Cyntec

Hi There!

Like so many others, it's my dream to own and fly a P-51 Mustang. I've finally decided to buy one but there are so many choices out there I don't know which one to get. My preference is for a scale, detailed kit or ARF that's as realistic looking as possible. Not being insanely hard to fly would be a plus too. Any ideas?

PS. I've stumbled upon a Nick Ziroli P-51 Mustang kit which uses afiberglass fuse instead of cloth covered which would allow me to add more detail. Has anyone ever heard of this kit and if so what do you think the pluses and minuses are?

Thanks in advance!

Cyntec

And what about the Balsa USA version?

Greg Wright

My Feedback: (6)

Cyntec, depending on how big you are looking to get the new aero-works p-51 looks damn nice for the money and the work they already do for you. It's designed for the very popular DA 50 engine.This could be my christmas present to my self this year.check it out at www.aero-works.net

Cyntec

The Aero-Works Mustang looks great but it cost over $1,800 just for the plane itself! I was hoping for a slightly more economical price.

Cyntec

The Aero-Works Mustang looks perfect but it's over $1,800 just for the plane itself! I was hoping for something a little more economical.

f15iceman

The Aeroworks is definitely more than just the airframe. Everything is done for you: gear doors, sliding canopy, retracts installed, plus a gear door sequencer installed. If i had the dough I would definitely get one. However, if you are looking at more economical, I have the Top Flite GS Mustang. It isn't the most exact scale Mustang, but it does fly very nicely.

JEFF

crashproof

Anyone of the Large scale Mustangs out there are going to cost you. With the Ziroli you mentioned you will be investing more than 1800.00 Even the TFGS Mustang if done properly will run you 1800.00 or more. It's just the price for playing the game. Kevin.

Cyntec

I'm not necessarily looking for a large scale, just one that is as accurate as possible.

SCALECRAFT

My Feedback: (13)

Hi

Early "arf" concept.

The Brian Taylor 69" span glass fuse is one of the most scale ones out there in any size. Laminar wing as well. May have to look around for one though.

Steve

warks62

My Feedback: (140)

It might be easier if you let people know what price range you are looking for and what kind of equipment you want in it, Motor, retracts and such then people can give you a more accurate sujjestion. If you are looking smaller scale the TF and new Hanger 9 60 size planes look pretty nice for the money.

Though the Areo-Works is a bit of money it does come with alot of features and quality Robart retracts not some China crap ones that most ARFs come with. Not to mention cockpit interior and sliding canopy. Also inner gear doors are installed along with there air cylinders. All the gear is installed, pre hinged and the like. So when you add everything up you are not really paying that much more. When I first saw the price I had sticker shock also but if you take a TF ARF and get it to this state your getting pretty close to the same price if you go apples to apples.

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

I would recommend the Comp Arf Mustang. Big and its done up well. [sm=thumbup.gif]

If your going to spend that much $1800 might as well go after your dream!

check6ii

My Feedback: (12)

The most detailed in terms of scale accuracy has always been the now defunct Aerotech P-51. You can still find them every once in awhile, but getting very hard to find. They truly are second to none. But at 3k plus, IT BETTER BE!

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

However, they are extremely heavy for an 1/5 scale warbird. I have seen some at 30lbs... [], good detail but build is too heavy.

Cyntec

Wow, those last few suggestions look great (I found a place that sells both). They're both fiberglass, no? Is that what makes them heavyer? And if they are heavier would a more powerful engine make them fly properly or will they always be slower?

pilotdude57

I believe the Aeroworks P-51 looks nice, but I don't think it is exact scale. It looks like it is too high on the gear, resulting in a wrong angle, and the spinner looks like off the shelf. You might also look at the photos on their website, and see if the gear units are covered up in the retract position (main gear). In some of the photos you can see wrinkling of the covering, showing that they are using an iron on covering, which at a distance looks OK, but up close appears cheesy. It is also, apparently, a wood structure rather than glass, which tends to be heavier. While a person can customize their own with panel lines etc., it would be better to have a glass fuselage and glass wings with the panel lines molded in. Also, it looks like the gear struts are thinner than on the real thing. I don't think they are claiming it is true to scale, so there is no deception. I would be able to put out a superior product, with all composite, and lighter weight, slightly larger, for about $1,400.

TJ

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

Cyntec is this your first warbird?

pilotdude57

The only time fiberglass airplanes are heavier is when they use room temperature cure wet layup glass and resin, and they make it too thick or with too much resin. I use high temperature cure "prepreg" which is cured at 250 degrees, and vacuum bagged, and either honeycomb or lastafoam (not styrene type) core materials. That results in an EXTREMELY stiff, but very lightweight structure, and, unlike some room temperature cure products, you can paint my airplanes BLACK and put them under the sun in Arizona in the summer and it doesn't effect them in the slightest, as they have already been cured at 250 degrees. It's the same material and techniques used in some full size aircraft, such as the Lancair. You would think this costs more to produce, but the extra cost of the material is offset by less labor costs, as the "Prepreg" arrives with the resin and hardener already soaked into it by a machine, which gives the EXACT resin-to-cloth ratio, and it is good in the freezer for about two years.

Steve Landron

Allot of great suggestions out there, but the choice depends on you and your preferances. A few years back I purchased the World Models P-51 (80") ($499) and have succesfully flown the Model many times. It comes with retractable landing gear, and flaps with the workmanship on the kit being very good. It flys almost as stable as a trainer with very light wing loading. The problem is the model does not have allot of detail you would have in a fiber-glass kit. The questions you have to ask yourself is how much money do you want to spend and the flyability of the aircraft (Weight/detail). Good luck in your choice, there is nothing like a P-51 doing a low and slow flyby.

Steve

[8D]

Cyntec

Do you have a website where I could see your work, pilotdude57?

Cyntec

Yes, this is my first warbird, if youdon't include the Great Planes Sopwith Camel I'm waiting to arrive so that I can fly something in the park until next summer.

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

Cyntec, I would say get yourself a medium size ARF mustang there are plenty of them and who cares if it not the best looking one, in the 70-80" span version and have fun, you will need practice and then when your experienced flying a warbird, you can build your dream. You don't want to destroy your dream as you need stepping stones to get there. Good luck!

Cyntec

Thanx for the advice! I just figured if I have my "dream plane" I can work on it while I fly other ones.

pilotdude57

I don't have a website yet, and am now working on an 86 inch long F117 Stealth for turbines, which evidently nobody now produces. I won't be able to develop the Mustang until around the 1st of the year. As soon as I have some photos of the production process on the F117 I will let you know. I am also going to do some huge Space Shuttle kits for high thrust rocket engines that burn for 9 seconds, the largest about 10 feet high.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Ya know.. You can take a Top Flite Giant scale P-51 kit and make a very decent model out of it. It's relatively cheap to buy and while you are learning to fly better you can build it and detail it to your hearts content. Plus its a great flying plane.

chaz42075

I agree with BobH. I built my first Mustang 40 size from GP kit. I covered it the way I wanted and added as much or as little detail as I wanted. I wish she was a 60 size or Giant, but it was a good learning experiance and I get a few head nods at the field for it. ARFs are great for instant satisfaction and hit the wallet all at once. If you have time and the ability, kits are pretty cool and if you build in stages it will be little hits to the wallet ALL winter long!!!
Good luck!