EZ P-51D Mustang

Model Airplane News, Sep 2001 by Trachten, Craig, Chianelli, Chris

MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS

FIELD & BENCH

REVIEW

An ARF classic warbird that flies as good as it looks

MRC/ALTECH

Over the past few years, it has been a pleasure to build, fly and even review a few samples of OK Model Co.'s EZ line of aircraft. With the introduction of its P-51D Mustang, OK Model has topped itself once again. Distributed by MRC/Altech, the EZ Mustang is a .40- to .46-size aircraft that has a brushed aluminum finish and details such as rivets and weathering that contribute greatly to its authenticity. It is constructed in the typical EZ fashion: plastic foam and Mylar over lite-ply. It also comes with a set of retracts-a nice touch!

THE KIT

The fit and finish of the kit components earned a perfect 10 from me.

As with most ARFs, the supplied pushrods are wood dowels with wires attached at each end, but I use Dave Brown's fiberglass pushrods, no. 5400, in all my aircraft.

I like the fact that at the beginning of each construction sequence in the instruction manual, the required materials are listed and pictured. This allows you to round up all of the necessary parts before you begin construction. The documentation falls a bit short, however, with respect to the English translation and, in some cases, the construction photos. Since this probably is not your first aircraft, the minor problems with the documentation shouldn't scare you away. As with any kit, it's a good idea to dry-assemble the pieces before you glue them permanently into place. The pushrods were the only supplied hardware that I chose not to use.

ASSEMBLY

Begin the wing construction by installing the aileron servos in each wing half. It would have been nice if a pull string for the servo wire had already been installed, but it was easy enough to drop one through.

The kit includes a cover plate that goes over the servos. Make sure to mount the servos low enough to allow the plate to lay flat; however, if you mount them too low, the servo arms will bind on the plate. Guess how I found that out.

When the servo positions were correct, I attached the cover plates with Bob Smith's IC-2000 flexible glue. After the cover plates are secure, simply attach the control horns to the ailerons and install the pushrods.

Mount the retracts and retract servo next. Open the area in the left wing to accommodate your retract servo and carve out the servo mount. Then attach the servo to the mount and install the mount in the wing. This is the easiest way to achieve proper servo height.

Measure and bend the retract pushrods then snake the rods through the wing and complete the retract installation; then join the wing halves as shown in the instructions.

The manual does not explain how to install the two Z-bends through the servo disc with the given space and rod length. I solved the problem by using a long, two-arm servo horn. On one of the retracts, I rotated the Z-bend 180 degrees, then inserted one Z through the bottom of one side of the arm and the other through the top. The long horn gave me enough added length to "hook" the rods around the output shaft of the servo, which helped attain full throw without binding.

The remaining construction can be compared to riding a skateboard in San Francisco-it's downhill all the way. Secure the main wing to the fuselage, then attach the plastic fairing (with air scoop) using the IC-2000.

The engine is mounted on the aircraft in the typical manner, but the top half of the cowl blends in to become part of the fuselage. This makes it exceptionally easy to accurately measure and cut all openings in the cowl bottom. It also contributes to the great look of this aircraft.

The internal elevator pushrods are another terrific feature of this kit. Only the rudder pushrod is visible; it exits the lower rear of the fuselage.

I installed an oversize, Du-Bro 12-ounce fuel tank in the nose of the Mustang and used a three-line configuration with a clunk on the third fill line. This makes defueling quick and easy.

Next, install the radio gear of your choice. I used my Futaba 8UAFS with a combination of digital and analog Futaba servos.

Everyone knows that airplanes can't fly themselves; a pilot is required! This kit includes a sheet of vacuum-formed parts that will become your pilot and seatback. The canopy comes with trim tape to put the finishing touches on the glass. Simply add some Testors flat military-colored paint, and you will end up with a nice-looking cockpit.

This kit should be at the top of your wish list. Be good to yourself because this aircraft belongs in your hangar.

APC Props; distributed by Landing Products, 1222 Harter Ave., Woodland, CA 95776; (530) 661-- 0399; fax (530) 666-6661; www.apcprop.com.

Bob Smith Industries, 8060 Morro Rd., Atascadero, CA 93422; (805) 466-1717; fax (805) 466-3683; www.bsiadhesives.com.

Dave Brown Products, 4560 Layhigh Rd., Hamilton, OH 45013; (513) 738-1576; fax (513) 738-0152; www.dbproducts.com.

Du-Bro Products, P.O. Box 815, Wauconda, IL 60084; (800) 848-9411; fax (847) 526-1604; www.dubro.com.

Futaba Corp. of America; distributed by Great Planes Model Distributors Co., P.O. Box 9021, Champaign, IL 61826-9021; (800) 682-8948; fax (217) 398-0008; www.futaba-rc.com.