Always wanted a crack at a P-38 Lightning for you and the missus, but didn’t have the scratch to buy one of the two dozen or so remaining?
Build it yourself, two-thirds scale. Jim O’Hara did, at age 81. Bent the metal by hand.
An amazing achievement.
Cool! But the P-38 was a sissy plane. Who needs TWO engines? P-47, now there was a REAL fighter. ;-P
I guess the fact it had a yoke instead of a stick really did it for you, eh?
But then there was the Bell P-39 AirCobra which had entrance by DOOR rather than by canopy–guess that would REALLY send you round the bend…. 
At least it didn’t have a cup holder!
The P-39 was a darned good plane from what I hear. Very nimble, good at low altitude. If it had a better power plant, it might have had a reputation close to that of the Mustang. As it is, in the hands of Soviet pilots, it racked up an impressive number of kills.
Take a look at the Titan Aviation T-51 mustang It is a 3/4 scale.
And this half scale (well, 60%) FW-190
http://www.waraircraftreplicas.com/WarFW190/Index.aspx
An aside – a few years ago at the Wings Over Wine Country air show two of the few remaining P-47s were flown in. On the way out on the Sunday, they came right over my house at, I estimate, about 200 yards. Those beggers are LOUD. Beautiful, beautiful planes.
Ah, the sights and sounds of freedom!
There were two of the Titan P-51’s at Oshkosh IIRC. They looked great but did not have 3/4 of the power. The Mighty Merlin engine had 2,200 horses. The Titan Mustang sports a Rotax with 100.
I love the looks of P38.
I may be a sissy, but I wouldn’t want to be doing the over-water (combat or not) thing without engine 2 or boat shaped fuselage 1.
Note to wife: Forget the tie and underwear, Honey; this is what I REALLY want for Christmas!
Lex – I think you should apply for the new President position that the EAA is searching for.
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20091119/APC0101/911190537/Search-for-a-new-president-starts-again
Oshkosh is not quite sunny San Diego but just think about all the aircraft you’d get a crack at…
I could even set you up on a half lease on a Saddlebred…
Chris
I’ll donate a saddle-broke roping and barrel-racing quarter horse, if it helps make this happen.
I’d do it anyway just to get out of chores, most likely.
– Max
Thunder Mustang, baby! It’s a shame that production has halted, but the upside is a good showing at Reno every year.
Kudos to Mr. O’Hara for all the hard work.
Hm. 2/3 scale. Does that mean that the cannon in front is .223 cal.?
The USN had five F-5 photo Lightnings. That plane would look sharp painted up in tricolor, with the red surrounds to the star and bar.
Wow!
That’s an amazing effort; should never underestimate an old guy with a lifetime of experience and a load of free time on his hands.
wow! That’s quite an accomplishment…
Think the Lightning was cool?
This one’s full size:
http://www.planecheck.com/index.asp?ent=da&id=11870&cor=y
click on the pics and they enlarge
I’d really like to pull up alongside
some snobbish P151 owner, clear the guns, and say “Fight’s On!
Could you imagine the look on his face?
Now that guy is a metalsmith!