mullacharjak
Well-Known Member
A fuselage made from welded steel tube with wood formers to replicate a P51 should be easier.The Hurricane fighter was built in this manner.
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One way of assessing the scale of such a project is with simple economics. According to the P-51 Wikipedia page, the per-unit price on the P-51 was about $51,000 in 1945. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator, that comes out to about $733,000 in today's dollars. About as much as a well-equipped Cirrus SR22.I am planning to build a P-51 Mustang 1:1 Replica. I will make it flyable...
Nice troll...I think you have several on the line. Play them slowly so they don't break off.I am planning to build a P-51 Mustang 1:1 Replica. I will make it flyable. I have all the parts/pieces from the structure ready to cut and assemble. From what material and what thickness should I use for this structure to be strong (to support human weight) and also light in the same time ? Steel, aluminium ? And what thickness ? 1, 2 or 3 mm etc. ??? Thanks again.
There are a lot of variables in play. How it was built is a really big one. As examples, the Spitfire and Hurricane. The Spitfire was a lot harder to build, needed higher skilled workers and more hours. Not surprisingly, it was not cheap. The Hurricane was designed for easy mass production. It didn't need as much skill or nearly as many hours. However, it made good use of dedicated machinery to churn parts out at high speed. It was cheap and early in the war, was built over twice as fast as Spitfires.One way of assessing the scale of such a project is with simple economics. According to the P-51 Wikipedia page, the per-unit price on the P-51 was about $51,000 in 1945. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator, that comes out to about $733,000 in today's dollars. About as much as a well-equipped Cirrus SR22.
However, that was when the aircraft was in active series production resulting in a total build of 15,000 units.
If you had to make just one, the cost of making the parts onesey-twosey while reverse-engineering the assembly process and making all the jigs and fixtures would probably put the price between 5x and 10x what it is for series production units. So I'd figure on at least $733 x 5x = $2.7 million.
That said, if someone came at me with a blank check asking for a full-scale P-51 replica, I'd probably make it out of carbon fiber using CNC-cut single-use molds. I would just bid on the basic airframe and control systems, and let someone else do the engine, cooling, electric, hydraulic, undercarriage, and all that stuff. But even just the bare airframe would probably be the better part of a half a million dollars, and the total fly-away price tag wouldn't be much below the $2.7 million arrived at above.
A 1:1 scale Replica is not necessarily the same as "exact replica". Which are you asking about? What empty weight is proposed?From what material and what thickness should I use for this structure to be strong (to support human weight) and also light in the same time ?
Who needs a kit when you could just DIY?...pull molds off an actual P51 & made at least one in composite.
At that price, just go out and buy an original...... So I'd figure on at least $733 x 5x = $2.7 million.....
BoKu probably knows this; a couple of decades ago, someone did pull molds off an actual P51 & made at least one in composite. I never heard whether it went further than the prototype.
Woops...
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I don't remember if that's the same one...
My 3/4 scale, 28' wingspan version has an empty weight of 1748 lbs.A 1:1 scale Replica is not necessarily the same as "exact replica". Which are you asking about? What empty weight is proposed?
A 37' span experimental "light replica" of say 1500 pounds empty (7600 original) should not be difficult for an experienced builder.
A 1:1 scale Replica is not necessarily the same as "exact replica". Which are you asking about? What empty weight is proposed?
A 37' span experimental "light replica" of say 1500 pounds empty (7600 original) should not be difficult for an experienced builder.
It can be a replica and not exact. The T-51 is called a three quarter scale "replica" but hardly exact. Titan T-51 Mustang - WikipediaMy 3/4 scale, 28' wingspan version has an empty weight of 1748 lbs.
If this thread is truly legit, you need to plan on spending 1 million on the build, minimum. Titan Aircraft had a full scale, 100% size kit in the works at one time. That kit would have sold well north of 500K.
Buy a set of plans from Jurca, and upscale it by 25%. That can be done.
Correct, the T-51 is not exact, or 100% correct. Those photos represent very early examples. The latest versions are much more correct in overall appearance. See the photos below for a more up to date version of the T-51 Mustang.It can be a replica and not exact. The T-51 is called a three quarter scale "replica" but hardly exact. Titan T-51 Mustang - Wikipedia
It doesn't have to be exact scale weight just because it is 1-1 scale size either. In theory, I could build a 1-1 scale replica ultralight. Which I think the OP was referring to.
It would be relatively easy to buy a wrecked C-206 and use the engine, instruments,wheels, etc. to build a 1-1 replica P-51 around the same size and weight as the C-206
Murdo is a good friend,I see him quit a lot, most every time I’m down at my hanger , 2or 3 times a week.He has the molds for the full scale Mustang , the wing mold is a H model Mustang. He has his hanger up for sale, I really don’t think he is going anywhere? If his hanger dose sale he has another shop where he is going to continue working of the Mustang & several other projects.BoKu probably knows this; a couple of decades ago, someone did pull molds off an actual P51 & made at least one in composite. I never heard whether it went further than the prototype.
Woops...
HOME | Cameronaircraft
I don't remember if that's the same one...