WIX Archives

Thunder Mustangs

Posted by Lowell on Wed Jul 31, 2002 10:10:35 AM

In reply top Re: Fiberglass P-51 posted by Mike Henniger on Wed Jul 31, 2002 07:31:16 AM



The Thunder Mustangs were built as a kit in Nampa, Idaho by PAPA 51 Ltd., Co. and were 3/4 scale with about a 64% scale wing (for better speed). The aircraft was carbon fiber with nomex honeycomb construction and features an original 601 cubic inch V-12 powerplant built by Ryan Falconer of Salinas, California. Very careful consideration was made to keep the Mustang lines and curves correct throughout and even parts such as the throttle quadrant, oil tank, rudder pedals, etc. were replicated like the original. It is two place and dual control. I am 6'2" and have flown very comfortably in the back seat. It was designed for two 6'6" men possible. The aircraft with normal aspiration has better performance figures than a stock P-51D at lower altitudes. Steve Hinton, Lefty Gardner, John Maloney, Ladd Doctor and other warbird circle names have all flown it solo and have testified to its performance and flying qualities.
The prototype was first flown on November 17, 1996. Kit production started in 1997. Thirty two Kits were sold plus an additional three wing kits to builders wanting to do the project in stages. The sales were all to U.S. customers except for two to South Africa, one to Ecuador, and one to Portugal. The Ecuador aircraft has a U.S. registration and has remained in the U.S. for all of its flying which included practice laps at Reno last year. Ernesto Estrada and the folks at Precision Aircraft Services http://precision-aircraft.net/
built it and have used a racing 3-blade prop thus far.
One of the South African aircraft is ready to fly as of late June and also has U.S. registration and is for sale.
There is one flying in Boca Raton, Florida (N53GB) owned by Gunther Balz (former F8F-1 Bearcat N9G, P-51D racer "Roto Finish Special", and FM-2 Wildcat owner); one flying in Reno, Nevada (John Parker, N351F); Mr. Estrada's flying in Florida and Idaho mostly (N58EE); Gil Graham of Fort Payne, Alabama flies the second one finished, in 1998, (N7TR)and at least two others are ready to fly and may have by this writing, one in Oregon (N514RJ) and one in California (N77TM). Many others are close including at least N51CC and N51WY.
Two of the above have warbird paint schemes and many more are planning to paint them that way with accurate replica markings. Most, so far, have had civilian paint schemes very reminiscent of the prototypes (dark color upper fuselage/vertical fin/rudder with straight line split to white lower fuselage, white wings, and horizontal with multicolored ribbon type stripes starting at spinner flowing back) with different colors used.
The prototype (N151TM) was lost in a double fatality accident on May 30, 1998 due to pilot error in low altitude maneuvering. It qualified in the Unlimited Class at Reno in 1997 at a speed faster than two of the P-51 entries, again with normal aspiration. Unfortunately the PAPA 51 Ltd. Company shut the doors in the fall of 2000 having sold most kits at or below actual costs resulting in serious financial woes. Efforts are being made to begin production again when sale of the assets is finalized.

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