Conceived by John Dilley and Tom Kelley of Fort Wayne Air Service, Indiana, an experienced aerodynamics team was assembled to design the aircraft, which was to be based on a P-51D Mustang fuselage from a crash wreck and a new wing (without tip tanks) from an executive Lear Jet. The type is generally known as the Learstang by Unlimited class racing afficionados. The Lear mainplane was mated to the Mustang fuselage and the aircraft also utilised the Lear’s swept horizontal stabiliser. The engine was specially designed and initially Jack Hovey built the special racing Merlin but the task was later taken on by Fort Wayne Air Service’s own Merlin shop
Vendetta
Length: 9.83 m (32 ft 3 in)
Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce Merlin 622, about 2423 kW (3,250 hp)
Max TO weight: about 3289 kg (7,250 lb)
Max speed: 480+ mph at low altitude
All Aero 