P51 and aviation lore

[hosinmigs]

Just to be confusing for my first post (well, technically second after my intro), I thought I would combine two thoughts.

 

Pilots, as you probably know, record their flight experience in a logbook. When a young guy is trying to get more experience for that perfect job, he may pad that time a bit to make his experience look more extensive than it is. I wouldn't say this is a common practice, but it does happen. There's a term we use for that "extra" time - P51.

 

Now, the P-51 being a fighter aircraft of high regard for most pilots, I had always assumed the reference was somehow linked to the airplane. Ah, but no. Just getting started with fountain pens, I've come to realize it's actually a reference to the ole Parker 51.

 

Enough of the (hopefully) interesting story. I do actually have a question. Being a pilot and new collector, I'd love to use a 51 to make notations in my logbook. I have about $50 to spend right now. Can I get a decent writer in that price range? If so, what am I looking for? How do I know the ones on ebay are genuine? What are some gotchas when buying a vintage pen?

 

Thanks much gang.

 

Ian

[Blade Runner]

I'd keep an eye on the market place of pen forums.

You might get a good deal on ebay, but unless the seller is a pen person, it may need adjustment or more extensive restoration.

There are vintage pen dealers, but their prices are usually higher, unless they have a user grade one.

 

Edit to add - depending on how finicky you are, a pen bought from a pen user or vintage pen dealer may still require some work, but the chances that it'll write well right off will be higher.

Edited August 29, 2008 by jeen

[JimStrutton]

If you are going to use a Parker "51" in flight, then you need to get the Aerometric later version and not one of the earlier Vacumatics!

 

At $50 you should get a decent user, maybe not cosmetically perfect, but a good writer, that with care will last you a lifetime!

 

Parker made much of the flight connection with the "51", right from adverts to naming the all steel version the 'Flighter'. A Google search will unearth a load of info, but you could go to "51" History

[Wolverine1]

Ian- keep checking the PenMarket Forum on Pentrace. People are buying and selling Parker 51 pens there quite often. In fact,if you post a WTB message there, and mention the price range you are looking for, you are likely to find one pretty soon.

BTW, I have a Parker 51 that was used by a Marine 1LT from the 1st Marine Div during the Korean War. he said, that there were a few ocassions, that the pen froze up during bitter cold of the Korean winter.

he gave it me me a few years back.

[Ray-Vigo]

I agree-- post a "want to buy" item in this forum and at Pentrace and see what turns up. User 51s are pretty common and can be had in your price range.

[Iridium]

Pilots, as you probably know, record their flight experience in a logbook. When a young guy is trying to get more experience for that perfect job, he may pad that time a bit to make his experience look more extensive than it is. I wouldn't say this is a common practice, but it does happen. There's a term we use for that "extra" time - P51.

 

Now, the P-51 being a fighter aircraft of high regard for most pilots, I had always assumed the reference was somehow linked to the airplane. Ah, but no. Just getting started with fountain pens, I've come to realize it's actually a reference to the ole Parker 51.

 

I think that it's probably a reference to both, in that the fountain pen can be substituted for the airplane because of its name. For example, somebody adding a few hundred fictional hours to their logbook could label them as "P-51" hours because they used a Parker "51" to write the log entries (sneaky!).

 

Being a pilot and new collector, I'd love to use a 51 to make notations in my logbook. I have about $50 to spend right now. Can I get a decent writer in that price range?

 

Yes, you could find one for even less, but unless you're buying it from somebody who knows about the pen, says that it works perfectly, and is being completely honest, then there's some luck involved in getting a "51" that won't need at least some service. Unfortunately, the ink that was used in many of these pens was extremely corrosive and left nasty deposits when allowed to dry out, which is frequently the case with vintage pens, as you might have imagined (the owner probably stuck it in a drawer one day, switched to ballpoints, and sold it 40 years later, most likely as part of an estate sale). If you're not lucky enough to get one that writes immediately or after a thorough flushing, then you'll have to get it serviced, which will probably cost you somewhere north of $30.

 

If so, what am I looking for?

 

Since you're just starting out, get an Aerometric because they will less likely need to be serviced. Some people mistakenly write "Aeromatic" but it should be the same thing, and come to think of it, my "51" does still smell faintly of phenol--it must therefore be an "Aromatic".

 

There's a smaller version of the "51" called the "Demi", and some sellers may not know exactly what they're selling. If no measurements are given in the description, then be sure to ask. The regular "51" is nearly 5 1/2" when capped while the Demi is shorter than 5"--this should be precise enough to differentiate between the two.

 

There is also a "51" Special which is almost exactly the same pen as the regular "51", and is considered a real "51". It was originally sold at a lower price point, but writes the same as a regular "51". It has a different Aerometric filler (known as the hoop-style filler) that leaves the ink sac more exposed, as well as a stainless steel nib instead of the solid 14K gold one in the regular "51". Frequently the Special goes for cheaper on the market these days, albeit sometimes not by much. Whether you want a Special (or a Demi) or not is entirely up to you.

 

Then there is a 51 Special Edition, a modern superficial replica of the "51" made by Parker that is not a real "51" at all--don't buy this one. You can recognize it by its fancy cap, which is depicted in the "51" reference page I will be citing below.

 

How do I know the ones on ebay are genuine?

 

Fortunately, most are genuine, as long as they're labeled "Parker". The main problem is that some sellers could mistakenly identify a Parker "21" as a "51", or deceptively try to sell a "21" as a "51", as the two pens share many similarities (the "21" was intended as a cheaper substitute for the "51" with a similar aesthetic). If you're concerned about these "fakes," as you should be, then study the following pages:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref_info/51_profile.htm

http://www.richardspens.com/ref_info/21_profile.htm

 

Can you spot the differences? On their caps, the clips are different, and on their barrels, the undersides of their hoods are quite different, as well as their clutch rings. You have to check both the caps and barrels because I've seen "frankenpens" made out of the two. Not that the "21" is a bad pen at all, but you'll want to be sure that you're getting what you're paying for.

 

You probably know about the Hero replicas, based on your introductory post. Other fakes are so rare, to my knowledge, that you shouldn't need to worry about them (they may be worth more than a "51" anyway because of their rarity--I can identify them from studying photos, but I've never come across one, myself).

 

What are some gotchas when buying a vintage pen?

 

Each model of pen has unique considerations, and I hope that I've been of some help with regard to those of the "51". The general caveats are pretty much common sense. Obviously, it is better to have nice, clear photos of the item, and a knowledgeable seller with a good reputation would certainly increase one's confidence. The main consideration is always the accuracy of the described condition--obviously, you wouldn't want to overpay for a pen that is well scuffed cosmetically and/or in need of professional restoration. The more the seller describes both the pen's good and bad aspects, the better. Fortunately, "51" Aerometrics are so robust that they rarely need much work, and often (but not always) work fine without any repairs. You'll want to be very careful with sellers from places like Thailand (no offense intended to the country). Sometimes you can get a great, genuine "51" from Thailand relatively cheap, but there's a reason that most people avoid bidding on these pens, with lots of horror stories to back them up. Good luck!

Edited August 29, 2008 by Iridium