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Aerotech Models shipped my P-51D on June 6, 2006. Wayne Siewert designed this P-51D as an exact scale representation including panel lines. It has over 20,000 rivets, 400+ Phillips head screws, and 100+ slotted head screws molded into the gray gel-coat surface of the fuselage, horizontal surfaces and one-piece scale laminar wing with reflex curve at the rear. Carbon fiber is used throughout the airplane.
I am pattering my P-51D after “Blondie” which was flown during W.W.II by Lt. Marvin Arthur of the 334th Fighter Squadron. Marvin Arthur joined the 4th Fighter group at the tail end of the war. He began flying “Davy Lee,” named after his son in November, 1944. Some time shortly after, he was assigned QP-U 44c-73304 and he asked Don Allen to paint a picture, this time of his wife. So “Blondie” now took to the air. By this time the war’s end was not far off and Arthur and Blondie scored 1.5 kills. Don Allen did wonderful artwork and “Blondie” typifies the scope and detail of such work. The aircraft was a later P-51D of the 334th Squadron and it displayed the new red tail coloring as well the nose art. Pictures of his two P-51D’s accompany this write-up at the bottom of this page.
A Revel Model Kit 0412 1/48 Scale of “Blondie” was purchased to obtain nose art decals. These decals were sent to Cindy Slachta of Aeroloft Designs, Mesa, Arizona & blown up to 1/5 scale. After installing Aeroloft decals Blondie was painted with clear coat.
Flite-Metal was used to cover the entire P-51D except for the rudder, which is fabric cover like the full size airplane. Each panel of the airplane was Scotch Brited. It was trimmed in Bright Red FS 33136 & Olive Drab Shade 41 using DuPont base coat automotive paint. These were mixed using the “Military Aircraft Color Guide” that was produced exclusively for Frank Tiano Enterprises.
P-51D Specifications:
- Scale--1/5 (19% Actual)
- Wing Area--1,222 Sq. In.
- Wing Span--84 Inches
- Length--72 1/2 Inches
- Flying Weight--28 Pounds
- Engines--2.7 Cu in Husky Challenger (Gas)
Equipment:
- JR 10 Channel Transmitter with 10-Channel S-PCM Receiver, 1-Ultra Torque Servo # JRPS8411 on the rudder and & 3 #JRPS8231 Servo’s on the elevator & aileron control surfaces. Two #JRPS821 Sport Digital servos are used on the throttle control & retract switch.
- Mejzlik 20x10 Hollow Carbon Fiber Propeller.
- Du-Bro 5-inch special thin wheels.
- Du-Bro 24 oz. fuel tank & fuel fill valve.
- Aerotech Special Tail Wheel retractable gear.
- Aerotech main retracts with Robart struts.
- Cuffed Static Propeller.
- Two 75 gallon gas tanks & two Five Hundred Pound Bombs.
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