P-51 replica crashes at Reno

The NZ example flies with a Ryan Falconer V12. A most impressive engine.

Weren’t these designed for a big block Chevy engine? I think also that a V12 was made for this using Chevy components and original castings by Ryan falconer?

Would a Jumo even fit?
What about CG issues?

I think the Jumo thing has got a little confused. It was a comment on the video left by someone on that site, about putting a Jumo into a full-size, original Mustang (someone earnestly believing that it was done by the Americans then hushed up as the results were too good, or some such nonsense). I don’t think anyone would have a good reason for putting one in a scaled-down Mustang, even if it were possible.

According to the manufacturer’s website, they will be back in production soon

Bad crash, hope the pilot’s okay.

I’ve seen a Thunder Mustang, one was at the Ezell’s shop a few years ago when I was doing a story on the Montana Seafire. It’s an impressive airpcraft…much more impressive than some here would like to admit.

I have had the amazing opportunity to fly in the back seat of New Zealand based Thunder Mustang ZK-TMG, thanks to co-owner and pilot Simon Gault who kindly gave me a ride. They are a remarkable aeroplane, and TMG is very popular at airshows as they are extremely impressive, and noisy. The kiwi group’s test and display pilot Bryan Gault flew real P-51D’s in the RNZAF and he reckons the replica beats the original in most respects. It is faster at low level, he tells me. But the local P-51D owners won’t let them prove it. 🙂

It’s sad to see this crash, there are only a handful of the Thunder Mustangs around, just over a dozen I believe. ZK-TMG is the only one outside the USA. They no longer make them so this crash makes them all the more rare.

Interesting video, illustrates even better than the stills the violence of the impacts. Hard to tell from the angle but he must have had a nasty few seconds when it looked like he might have gone into that flight line of exec jets & trainers !

I wonder if the wing dig in was as a result of trying to steer the aircraft away from that flightline?

Roger Smith.

It was on Fox news here this morning, They showed the guy arriving home from Reno with a small trailer full of scrap. I don’t think that was his first rodeo either…

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one …

Yes, but a landing that allows you to use the airplane again is a better one!

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one …

Bad crash, hope the pilot’s okay.

I’ve seen a Thunder Mustang, one was at the Ezell’s shop a few years ago when I was doing a story on the Montana Seafire. It’s an impressive airpcraft…much more impressive than some here would like to admit.
I’m surprised to hear someone would attempt to put a Jumo in one. The TM is quite a bit smaller…

TM / NAA P-51

Displacement:…601 cubic inches / 1649 cubic inches
Length:… 24.2 ft. / 32.2 ft.
Frontal Area:… 8.1 sq. ft. / 13.4 sq.ft.
Wing Span:.. 23.8 ft. / 37.0 ft.
Wing Area:… 104 sq. ft. / 237.75 sq.ft.
Wing Loading:… 28.84 lbs/sq.ft. / 49.2 lbs/sq.ft.
Power Loading:… 4.69 lbs/hp / 7.78 lbs/hp
Gross Weight:… 3200 lbs / 11600 lbs
Empty Weight:… 2200 lbs / 7635 lbs

Would a Jumo even fit?
What about CG issues?

I checked the builder website as referenced above and it’s good news that the firm has reorganized.
Neat idea a carbon fiber aircraft…far better than wood. It seems pretty crash worthy too.

Interesting video, illustrates even better than the stills the violence of the impacts. Hard to tell from the angle but he must have had a nasty few seconds when it looked like he might have gone into that flight line of exec jets & trainers !

One should no longer be surprised, but yet again, the ‘newspaper’ is wrong on most of the important facts-

It was NOT a take off attempt, but a mishandled landing, and the cause was not a pothole. The pilot probably knows best what occured, but it appears to land pretty hard, lose directional control in a howling crosswind, depart the runway, gets bounced nose high into the air by the rough terrain, drops a wing, maybe with a bit of torque-roll, and cartwheels across the ground.

I understand now that this was a forced landing following engine failure, and would make no judgement on the pilot or the outcome. If the only damage is wood and metal he did a pretty good job. Clearly there was no torque roll if there was no power input 🙁

Apparently it was thought to be a replEca. Not a replica at all.

Never mind the bizarreness of the commentators, the journalists themselves are illiterate.

Video of the crash here:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e58_1285076147

At the end of the war the plane was fitted with a German engine and was found to be the most suitable and best engine for it outperforming all other propeller planes. This was the same engine used in the Focke Wulf Ta152 but with enhancements.

However the US and British politicians found it politically incorrect to fly with a German engine and it was removed.
– Heinrich, Munich, Germany, 21/9/2010 20:55

LMAO :D….. Some Germans DO have a sense of humor afterall…

Maybe historical should be replaced with hysterical?

This is all I can see of the comments…

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He was one very lucky fella to get away with that. Bet he felt sick when he saw what was left though.

What would have been the advantage of using a Jumo as originally fitted?

More about the aircarft here.
http://www.thundermustang.com/

No its a historical comment from a guy in Germany.

Maybe historical should be replaced with hysterical?

Lucky to remain upright and no fire.:eek:

Looks like fuel escaping in the last photo.