The Thunder Mustang is a modern 0.75 scale replica of the P-51 Mustang. It has joined the ranks of the high-performance P-51 kits alongside the Titan Aircraft T-51, which has a welded steel airframe with a secondary monocoque aluminum shell, the all-aluminum Stewart S-51D, and the full-scale, turbine-powered Cameron P-51G.
The Thunder Mustang is currently in renewed production stages. Production ceased in the fall of 1999. The Thunder Builders Group LLC owned the assets required to manufacture the airplane in September 2010, when they sold the assets to Dean Holt of Mount Vernon, Washington.[1] Dean is currently in the process of manufacturing all the necessary components for complete kit offerings, which will be available in late fall 2011.
There were a total of 37 complete or partial kits produced, including the prototype. Of these 37, 27 were delivered as complete kits including the Falconer engine. Two have Walter turbines installed and presently flying.
Four Thunder Mustangs have competed at the Reno Air Races. John Parker has recorded lap speeds of more than 355 mph on the racecourse using the normally aspirated Falconer engine in his Thunder Mustang Blue Thunder II. Parker perished in a landing incident at Reno Stead on May 1, 2018. George Giboney posted lap speeds of 397 mph with his supercharged version of the Falconer engine during the 2010 races, with level flight top speed of more than 415 mph.
On January 4, 2020, a Thunder Mustang crashed in Santa Clarita, California, killing the pilot.[2]
| Specifications | Thunder Mustang | North American P-51D Mustang | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplant | Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650-7 1490hp | ||
| Displacement | |||
| Propeller | MT 94inches diameter 4-bladed constant speed | Hamilton Standard 134inches diameter 4-bladed | |
| Length | 24.2feet | 32.2feet | |
| Frontal Area | 8.1square feet | 13.4square feet | |
| Wing Span | 23.8feet | 37feet | |
| Wing Area | 104square feet | 237.75square feet | |
| Wing Loading | 28.84 lb/sq ft (140.81 kg/m2) | 49.2 lb/sq ft (240.22 kg/m2) | |
| Power Loading | 0.2 hp/lb (0.329 kW/kg) | 0.13 hp/lb (0.22 kW/kg) | |
| Gross Weight | 3200lb | 11600lb | |
| Empty Weight | 2200lb | 7635lb | |
| Useful Load | 1000lb | 3965lb | |
| Payload w/full Fuel | 400lb | 2885lb | |
| Basic Fuel Capacity | 102impgal (in wings) | 180impgal (in wings) | |
| Baggage Capacity | 50lb | N/A | |
| Performance | |||
| Rate of Climb @ gross | 86.666ft/s | 46.666ft/s | |
| Maximum Level Speed @ Sea Level | 326abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 326abbr=onNaNabbr=on (380abbr=onNaNabbr=on @ 25000abbr=onNaNabbr=on) | |
| Cruise Speed @ 75% Power | 300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 250abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Fuel Consumption | 22impgal25impgal per hour | 50impgal75impgal per hour | |
| Range | 1300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 700abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Service Ceiling | 25000feet | 46000feet | |
| Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds | |||
| Vx (best angle of climb) | 87abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 87abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vy (best rate of climb) | 156abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 148abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Va (design maneuvering) | 222abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 226abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vfe (max flaps extended) | 165abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 143abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vle (max landing gear extended) | 148abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 148abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vne (never exceed) | 439abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 439abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vsl (stall, clean) | 77abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 92abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Vso (stall, in landing config.) | 68abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 88abbr=onNaNabbr=on | |
| Best Glide | 152abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 152abbr=onNaNabbr=on |