In Box Review of Hasegawa 1/72nd Scale
North American P-51D Mustang Fighter
Kit no. A-16
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit was issued twice in the 1970's and twice again in the 1980's. I paid a whopping $1.80 for it.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit was issued twice in the 1970's and twice again in the 1980's. I paid a whopping $1.80 for it.
HISTORY:
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commision. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build under license Curtiss P-40 fighters.
Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation designed a new plane. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, allowing the aircraft to compete with Luftwaffe's fighters
The definitive version, theP-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browning machine guns.
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944.
The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North Afican, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft.
At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters, including the F-86, took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbird and air racing aircraft.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
First flight: 26 October 1940
Introduction to service: January 1942 (RAF
Retired from military service: 1984 (Dominican Air Force)
Primary users: United States Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, Republic of China Air Force, Chinese
Nationalist Air Force
Number built: More than 15,000
Unit cost: US $50,985 in 1945
Variants: North American A-36 Apache, Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk.X, Cavalier Mustang
Developed into: North American F-82 Twin Mustang,
Piper PA-48 Enforcer
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commision. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build under license Curtiss P-40 fighters.
Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation designed a new plane. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October.
The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, allowing the aircraft to compete with Luftwaffe's fighters
The definitive version, theP-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2/AN Browning machine guns.
From late 1943, P-51Bs (supplemented by P-51Ds from mid-1944) were used by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany, while the RAF's 2 TAF and the USAAF's Ninth Air Force used the Merlin-powered Mustangs as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944.
The P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North Afican, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft.
At the start of the Korean War, the Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations until jet fighters, including the F-86, took over this role; the Mustang then became a specialized fighter-bomber. Despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbird and air racing aircraft.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
First flight: 26 October 1940
Introduction to service: January 1942 (RAF
Retired from military service: 1984 (Dominican Air Force)
Primary users: United States Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, Republic of China Air Force, Chinese
Nationalist Air Force
Number built: More than 15,000
Unit cost: US $50,985 in 1945
Variants: North American A-36 Apache, Rolls-Royce Mustang Mk.X, Cavalier Mustang
Developed into: North American F-82 Twin Mustang,
Piper PA-48 Enforcer
THE KIT:
Hasegawa is a old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows two P-51D's above the clouds and the one in the foreground is dropping its fuel tanks. It is overall bare metal with a blue nose and spinner. It has the name in white of PETIE 2nd on the nose. There is a red circle with a character of a guy on it carrying a bomb and a riding crop over a yellow lightning bolt. Next to this there are 24 victory markings over Luftwaffe aircraft. The pilot Lt. Col. J.O. Meyers name is on the bottom of the canopy. Its black fuselage code is HO before the star with bars and there is a black letter M on the rudder and the serial no. 414151.
The other P-51D is banking away and only showing its bottom. It too has a blue nose.
One side panel shows the other scheme provided on the decal sheet in the kit. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. it has a red and white spinner followed by a black and white checkerboard band. There are 10 victory markings over Luftwaffe aircraft below the cockpit. It carrys the fuselage code in black of 5Q (star with bars) C. The rudder flap is red and the black serial no. 464148 is on the rudder.
Hasegawa's location in Japan is supplied.
The other side panel has 5 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Hasegawa markets: a SOC-3 floatplane, a He-51B floatplane, a UH-1D helecopter, a T-1A jet and a Spitfire Mk. 1.
No kit numbers are given for these 5 and I assume they are all to 1/72nd scale.
Hasegawa is a old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows two P-51D's above the clouds and the one in the foreground is dropping its fuel tanks. It is overall bare metal with a blue nose and spinner. It has the name in white of PETIE 2nd on the nose. There is a red circle with a character of a guy on it carrying a bomb and a riding crop over a yellow lightning bolt. Next to this there are 24 victory markings over Luftwaffe aircraft. The pilot Lt. Col. J.O. Meyers name is on the bottom of the canopy. Its black fuselage code is HO before the star with bars and there is a black letter M on the rudder and the serial no. 414151.
The other P-51D is banking away and only showing its bottom. It too has a blue nose.
One side panel shows the other scheme provided on the decal sheet in the kit. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. it has a red and white spinner followed by a black and white checkerboard band. There are 10 victory markings over Luftwaffe aircraft below the cockpit. It carrys the fuselage code in black of 5Q (star with bars) C. The rudder flap is red and the black serial no. 464148 is on the rudder.
Hasegawa's location in Japan is supplied.
The other side panel has 5 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Hasegawa markets: a SOC-3 floatplane, a He-51B floatplane, a UH-1D helecopter, a T-1A jet and a Spitfire Mk. 1.
No kit numbers are given for these 5 and I assume they are all to 1/72nd scale.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 2 silver grey trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag.
The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that is printed on both sides in 6 3/4" x 14" page format, folded 3 times to fit the box.
The face side of the instructions begins with a black and white photo showing the model made up head-on and in the box art scheme. This is followed by two 5-views of the two schemes provided on the decal sheet (already described above).
Text on the sheet is all in Japanese.
The reverse side of the sheet has a total of 5 assembly steps. Again, all the text is Japanese.
The trees are not alphabetized and their are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions. Parts do have numbers next to them on the trees however.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the propeller, its spinner and base plate. main wheels and their pants, fuselage halves, landing gear legs, tail wheel, joystick, pilot, cockpit floor, headrest etc. (19 parts)
This kit contains 2 silver grey trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag.
The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that is printed on both sides in 6 3/4" x 14" page format, folded 3 times to fit the box.
The face side of the instructions begins with a black and white photo showing the model made up head-on and in the box art scheme. This is followed by two 5-views of the two schemes provided on the decal sheet (already described above).
Text on the sheet is all in Japanese.
The reverse side of the sheet has a total of 5 assembly steps. Again, all the text is Japanese.
The trees are not alphabetized and their are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions. Parts do have numbers next to them on the trees however.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the propeller, its spinner and base plate. main wheels and their pants, fuselage halves, landing gear legs, tail wheel, joystick, pilot, cockpit floor, headrest etc. (19 parts)
The 2nd silver grey tree holds: wing halves, drop tank halves and the elevators (9 parts)
The 2nd silver grey tree holds: wing halves, drop tank halves and the elevators (9 parts)
The clear tree holds 2 alternate cockpit canopies (3 parts)
I suspect that one canopy is P-51D type and the other one is P-51K, but with everything in Japanese its hard to tell.
I suspect that one canopy is P-51D type and the other one is P-51K, but with everything in Japanese its hard to tell.
The kit decals.
Control surfaces are molded solid and the panel lines are of the raised variety.
This is a nice older kit of a aircraft that is a very popular subject for a lot of aircraft modelers.
Recommended.
This is a nice older kit of a aircraft that is a very popular subject for a lot of aircraft modelers.
Recommended.
I purchased my kit at my local hobby shop almost 50 years ago. I am willing to sell it for a reasonable offer.