Jurca MJ-7 Gnatsum
Role Homebuilt near scale replica warbird
National origin France
Designer Marcel Jurca
First flight 1969
Number built 25+
Variants Falconar SAL Mustang

The Jurca Gnatsum is a French homebuilt near scale replica aircraft based on the North American P-51 Mustang.[1]

Design & Development

The Gnatsum (Mustang spelled backwards) is one of many wooden homebuilt designs from Romanian designer Marcel Jurca. Jurca, a Henschel Hs 129 pilot in World War II, expanded his warbird replica designs to include the Allied North American P-51 Mustang fighter.[2]

The Gnatsum is a low-wing, cantilever monoplane with an enclosed single-seat cockpit and manually retractable tailwheel landing gear based on that of the Jurca Sirocco.[3] Suitable for a number of engines around 200 hp (149 kW), plans for the Gnatsum are available as the 2/3 scale MJ-7 and the 3/4 scale MJ-77, as well as the MJ-70 full-size representation. All versions are constructed from wood with fabric covering, and manufacturing rights to the kit aircraft were acquired by Falconar Avia.[4] Plans for the MJ-77 are available from Avions Marcel Jurca.[5]

Some of the engines suitable for the MJ-7 Gnatsum series are:-

Variants

MJ-7
2/3 scale variant
MJ-7S Solo
Single-seat advanced trainer version of MJ-7, the under-belly scoop inherited from the Mustang design was removed.
MJ-77
3/4 scale Mustang variant that requires an engine of 250 to 600 hp (186 to 447 kW).[6][7]
MJ-70
Full-scale variant (still under development in 2001 when Jurca died - never completed)

Specifications (Jurca MJ-77 Gnatsum)

Data from [8]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. ^ "All these planes you can build from plans". Popular Science: 99. June 1970.
  2. ^ Nick Stasinos (February 1972). "Marcel's Mini Fighters". Plane & Pilot.
  3. ^ Sport Aviation: 35. August 1965. ((cite journal)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Air Trails: 59. Summer 1971. ((cite journal)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "Ordering Jurca Plans". Avions Marcel Jurca. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  6. ^ Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 94. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  7. ^ Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 100. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  8. ^ "Jurca M.J-77 Mustang (75%)". Pilotfriend.com. Retrieved 26 September 2012.

External links

North American P-51 Mustang family
Jurca aircraft
Categories