- 6 April, 2006 -

It's just after dawn. Dew is steaming in the grass from the first sunlight, opening up to another beautiful day of gut-wrenching dog-fights, barrel rolls, Cuban eights or any combination thereof. Watch down the flight line and you just might be lucky enough to see the new ParkZone P-51D electric park-flyer zip by. With the whir of a powerful 480 electric motor keeping beat to the thump of a big 10 x 8 propeller with a wingspan of 39.5", this P-51D Mustang is ready for action. The ParkZone P-51 is a beautiful rendition of Ferocious Frankie, the full-scale version of this airplane. Not your typical park flyer by any means. I was amazed at the attention to detail and paint work that went into her, right down to the panel lines. She went from box to beautiful in ten minutes, including a look at the instruction manual. The only assembly is to install the wing, which fits snugly into the wing saddle; tighten two screws that hold the wing; and install the horizontal stabilizer and the battery. Put batteries in the transmitter and charge your flight pack. After that, and this is very important, adjust the elevator control clevis on the pushrod and be sure your elevator is level with the horizontal stab. On mine, the elevator pushrod was a bit short out of the box. A couple turns on the clevis and I was in business. You don't want your first flight to suddenly be your last. Do a quick transmitter range-check and you're ready to rock and roll. Assembly is quick. So, double check everything with the manual. A little mistake can turn into a big problem in a hurry with any aircraft. Launching the P-51 might feel unorthodox at first, but after a couple flights you'll pick up on it quickly. Hold the P-51 just behind the wing at the fuselage. It might be easier if you have a friend who can give it a two-handed toss. This lets you keep both hands on the transmitter and allows for a safer throw. You don't need a John Elway touchdown pass, just give it full power and a good toss to get it airborne. The ParkZone P-51 is no slouch when it comes to speed. So be ready to take control quickly. The P-51 isn't really meant to be a trainer. If you can handle the ParkZone J-3 (another of my favorites) comfortably, you should have no problem stepping up to the Mustang. If you have your control surfaces centered properly, she'll climb out straight and true. After gaining a little altitude, open her up and see what this P-51 can really do. You have aileron, elevator and throttle control, which is plenty to handle this airplane. In A mode, you have a little less control surface movement. This is nice for slow, graceful fly-bys for the camera. Flip the switch into B mode and you are ready to take on the enemy in any scenario. The ParkZone P-51 does not have landing gear, so belly landing is the name of the game. I have noticed that the pilot tries to eject from his lofty perch on almost every landing. A little Shoe Goop helps keep him in place. When I looked more closely, I swear he looks like John Belushi in the movie "1941." Just a coincidence I'm sure. The ParkZone P-51 is a fun, extremely mobile park flyer that you should keep in your car or truck for those emergency rendezvous' with the enemy. Configure the ParkZone P-51 with Li-Po batteries and you'll really have a horse by the tail (a Mustang to be precise). Install the HobbyZone Combat Module and start dog fighting with your friends, its an easy conversion. Everything you need except for the Combat Module is included. See the details for installation below. What are you waiting for? This plane is a blast to fly, easy to control, and best of all ? it's priced well within the budget minded flyer in all of us. At $180 with everything you need in one box, you can't go wrong with this one. If you're ever in Parker, CO, be sure to stop in at HobbyTown USA? and say "hi!". I'd love to hear how you like the ParkZone P-51. Or drop me an e-mail and send a picture of your P-51. This is an easy plane to repaint in your favorite color scheme. ‘Til next time, keep your wheels up and your wings pointing to the sky. - Ken Kitchens Hobby Outlook? contributor Ken Kitchens spends hours in the Parker, CO, HobbyTown USA? store. E-mail him at FlyNhiRC@aol.com HobbyTown USA

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