P51 Fuse Shape
 

My grandson and I have been building a Guillows P51 28" span stick and tissue model. Intent is to install an existing EFlite two servo brick and run it on 2 cells.

the fuse of this little model caught my attention, from its building sequence to its shape. It is shaped very nicely, looking more like a pattern style fuse than warbird. Enlarged about 3 times to get a pattern length of about 76", this thing would have a depth at midships of about 18" or just about the same as the best models flying today.

Hmmmm, why not a P51 looking pattern plane in 2 meters? And sticks and formers would build into a light and strong structure, stronger and lighter than composite.

Matt,

Do you remember Miss Kat Brat from RCM back in the 70's. A 60 size pattern P-51.

Mark

P.S. if you remember the cover I think there was an airplane pictured also;-)

RCM April 1977, Outerzone Plan ID 5213 (Under R/C Scale)

Hey Matt,
you don't have to go that far back (in time), though I have the issue and at the time considered building one. Dean Pappas built a P-51 pattern ship around 1990. I've seen at least one photo of it, probably in Dean's Flying Models' column. I believe it was powered with a YS 120AC. Maybe he'll see this and give us some insight.
-Will

Matt

Ralph White (Fliteglass Models) offered a .60 size P51 in the '70's also. He flew one in both pattern and scale, being very successful in the latter.

Earl

Earl, if memory serves, wasn't there a fellow who flew 60 sized pattern warbirds in the late 70's early 80's? I remember someone from the Dallas area I think who flew in yours at HARKS and mine in Texas City. Ted White? Was that the guy?

I love the shape of the little Guillows P51 fuse. Looks like a mini Allure. And the quad tapered wing ain't shabby neither.

Mark and Will, no, I never saw neither one. But sounds like those fellas were on to something...

There was a pattern plane known as the Mustang X. It looked like a P-51 but it had a nose wheel. It was a long way from scale....

Larry /Instructor

Hi,

Mustang-X was designed by Jim Kirkland and he flew it at NATS 1972, one of his flights can be seen in this video:

https://youtu.be/60NYhU7kq8E?t=95'
and
https://youtu.be/60NYhU7kq8E?t=242

/Bo

The most compelling feature of the fuse for current F3A schedules is the air scoop.

Matt, yes - Ted White flew a semi-scale P51 occasionally in pattern, he mostly flew "free-style".