MB 5 Replica

[Warbirdnerd]

It is on the Ramp at Reno. Looking really sharp.
Here is the photo from C.F.'s Mustangs site.

Anyone know how close it is to flying???

[Gregory]

Was it flown or trucked?
Gregory

[Warbirdnerd]

I believe it is being built in one of the hangers at Reno Stead.

[DaveM2]

Looking at photos of the original there seems to be something very wrong with this replica. The original is quite a pretty and sleek aircraft, but to put it politely this is 'darn ugly'. There seems to me to be far too much metal between the wing and the canopy, making it look like the 'double decker' version of the type !
The rear fuselage and wing seem to look much the same as the original, but why such a deviation with the forward fuselage??
Any thoughts anyone ?

Dave

[stuart murdoch]

Funny you should say this Dave, I noticed it did not look just right, but I think it is partly the angle in the way the photo was taken, but if you look really closely you will notice that the port flap is partially deployed and the port aileron is not fitted.
Just to make sure I checked a copy of Air Enthusiast #59 Oct 95, and the only thing I can see that is not as the original is the tail wheel strut is too short and the tail wheel door is missing the distinctive bump.
I think this short tail wheel strut and the angle of the photo make it look wrong.

Stuart

[paulmcmillan]

I read an article about this. It is also a few inches shorter.. Can't remember why, but something to do with either the engine or converted Mustang wings affecting airflow or something

[DaveM2]

Well check the profile of this similar pic..definitely more 'sleek' .

http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com/air/gb/martin/mb5.htm

Dave

[Ollie]

Oh yes, original one is class!!

[Jeffrey]

the nose looks wrong too. looks like the line of the engine is lower in the replica and the nose is shorter

[Manonthefence]

Its a really nice replica and a lot of effort has obviously been lavished on it. But that said it all goes wrong from the wings forward for me. It looks a but snub nosed.

That said she will be a great site when flying.

[airnutz]

Yes, it appears that a series of compromises were made in use of
components or mods thereof, which turned the bird into a caricature of
its original inspiration.

Try this,
Type in the image provided by Dave M2 and hit the minimize button to
take it off the screen...
Next, scroll back up to the image provided by Warbirdnerd....
Now, alternatively hit the "go back" and "go forward" arrows, which
will produce a "kinetiscope-like" image superimposing the two.

In the original it appears, that the nose is longer, the canopy has a lower profile, the empenage is slightly deeper and maybe a hair longer, and
the fin/rudder combination were about 25% taller and wider.

It's similar to me what you get when you view the P-51D and the P-51H
images side-by-side. You see the family resemblance, but sumthin' aint
right.

Still they have performed quite a feat in this construction. It's probably
"purdy quik".
there is photos and "text of construction details from 1999" at the aafo site
www.aafo.com
there are no dimensions or 3-views given...so we can't go that way.

[DaveM2]

Its a really nice replica and a lot of effort has obviously been lavished on it. But that said it all goes wrong from the wings forward for me. It looks a but snub nosed.

That said she will be a great site when flying.

Makes me wonder with all the effort put in why it went so wrong, anyone know if the guy used original drawings, or 'guesstimated' using photos of the original...or maybe upscaled an old model kit drawing

Dave

[Elwyn]

I tried to put both shots together together with about the same cropping. O.K. I think I have it figured out. I tried to save it as a composite shot which didn't work. Posting it as two seperate shots accomplished the same affect.

Last edited by Elwyn on Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[DaveM2]

Elwyn

Good job !

Dave

Last edited by DaveM2 on Tue Sep 21, 2004 12:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

...or maybe upscaled an old model kit drawing
Dave

Actually, Mr. Marlin did indeed start with a set of model drawings. I don't know how much or for what he used them exactly as I can assure you the plans he used (from Dan Parsons) were much more accurate in outline than this replica. I talked with Mr. Marlin regarding this subject way back when the project was located at Chino. Dan Parsons is a well respected radio control scale modeler and spent considerable time researching the MB-5 before drawing his plans.