Hangar 9 P-51 Mustang Mk II PTS RTF

Got this plane for Christmas. First off, my experience level with RCs has been limited to trucks. I decided to get into airplanes and enlisted my older brother, long time RC Plane veteran, to teach me. My fiancee got me this H9 P-51, after a few trips out to the airfield with my brother's trainer. He flew it first to get it trimmed in and make sure the engine was reliable. We noticed right away that the ailerons were way to sensitive and dialed back the dual rates on the radio. I've flown it a couple times now and I can land it and take off decently. I still have a lot of practice ahead of me to perfect them. I tend to ground loop the plane on landing. In the air she flys very well. I'm having to get used to the fact that it doesn't fly like a super steady trainer. Like scale/sport plane, it has a lot of performance potential that I haven't tapped in to. This plane should definitely allow me to grow into it. I haven't taken wing droops off yet; I'm not actually sure when I will. I installed flap servos and use them on landings. They aren't just for looks and help slow the plane for landings quite well. Eventually I will buy the ARF version wings for it (that are retract ready) and set it up for retracts. I'll also upgrade to a two blade prop sooner than that when I feel my skills are up to it.


Update, April 18, 2010: I've now take all training gear off, switched to a two bladed, 11x5 prop and got rid of the flywheel weight that comes on it. It still flies very well. My skill has progress a lot and find that in the current set up, the capabilities of this plane match my skill and keep me entertained. It can almost do a straight up vertical climb, but will stall out eventually. It can do a lot of acrobatics short of 3D.

One big drawback to this plane is the motor that comes with it. It's too unreliable. I have to keep the plane high enough so that if the engine dies I can get it back to the runway. I have a lot of dead stick landings under my belt because of that engine. My brother and I just can't get the thing to tune right. It'll sound great on the ground, but as soon as I take off, it starts surging and pulsing like it's too lean or too rich. I will land, we'll make an adjustment, take off again and it might fly well for 2 or 3 minutes, then it's back to the surging. Yesterday I had to make a dead stick landing and was unable to get it turned around and lined up with the runway so I landed it in dirt and grass. I was extremely lucky that I didn't nail a big rock or endo into a ditch that surround our strip. Ended up not having any damage at all.... lucky!

I like the plane a lot, so I'll be replacing the engine with an OS .46AX.



Pros: Plane grows with you.

Cons: Engine is a little unreliable.

Fantastic plane. Flies smooth and its very responsive when you need it to be. Its got plenty of power for short-field takeoffs and landings, but you do need quite a bit of room to bring it in to land. I would recommend you have atleast an idea of how to tune and troubleshoot glow engines because I've had a couple problems with mine. Overall solid construction and its a great deal for what you get in the RTF. This plane would be a great second plane after you get some foam plane experience because This flies very fast and It is a little more tricky to fly. Its overall an excellent plane by Hangar 9.