Here's where it should get interesting. In case you didn't recognize the airplane on the
home page, it is a Mustang II, from Mustang Aeronautics .
The design has been around for some 35+ years. Last I recall about 300-400 are flying.
It's an all metal, 2-place (side-by-side arrangement) airplane. My reasons for building this
airplane over the numerous others are:
- All Metal: Although composites are certainly strong and lightweight, their structural
properties are not yet FULLY understood. Metal has been in use for 90 years now. Its a
known building material.
- Composites tend to fracture catastrophically at failure, providing zero structural
benefit. Metal, on the other hand, tends to yield (bend) prior to failure. This allows it
to have some load carrying ability, though dramatically reduced. I read this as you might
still be able to get on the ground ALIVE AND IN ONE PIECE should something really bad happen.
- When building with composites, I'm not convinced that it is possible to determine the
quality of a bonded joint after bonding. Rivets, however, are pretty much a no-brainer.
- Longevity: It's hard to argue with the lasting ability of metal (how many DC-3's are still
flying scheduled service?). I don't think composite airplanes will last nearly as long.
- After looking at other metal airplanes, the Mustang II in my mind comes out the clear
winner in terms of looks, cost, looks, performance, looks, you get the picture.
So, that brings us to The Plane. Please bear in mind that this is an on-going project. As
parts are completed, I will post construction photos here. The pictures are arranged by
category in general order of assembly to make it easier to identify the parts since some may not
look like much until they're done. They also have brief descriptions, again to help with identification.
The initial pictures are smaller so they fit better on the screen. Just click on a photo to enlarge
it and click on the back button to return. Enjoy!
I started the plane in December, 1999. So far there haven't been any major screw-ups on
my part. The pictures below show how it shows up at the doorstep.The goal is to turn
that box into a SAFE flying airplane in 3-4 years.
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To view pictures of my project either click on the area of the plane you want to see
or click on the section in the table at the bottom of the page.
By the way, if you have any questions about any part of the airplane, or would like clarification about how
I did something, just email me, and I'll try to answer as best I can.
