Is it even possible?

[LooneyBird]

I would like to build a replica P-51 full scale out of composites. I am wondering about a few things.

1) Is there a newer book like Mr. Martin Hollmann's Composite Aircraft Design? That is a great book, but I am wondering if there has been another person in the last 20 years that has expanded on the content with the changes in the composite world.

2) The P-51 has a stall speed of 87kn. This is higher than the FAA allows for homebuilts, or is there a way to keep that stall speed? Otherwise weight and wing design will have to drastically change which would ruin replica nature of the aircraft.

3) What happens if a plane is homebuilt that does not meet the 60kn stall speed of the FAA? Even if you have designed the aircraft to stall at 60kn, and then build it and it is found to stall at 65kn. What happens?

Thank you for the time and any information you can provide.

[rwanttaja]

I would like to build a replica P-51 full scale out of composites. I am wondering about a few things.

Here you go:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/kitspages/mustang.php


2) The P-51 has a stall speed of 87kn. This is higher than the FAA allows for homebuilts, or is there a way to keep that stall speed? Otherwise weight and wing design will have to drastically change which would ruin replica nature of the aircraft.

3) What happens if a plane is homebuilt that does not meet the 60kn stall speed of the FAA? Even if you have designed the aircraft to stall at 60kn, and then build it and it is found to stall at 65kn. What happens?
Actually, the stall speed limit applies to certificated aircraft, not to homebuilts.

Ron Wanttaja

[Byron J. Covey]

I would like to build a replica P-51 full scale out of composites. I am wondering about a few things.

1) Is there a newer book like Mr. Martin Hollmann's Composite Aircraft Design? That is a great book, but I am wondering if there has been another person in the last 20 years that has expanded on the content with the changes in the composite world.
.

Lots of engineers consider Martin's work to be less than rigerous. (Trying to be kind ....)

For structural design of composites, consider Composite Airframe Structures by Michael C. Y. Niu.


BJC

[LooneyBird]

Thank you both for your input.

Ron, I have mixed emotions about your answer. I was at first upset, because I have been playing with the math (having fun too) andfound many ways not to do things. Now, I am very happy, as one hurdle is now out of the way. Thanks for knocking that one down for me.

Byron, that book was on my list and will be here tomorrow. Thank you. Martin's book was simple, but a great starting point. I think you were kind enough. I thought of it as a composite 201 class and I am looking to get to the 501 class, but I liked the easy to understand explanations and tone Martin put out. That is why I asked if there was more out there.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

[CraigCantwell]

Looney: I would suggest that you talk to Cameron Aircraft, as they have already done a full size, composite P-51. He did have at one time, 10 ship sets of parts for the production version of the aircraft. They used a T-53 to power the prototype, but it was designed so that you could use a Merlin or Allison too.

[Byron J. Covey]

Looney: I would suggest that you talk to Cameron Aircraft, as they have already done a full size, composite P-51. He did have at one time, 10 ship sets of parts for the production version of the aircraft. They used a T-53 to power the prototype, but it was designed so that you could use a Merlin or Allison too.

Link provided by Ron, in post 2.

[Danny Mortensen]

You will need the graphite spars, stringers, and major components - tail assembly, fuselage, wings, etc. Murdo Cameron is building these for us. We will start construction on the second airplane in the spring here in Kentucky. You can contact him at cameronaircraft.com Danny Mortensen, EAA #88454

[Bob H]

I worked with Murdo on his P-51 as the material guy and did some 350F cures in our large autoclave. He was very good at acquiring high quality prepreg material from cancelled aircraft programs.
Murdo made the molds by splashing off actual P-51 planes, then making high temp molds, a very intensive/expensive process. You really want a toughened 350F system for high Tg and hot/wet strength if you are considering a racing use. And you would like a 100 psi, bagged, autoclace cure to assure that porosity levels are low in laminates after all the time and money invseted getting to that point. And you would like bonded joints with high strength film adhesive in a clave under vacuum bag. All this is easy to say but very difficult/expensive to tool accurately. So before worrying about design issues, determine whether you have the bucks and time to learn all the bagging tricks and the money for materials and clave time. I'm not discouraging you from trying the task but you should know the realities of what's required to make it work and be able to do all that's necessary for success. The design is easy; the implementation afterward is hard.

[Samuel]

You will need the graphite spars, stringers, and major components - tail assembly, fuselage, wings, etc. Murdo Cameron is building these for us. We will start construction on the second airplane in the spring here in Kentucky. You can contact him at cameronaircraft.com Danny Mortensen, EAA #88454

Any updates on the composite P-51 Danny?

[Jim Heffelfinger]

http://www.eliteaviator.com/
http://www.scalewings.com/en/products/scalewings-aircrafts/sw51mustang