Mustang (oz14915)

About this Plan

Midwest Mustang. Radio control sport-scale model of the WWII fighter. Wingspan 54 in, wing area 521 sq in, for .40 engine.

Quote: "With the Midwest Mustang, you're at the controls of the famous P-51, ready to take on a dawn patrol over enemy territory. First in a new series of warbirds, this intermediate flyer provides forgiving handling combined with maneuverablity, so you'll enjoy learning to fly a taildragger. If you're looking for the perfect kit to try after your trainer, choose fun, choose the Midwest Mustang."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 5/12/2024: Added kit review from RCM&E August 1992, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "Midwest Mustang 40. David Matthews builds the '1992 Model of the Year' for fun scale flying.

For those modellers out there who may not be familiar with the company, Midwest Products Co, Inc are based in Indiana, USA. Their range of kits include the high performance Super Hots series, popular with sports flyers. In addition to this range of fine, high quality kits they have produced this Fun-Scale P-51D Mustang, designed by Tom Herr, for .35-.45 engines and 4 channel R/C.

Box contents: The first thing that captures your attention is that the picture/label on the white cardboard box actually tells you some useful information about the contents. It has a listing of all the parts you will need to finish the model. After all, it is most frustrating to arrive back at home only to find that you have to get some small but vital part to finish, or even start, your creation.

Open the box and inside there is a 40 page instruction booklet with clear and concise illustrations and well written instructional text. The plan comes in one sheet and is printed in blue ink, showing the fuselage side elevation and the wing planform, along with details for installing a .50 four stoke engine.

All the balsa wood and lite ply parts are pre-cut with the exception of some 1/8 balsa sheet, used for cladding the belly radiator. All the wood used in the kit is of excellent quality. The canopy is supplied in tissue wrapping for protection. All nuts, bolts, screws, U/C legs, horns and assorted hardware are packed in clear plastic bags. Last of all there is a fine set of decals for the decorating stage. That is about it as far as the contents are concerned, now all that is left to do is build and fly.

The mission begins. With some major cleaning out in the work area, I'm finally ready to start building. After laying out the plan on the work surface and covering it with cling film, to avoid those nasty spills of tea and glue, I set about marking the numbers on the die-cut parts. Over 30 parts make up the fuselage alone. All die-cut parts were present and accounted for, the only problem being that one part had been damaged in transit, through "post-office football" by the look of the box! Good old cyano cured that problem.

Wings: As the Mustang is a Fun-Scale model, the symmetrical section 54 in span wings are straightforward in their construction and should not pose too great a problem to the modeller with previous experience of built-up construction.

Taking ribs W2, W3 and the U/C doublers, they are stuck them together with white PVA for strength. While they are drying the spars are cut to a length of 27 in as recommended and pinned to the plan. At this point I must mention that the wing is, of course, built in two sections and those spare off-cuts of spar are kept for later use as servo rails. Ribs W1 are glued to the spars using the supplied dihedral gauge, giving the correct angle for joining the two wing halves later.

When set, the other 18 ribs are stuck in place, perpendicular to the building board. The trailing edges and T/E sheets are lined up and glued down. Leading edge and L/E sheeting are next, then the capping strips are added. All this for one side? I can hear those ARTF/RTF lads saying! Well for me, that is what modelling is all about; 'construction' gives you a real sense of achievement. Anyway, the wing panels are turned over and using the jig supplied, underside sheeting can then take place.

When both panels were completely dry, I removed them, and gave them a light sanding, prior to joining up with epoxy. The amount of dihedral under one wing tip is suggested as 4 to 5 in. I used 4. While this was drying, I bent the aileron torque rods to shape, fitting the 1/8 brass tubing as bushes. These were then housed in the grooved T/E blocks and epoxied into the wing..."

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