Top 10 P-51 Mustangs

Favorite all-American fighters.

- The Model Airplane News Crew

AeroWorks 50cc P-51 Mustang

Incredibly prefabricated for a scale warbird ARF, this built-up balsa and ply P-51 has UltraCote covering and comes with flaps, a flight-ready retract system, and sequenced landing-gear doors. All control surfaces (except the rudder) even come hinged and ready to be connected to their pushrods. A detailed cockpit and sliding canopy make it stand out on the flight line. Mustangs are known for their tracking capability, but this one really sets the bar high: once trimmed, it maintains course until you move the sticks. With its flaps deployed, it’s amazing how slow it can fly before the right wing drops during the stall. This great-flying warbird can be flown by any pilot with low-wing training. The parts fit perfectly, and the plane can be assembled in about a week. 

If there is one plane out there that is easily recognized and loved by most Americans, it would have to be the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang. Whether you like the speed and performance of these war machines or you have a soft spot for their place in aviation history, P-51 Mustangs are certainly among our favorite fighters. At Model Airplane News, we’ve been fortunate to be able to test-fly most of the P-51s that have hit hobby-store shelves, and the 10 we’ve highlighted here represent the best of the breed, so to speak. We considered looks, performance, quality of construction, and parts to come up with this top 10 list. If you’re a fan of this all-American fighter, we guarantee that you’ll find one here that’s perfect for your hangar.

QUICK SPECS

Wingspan: 86 in.

Wing area: 1,359 sq. in.

Weight: 23 lb. 14 oz.

Wing loading: 40.5 oz./sq. ft.

Power req’d: 50cc gas engine

Radio req’d: 10-channel