Engineering:Historical P-51 Mustang

From HandWiki
Short description: American homebuilt fighter replica
P-51 Mustang
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Historical Aircraft Corporation
Status Production completed
Developed from North American P-51 Mustang

The Historical P-51 Mustang is an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by the Historical Aircraft Corporation of Nucla, Colorado. The aircraft is a 62.5% scale replica of the original North American P-51 Mustang and when it was available was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Design and development

The aircraft features a cantilever low-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from welded steel tubing covered in a shell of polyurethane foam and fiberglass. Its 24.00 ft (7.3 m) span wing, mounts flaps and has a wing area of 100.00 sq ft (9.290 m2). The cockpit width is 21 in (53 cm). The standard engine used is the 230 hp (172 kW) Ford Motor Company V-6 automotive conversion powerplant.[1]

The aircraft has a typical empty weight of 1,354 lb (614 kg) and a gross weight of 1,954 lb (886 kg), giving a useful load of 600 lb (270 kg). With full fuel of 41 U.S. gallons (160 L; 34 imp gal) the payload for pilot and baggage is 354 lb (161 kg).[1]

The aircraft has fairly lengthy runway requirements with a standard day sea level take-off distance of 1,200 ft (366 m) and a landing distance of 1,500 ft (457 m).[1]

The kit included prefabricated assemblies, the engine and scale fixed pitch propeller, instruments and avionics. The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 2000 hours.[1]

Specifications (P-51)

Data from AeroCrafter[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 20.60 ft (6.28 m)
  • Wingspan: 24.00 ft (7.32 m)
  • Wing area: 100.00 sq ft (9.290 m2)
  • Empty weight: 1,354 lb (614 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,954 lb (886 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 41 U.S. gallons (160 L; 34 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Ford Motor Company V-6 four stroke automotive conversion powerplant, 230 hp (170 kW)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed fixed pitch composite

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 228 mph (367 km/h, 198 kn)
  • Stall speed: 57 mph (92 km/h, 50 kn) flaps and gear down
  • Range: 650 mi (1,050 km, 560 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 27,750 ft (8,460 m)
  • Rate of climb: 2,290 ft/min (11.6 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 19.54 lb/sq ft (95.4 kg/m2)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 177. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN:0-9636409-4-1