Please forgive a newbie's ignorance, but I'm a recent convert to this hobby and having a blast!

My first plane was an ARF trainer, and I'm dying to get a Warbird - specifically the Spitfire.

I realize moving from a trainer to a heavy tail dragger is not typically recommended ..... <flinching while awaiting replies>

However, I had an opportunity to purchase a mint condition OS-120 four-cycle w/pump at a ridiculous price. Now I want to stuff it into a World Models Spitfire, specs below:

Wing Span: 63" / 1600mm

Wing Area: 704 sq.in. / 45.5 sq.dm

Flying Weight: 7.5lb / 3300g

Fuselage Length: 53.5" / 1350mm

Flaps

Will I be able to land this puppy at less than 50mph?

Somebody please tell me this is a workable combo....... please?

Thanks in advance.

Yes you can land it less than 50mph. I shoehorned a Saito 1.20 in mine and got 116mph on the top end and 16.5 is when it would drop a wingtip (slightly) and then I could power up and climb out of it. That was with flaps down. I used them always.

Awesome, thanks for the info. Did you hang the standard muffler outside the cowling with the motor inverted or did you go with a Pitts style?

<feeling better knowing an expert has already done this>

click on my gallery for a photo of the plane.

Very nice, I hope mine turns out as well.

Would you recommend (assuming it is physically possible) hanging Pitts on the inverted motor and taking the outlets as unobtrusively as possible out the bottom of the cowling?

Would heat on the cowling (assuming adequate separation between pipe and cowl) from the exhaust damage it?

BTW, I really appreciate your time.

I'm not sure who makes a Pitts muffler for a Saito, although I'm sure somebody does. Saito makes a flexable accordian type exhaust pipe that you may be able to use. I didn't want to go to all the extra trouble so I ran the stock exhaust. It doesn't stick out that far below the valve covers. Something to think about.