P-51D Miss Kat Brat (oz5213)

About this Plan

Miss Kat Brat (P-51D Mustang). Radio control competition pattern scale WWII fighter model. Wing area 660 sq in, for .60 power.

Quote: "Miss Kat Brat. A Competition Pattern Mustang, by Jim Vornholt.

A competition pattern aircraft does not have to look like a pregnant Guppy simply because the current trend may be going in that direction. Designed by a two time Nationals control line stunt champion, Miss Kat Brat is proof that a pattern R/C aircraft can combine scale appearance with competitive performance

A competition pattern aircraft does not have to look like a pregnant Guppy simply because the current trend may be going in that direction. Designed by a two time Nationals control line stunt champion, Miss Kat Brat is proof that a pattern RC aircraft can combine scale appearance with competitive performance.

A chance to fly in a real P-51 Mustang must be every modelers dream. This dream became a reality for me at the 1975 EAA Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. That is where I met Jack Shaver of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Jack is the pilot of Miss Kat Brat, the P-51 Mustang that my model was painted after, and is a close friend of Tom Wood of Indianapolis. Tom also owns a P-51 Mustang. After a short discussion with Jack and Tom on the subject of R/C Mustangs, Jack asked me if I would like a ride in Miss Kat Brat. Well, I ask you - who could say no to a question like that? When we took off Tom went with us in his beautiful P-51 painted in 8th Air Force configuration. Tom Wood owns one of the largest Pontiac dealerships in Indiana and is a heck of a nice guy. Jack Shaver works for a large airline, the name of which slips my mind at this time.

Upon climbing into the cockpit, Jack strapped himself in and made a quick check. Then the huge four bladed prop began to turn. With a slight puff of smoke, the engine fired. Taxiing across the field with Tom in front of us, I could look out either side of the canopy and see Corsairs, Bearcats, Thunderbolts, and P-38 Lightnings. The steady roar of the Rolls Royce engine, and seeing the other war birds sitting in a row as though they could leap into action at a moments notice, was like a time machine sending me back thirty years. With a little imagination you could see pilots siting around the Officer's Club discussing the days action over the faint sound of Glenn Miller on Armed Forces Radio, playing in the background.

Jack and Tom are both top notch pilots and there is nothing that can compare to the feeling of flying upside down, and going through a series of rolls in a Mustang. We were in the air for about one hour, with Jack and Tom chasing each other through the skies as if they were in an actual dog fight. The most beautiful sight was flying what was called 'Tail End Charlie' during WWII. That is when we were at 6 o'clock - to the rear - and about 50 ft, just below Tom. Looking up through the canopy, seeing the bottom of Tom's plane was a sight beyond description, and one few people will ever see.

My thanks to Jack Shaver and Tom Wood for making August 3, 1975 just about the most important day of my life, for, from the first turns of that big prop, I knew I had been born 20 years too late.

I have been a modeler for 20 years and have loved the Mustang ever since I was a small boy. The first 17 years of my modeling career were spent flying control line stunt (Pattern for the R/C boys) and I was lucky enough to win the Nationals twice, in 1960 and 1961, and placed fourth in 1962. I dropped out of modeling in 1963 to pursue a full time career of chasing girls. But, as the old saying goes: Old modelers never die, they just get married and return to building model airplanes. So, about three years ago I took up the magic box and found that ten years can take its toll on your nerves and reflexes.

Now, for a few words about the model. It is 98% scale and uses a symmetrical airfoil with the exception of ribs 1-5 which had to be cut thinner on the bottom to allow the wing to fit under the scoop. The alignment was changed to a zero - zero set up, removing the incidence and washout from the wing. Two ships were built at the same time, the second by Jerry Caldwell, President of the Indianapolis R/C Modelers Club (the oldest R/C club in Indianapolis, I might add).

My main goal in this design was not for a Stand-Off Scale model, but a light weight, high-performance Pattern ship with scale appearance. I sometimes wonder why most modelers have a 'Monkey see, Monkey do' attitude towards modeling. If a hot dog has a Pattern ship that looks like a pregnant Guppy, then other modelers believe they have to fly a pregnant Guppy if they want to win contests.

I have believed for years that a semi-scale can compete equally in the Pattern Event if the ship is designed correctly. This was what I set out to prove, and I believe I have accomplished my goal. There are three factors to keep in mind at all times with this type of model.

First, weight is very critical and should be kept under 7 lbs. This sounds impossible for this size model, but it can be done by using fuselage planking instead of blocks, white glue instead of epoxy, and Zap or Hot Stuff instead of glue. But most important, use only Sig 4-6 lb balsa..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, thanks to MarkSanders.

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