airport , 0.5 N of Jct. of IL 29 and Veterans Parkway, Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | March 11, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000254 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | North American Aviation, Incorporated |
| Architectural style | OTHER: Fighter Aircraft |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Based at the Air Combat Museum, Capital Airport, Springfield; modified with a rear seat and a GPS map screen; retains the original Packard-Merlin V-1650-7 engine. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.84099, -89.67595 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000254.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18643674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.