A vintage P51 wasn't quite as hard to own in 1969 as it is these days.... In 1973 when we returned to the US my neighbor a Master Sergeant in the Air Force owned & regularly flew one... Not saying they were cheap or easy to get... But it was a possibility for an average guy with the desire, no longer the case these days...original owner was 48 when he ordered the car, and had enough money to fly a vintage P51 Mustang as a hobby.