Stewart S-51D Mustang

S-51D Mustang
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Stewart 51
Designer Jim Stewart
First flight 30 March 1994
Introduction 1994
Status Production completed
Number built At least 19
Unit cost
US$64,000.00 (standard kit, 1998)
Developed from North American P-51D Mustang

The Stewart S-51D Mustang is an American aerobatic homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Jim Stewart and produced by Stewart 51 of Vero Beach, Florida, introduced in 1994. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1][2]

The S-51D is a 70% scale version of the World War II North American P-51D Mustang fighter aircraft.[1]

Design and development

Designer Jim Stewart took a leave of absence from his employer, Pratt & Whitney in 1989 to work on the S-51D's tooling and design. The prototype took flight on 30 March 1994 and by late in June of the same year had completed its 40 hours of test flying.[1]

The S-51D Mustang features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from sheet aluminum. Its 26.00 ft (7.9 m) span wing mounts flaps and has a wing area of 123.0 sq ft (11.43 m2). The cabin width is 21 in (53 cm). The acceptable power range is 300 to 600 hp (224 to 447 kW). The specified propeller is a 91 in (2.31 m) diameter, constant speed four-bladed Hartzell Propeller unit, that is driven by a spur gear with a (2.13:1) reduction ratio.[1][2]

The S-51D Mustang has a typical empty weight of 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) and a gross weight of 3,000 lb (1,400 kg), giving a useful load of 800 lb (360 kg). With full fuel of 70 U.S. gallons (260 L; 58 imp gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is 380 lb (170 kg).[1]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 400 hp (298 kW) engine is 1,080 ft (329 m) and the landing roll is 1,800 ft (549 m).[1]

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied standard kit as 2000 hours. A fast-build kit was also available.[1]

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that 72 kits had been sold and two aircraft were completed and flying.[1]

In March 2014, 12 examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of 19 had been registered at one time.[3]

Specifications (S-51D Mustang)

Data from AeroCrafter and Aircraft Spruce[1][2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 260. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  2. 1 2 3 Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. (2014). "Stewart S-51D Mustang". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. Federal Aviation Administration (12 March 2014). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 12 March 2014.

External links

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