ScaleWings SW51 Mustang


The ScaleWings SW51 Mustang, formerly marketed as the FK-Lightplanes Fk51 Mustang, is an Austrian ultralight, light-sport aircraft and homebuilt aircraft that was designed by ScaleWings of Strasswalchen, Austria and was initially produced by FK-Lightplanes of Krosno, Poland, who introduced it publicly at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2013. After FK-Lightplanes ceased production, the design was built by ScaleWings.
The aircraft was first flown in October 2014 and is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft or as a kit for amateur construction.
The SW51 is a 70% replica of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft of the Second World War.

Design and development

The aircraft features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats in tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed or retractable conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The light-sport version for the US market will have fixed landing gear as that category requires.
The design's structure is made from carbon fibre. Its span wing mounts flaps. The Mustang features electro-hydraulic retractable landing gear, hydraulic disc brakes on the main wheels, dual controls and electrically-operated flaps. It also has three-axis fly-by-wire trim tabs, electrically-adjustable rudder pedals, two internally-mounted Kevlar/carbon fibre fuel tanks and detachable outer wing panels. The design includes two baggage compartments, one in front of the firewall and one behind the cockpit. The manufacturer has made the aircraft as similar to the original as possible, down to the simulated metal finish, rivets and other details. It also includes a 2000 watt sound system that provides a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine sound and a smoke generator for start-up smoke simulation.
Unlike the P-51 Mustang, the SW51's bubble canopy can slide aft and then is hinged to the right for egress.
The initial FK-Lightplanes model was a European microlight version. When production passed to ScaleWings they developed new models of the design, including a light-sport model, a homebuilt model that is also available ready-to-fly for the US Experimental-Exhibition category and a heavier weight ultralight version.

Variants

;FK51
;SW51 Ultralight
;SW51 S-LSA
;SW51 Experimental

Specifications (FK51 ultralight)