E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” Review: A Jet-Killing Mustang Shrunk to 112 Grams

Tiny, gorgeous, and sold on speed, this 112-gram Mustang can still humble the wrong buyer. Before you click Buy, here’s what the manual, the demos, and the fine print reveal about its real cost, real limits, and who should walk away.

Quick Verdict

Buy the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” if you already fly comparable higher-performance models and own, or will buy, compatible gear. It’s a poor first plane.

You get a factory-assembled brushless Mustang with AS3X stabilization, SAFE Select, 2S/3S power, and removable landing gear. Three caveats can change that answer:

• It’s Bind-N-Fly Basic, so the radio, batteries, and charger cost extra.
• The wheels suit smooth surfaces, so your flying site matters.
• Horizon Hobby rates it Skill Level 3, which asks for more experience than a Level 1 trainer.

One evidence limit applies: no independent timed test of its speed, climb, or endurance has surfaced, so treat E-flite’s speed and vertical claims as marketing, not proven results.

Not sure this is your airplane? Our guide to the best RC planes points in other directions. If it might be, read on for the true cost and the exact point where the hype stops.

Brief Overview

What It Is

The E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” (EFLU7350) is a 19.4-inch expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam warbird. Horizon describes it as the warbird version of the UMX P-51D Voodoo racer, EFLU4350, which its U.S. site now lists as discontinued. No like-for-like flight comparison of the two has surfaced.

Bind-N-Fly (BNF) means the motor, servos, and receiver come installed, and you pair the model to your own transmitter.

Who It’s For

This Mustang fits pilots with experience on comparable aircraft, compatible equipment, and a suitable site. No published benchmark ties readiness to one specific step-up model. First-time pilots should start with our picks for the best RC planes for beginners.

Cool Features

• AS3X with optional SAFE Select: AS3X (Artificial Stabilization – 3 Axis) stays active, while Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope (SAFE) adds switchable self-leveling.
• 2S/3S brushless power: You can run either supported cell count.
• Real-time voltage telemetry: Compatible Spektrum radios display pack voltage, possibly after a firmware update.
• Gear-on or gear-off flying: Removable wheels and tailwheel let you match the setup to the surface.

At a Glance

Already fly a compatible Spektrum radio? See the “Detroit Miss” on Amazon, and budget accordingly: the radio, batteries, and charger aren’t included.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No assembly: Motor, servos, and receiver come installed.
• Switchable stabilization: Channel 5 selects SAFE or AS3X.
• Two power setups: E-flite supports both 2S and 3S packs.
• Flexible gear options: Fly with wheels or remove them.
• Voltage telemetry: Compatible radios help you watch a small pack.

Cons

• Experience required: A Level 3 rating makes this a poor trainer.
• Higher real cost: Radio, pack, and charger come on top of the airplane.
• Wheel limits: E-flite’s copy pairs the wheels with smooth surfaces.
• Unsettled flight times: No independently timed runtime has surfaced, and the packs are only 280–300mAh.

Before You Buy: The Real Cost of Entry

Price the whole system, not just the airframe. Here’s the shopping list, drawn from the EFLU7350 manual:

1. Transmitter: Full-range, 5+ channel Spektrum DSMX/DSM2. The manual lists the DX6e, DXS, NX6, NX8, and NX10. Confirm mode switching and telemetry on your exact radio.
2. Flight pack: 2S or 3S 280–300mAh LiPo with a JST-RCY plug. Listed choices include Spektrum SPMX3003SJ30 (3S 30C) and SPMX3002S50 (2S 50C). The SPMX3002S30 2S PH pack needs adapter SPMXCA327.
3. Charger and leads: The manual pairs the 3S pack with the Spektrum Smart S155 G2 (SPMXC2050) and lists adapter SPMXCA310. Match your pack’s charge and balance connections to the charger’s instructions.
4. Spares: Consider a four-blade prop (EFL-1091) and landing gear (EFL-1090). A manual listing doesn’t guarantee stock, and the airplane itself has shown as backordered at Horizon and out of stock at Atlanta Hobby.

Warning: At 112g with the recommended 3S pack, the stock model sits below the FAA’s 250-gram (0.55-pound) registration threshold for recreational flights. You must still pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), carry proof, follow airspace rules, and get local permission. Non-recreational flying needs separate analysis.

Expected Experience with E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss”

The manual sets these expectations. Video listings show what reviewers covered, but no timed flight-test results for this airplane have surfaced.

Setup, Not Assembly

Factory assembly doesn’t mean plug and go. Expect a methodical bench session:

• Bind without a plug: With the transmitter off, connect the pack on a level, sheltered surface. Bind mode typically starts after five seconds. Bind with controls neutral and throttle and throttle trim low.
• Set the center of gravity (CG): Balance the model inverted, 8mm forward of the manual’s panel line, sliding the battery to suit.
• Program conservatively: Start on low rates with a 5:00 timer. The DX/NX/iX tables give 100/70 percent rates with 10 percent expo. Keep rates at 50 percent or higher for AS3X.
• Hold still: For normal starts, power the transmitter at least five seconds before connecting the pack, then keep the model motionless and sheltered for five seconds.
• Test before launch: Check control directions with throttle cut on. Advance the throttle above 25 percent to activate AS3X, lower it fully, re-engage throttle cut, then run the response test and a range check. A wrong-direction response grounds the airplane.
• Center mechanically: Keep sub-trim at zero and correct linkages at the U-bends. Narrowing shortens a linkage; widening lengthens it.

BrianPhillipsRC’s video title lists unboxing, radio setup, and maiden flights, but the title alone doesn’t establish fit quality or elapsed setup time.

Radio and Flight Modes

Channel 5 selects the mode, with a solid blue LED for SAFE and red for AS3X. At neutral elevator and aileron, SAFE self-levels within bank and pitch limits, while AS3X continues at the existing attitude, subject to flight conditions. Center elevator and aileron before switching from SAFE to AS3X.

On signal loss, the failsafe commands low throttle and stabilizes pitch and roll in a descending turn. Neither mode is an autopilot: don’t expect altitude hold, stall immunity, or return-to-home.

Takeoff, Launch, and Landing

• Wheels: Use smooth surfaces. Take off into the wind on low rates, advancing the throttle to three-quarter or full and steering with rudder.
• Hand launch: Use SAFE only, full power, high rates, and a launch into the wind. The manual recommends removing the wheels. Throw overhand, wings level and nose slightly up.
• Landing: Approach into the wind, keep the wings level in the flare, and lower the throttle fully at touchdown.
• Grass: E-flite’s copy names gear-off landing as the grass option. No grass length or runway distance is published, and the manual’s wind guidance stops at moderate, with no number attached.

In the Air: 2S vs. 3S

E-flite’s product copy, as reproduced by retailer Hobby Zone, ranks the model among the fastest UMX aircraft and promises unlimited vertical performance on a 3S 300mAh pack. Those are marketing claims without published numbers.

Video listings show the test scope, not measured results. Model AV8R’s Episode 129 review, whose description discloses purchase support links, indexes segments for 3S with gear, 2S without gear, and 3S without gear, and calls the airplane “a looker, and a great flyer.” The RC Geek indexes flight characteristics and vertical performance with a 3S 300mAh pack listed, and TallguysRC lists a 2S 300mAh maiden. None of these listings supplies speed, climb, current draw, or runtime. Retailer Atlanta Hobby’s FAQ rates the airplane “best suited for intermediate to advanced pilots.”

The manual’s 5:00 timer is a starting point, not an endurance figure, and it warns against repeatedly flying to low-voltage cutoff (LVC). And a 19.4-inch model must stay within your visual line of sight.

• Stability: The manual describes the modes; no controlled comparison has surfaced.
• Tracking: No verified data.
• Aerobatics: E-flite’s claims and video indexes only; no measured results.
• Glide and stall: No verified data.

Safety callout: E-flite specifies 2S and 3S only. Treat 4S as unapproved.

Durability and Repairs

Budget for crashes, because the limited warranty excludes crash damage. It also excludes airplanes bought from unauthorized dealers, so confirm your seller. The manual calls for foam-compatible CA or clear tape, and it lists a painted wing (EFL-1086), painted fuselage (EFL-1088), tail set (EFL-1087), spinner, pushrods, and more. Long-term durability, repair success, and service turnaround remain undocumented, and no EFLU7350 entry turned up in Horizon’s open and past recall lists.

Value Check: How It Stacks Up

The price makes the most sense if your radio and charger are already on the shelf; otherwise, count full ownership cost. The WACO and Gee Bee share the Level 3 rating and 2S/3S 280–300mAh pack range, so the equipment burden matches and the real choice is subject.

Need a complete Mustang package? The Rage is the direct alternative, though no same-protocol test ranks its handling or durability against the E-flite. We’d point a first-time pilot toward the Apprentice STOL S, after confirming current stock.

Where the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” Really Shines

The payoff here is a recognizable Mustang with a real combat history, ready after setup rather than a build.

The manual allows outdoor flying in moderate winds or less, or a large gymnasium, provided you stay clear of obstacles, people, and traffic and check local ordinances. A larger warbird won’t suit every one of those sites, though no minimum flying area is documented.

SAFE can act as a confidence aid while you learn the model, and voltage telemetry can inform your decision to land before a small pack runs down.

E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” BNF Basic (EFLU7350)

• 19.4 in. wingspan
• 4 oz (112g) with recommended 3S pack
• 2S/3S brushless power
• AS3X with SAFE Select

Check price and availability

Transmitter, battery, and charger not included

Who Should Buy It

Buy It If You…

• Fly comparable models confidently.
• Own compatible gear or accept the added cost.
• Have smooth ground for the wheels, or clear grass for gear-off flying.
• Want a historic warbird in a small package.

Skip It If You…

• Are a first-time or low-time pilot.
• Want everything in the box.
• Have only rough ground and want to use wheels.
• Want flaps or retracts; the documented setup has neither.
• Are buying for a child under 14, the manual’s minimum age.

Sidebar: The Real “Detroit Miss”

The Michigan Air National Guard identifies Maj. Urban L. “Ben” Drew as the pilot of the Detroit Miss. As a first lieutenant leading Blue Flight in the 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, Drew downed two Me 262 jets near Hamm, Germany, per his award citation; other accounts say Achmer. That action later earned the Air Force Cross.

FAQ

Q: Is the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” a good first RC plane if I’ve never flown before?

A: The E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” is a poor first RC plane for someone who has never flown.

• Horizon rates it Level 3; the Apprentice STOL S is Level 1.
• SAFE assists with attitude, but it can’t replace piloting skill.
• We’d start on a packaged trainer, then step up.

Q: What transmitter, battery, and charger do I need to buy before I can fly the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss”?

A: The E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” needs a full-range 5+ channel Spektrum DSMX/DSM2 transmitter, a 2S or 3S LiPo pack, and a compatible charger.

• Pack: 280–300mAh with a JST-RCY connector.
• Adapter: PH packs need SPMXCA327.
• Charger: The manual lists the SPMXC2050 and adapter SPMXCA310 for the recommended 3S pack.

Q: How long will a battery last on the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss”?

A: Battery life on the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” has no independently measured figure, so start with the manual’s 5:00 timer.

• Adjust the timer after flight experience.
• Don’t fly repeatedly to LVC.
• Land immediately if motor power falls.

Q: Do I need to register the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” with the FAA before I fly it?

A: Recreational pilots generally don’t need to register the stock E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” because its 112g flying weight falls below the 250-gram threshold.

• Check your actual takeoff weight with all equipment.
• Pass TRUST and carry proof.
• Follow a recognized organization’s safety guidelines, such as those from the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).
• Keep visual line of sight, give way to crewed aircraft, and get prior authorization in controlled airspace.
• Stay at or below 400 feet above ground level in uncontrolled Class G airspace.
• Registered aircraft must meet Remote ID rules, and non-recreational flying needs its own analysis.

Q: Should I use the wheels or hand launch the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” from a grass field?

A: Hand launching with the gear removed is the better choice for the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” on grass without a smooth takeoff surface.

• Launch in SAFE, at full power, on high rates, into the wind.
• Grip behind the wing.
• Land gear-off on clear grass.
• No grass-length limit is published, so we’d judge your field conservatively.

Q: How do I repair the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” after a crash?

A: Repair the E-flite UMX P-51D “Detroit Miss” with foam-compatible CA or clear tape, and disconnect the flight pack before touching the propeller.

• Prop service: The spinner and prop are glued together, and the job calls for a Phillips #1.
• Cost: Crash damage falls outside the warranty.