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Gus Morfis-Designed Electric 31" Wingspan P-51

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Gus Morfis-Designed Electric 31" Wingspan P-51

Old 12-09-2013, 03:15 PM
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Briannixon
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Default Gus Morfis-Designed Electric 31" Wingspan P-51

Haven't posted anything here in a while so here are pics and video of my latest -- a built-from-plans Gus Morfis-designed electric P-51 Mustang. The model has a 31-inch wingspan and the build article was originally published in the October 2000 issue of Radio Control Modeler Magazine (read the article here).

On mine, I hot-wire cut the balsa-sheeted foam wings from a discarded Omaha Steaks styrofoam shipping box. I also used foam for the top deck and the fuse bottom in front of the wing. The model is covering in olive drab Ultracote on top and dove gray Ultracote on the bottom. The canopy is from a House of Balsa 1/2a Mustang kit.

The power system is an Astro Flight brushless 020 motor turning a Master Airscrew 5.5x4 prop on a 3S 1000mah li-poly pack. This model is very light and has tons of speed.

I've always thought this model would be fun with an .049 or similar glow engine.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X62Ef2iOhE4
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Old 12-10-2013, 10:41 PM
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combatpigg
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Really nice work..! It takes patience to get the white bead type foam that well done.
What did you use to attach the balsa skins to the foam...?
Old 12-11-2013, 07:12 AM
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Briannixon
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Thanks. The wings are sheeted with 1/32 balsa. My technique for skinning all of my foam-core wings is to use a light mist of 3M Super 77 on each part. Gus' plans for this model call for a built-up wing sheeted with 1/32. I prefer the strength and accuracy of a foam wing (it's easy to dial-in the necessary washout). This is fairly thin wing, but even with 1/32 sheeting, it's plenty strong once the leading and trailing edges are added.

I also like using foam (pink, blue, beaded, etc.) in place of formers and planking or hollowed blocks. It saves weight and precious balsa. I should note that I have white-beaded foam for wing cores, but I used the Omaha Steaks box as a test to see if it could be used for a 1/2a type model. The answer is yes and I got two wings (four panels) out of one large box.

For this model (actually, I'm building two, but this is the first one finished and flown), I completed the wing, joined the panels and then cut the ailerons loose and faced everything with 1/16 balsa. Again, this saves on balsa for trailing edge stock.

The original RCM build article is here. I made some changes to the fuselage in that I House of Balsa-fied its construction. I've always liked how those guys worked out the construction of a P-51 and somewhat simplified it.

This model is very light and slippery, and, as you can see on the launch in my video, it's not lacking in the speed department with the Astro 020 brushless Merlin.

Brian
Old 12-11-2013, 07:50 AM
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Brushless Merlin. Love it.. Sigh for a Merlin. Love that unique sound.
Old 12-12-2013, 10:45 AM
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Congrats Briannixon on your Mustang, very impressed!!!
Old 12-12-2013, 12:25 PM
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Thanks, James. And, thanks, too, for posting all those build articles on your blog!

By the way, any chance you've got the RCM build article for "The Fox" (late '90s or early '00s)? It's a 48-inch or so wingspan, three-channel sport flyer/speed .25-.29 powered plane. I had the plans reduced down to 30 inches so I could build it as a high-performance 1/2a electric running a similar power setup as my Gus Morfis Mustangs. The Fox is a neat looking model -- definitely would stand out at the club field or at a fly-in.

Nix
Old 01-04-2014, 12:21 PM
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I'm making progress on the second 30-inch wingspan P-51 Mustang from Gus Morfis' RCM plans. The wing is complete and covered. Now I just need to cover the fuselage and add details. The first one -- featured in the video linked in an earlier post -- is in the foreground. What's better than a pair of Mustangs? A gaggle?

Nix
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Old 01-06-2014, 08:05 PM
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Nearly ready for formation flying.

Nix
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Old 01-06-2014, 09:12 PM
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Hi Nix, looks excellent! Hope you don't mind I added your pictures to my blog. It's good to see people building planes since these days everything is EPO or ARF.
Cheers,
Jim
Old 01-07-2014, 05:07 PM
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combatpigg
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I think the term for a group of P-51s is a Murder of Mustangs....?
This size and [light] weight makes for great combat if your planes have identical power and speed. The trick is to find the max amount of streamer they can safely tow and use the easiest to break cotton string for a leader. Take crepe paper rolls and bandsaw the rolls into 2.
Having fishing line swivvels to keep the streamers from raveling is a help, too. If the planes can be propped to limit speed but assist the climb that is the best formula for the least amount of wreckage and the best action.
Old 01-13-2014, 04:59 PM
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Briannixon
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Jim, that's fine. CP, 1/14 combat sounds fun, too.

Here are both models completed and with their nose art finished.

Nix

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Old 01-13-2014, 05:41 PM
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Cool pair of Warbirds..
Old 01-13-2014, 07:11 PM
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http://ryanaircraft.net/

Here is some good ones as well, I currently have the F8F bearcat in rearbear reno racer form...just need to start building. Nice mustangs you have there !!
Old 02-15-2014, 03:23 PM
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rkinman
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Been looking for a Morfis Bearcat plan. Any chance of getting a copy? Can't seem to get an email through to Gus.
Old 02-15-2014, 06:00 PM
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Default Morfis Bearcat

Hi rkinman, thank you for contacting me. I'm very sorry but I don't have that magazine in my inventory.
kind regards,
Jim
Old 02-15-2014, 08:02 PM
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rkinman
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Ok, not a problem. Thanks anyway.

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