In Box Review of Airfix 1/72nd Scale
North American P-51D Mustang Fighter
Kit no. 02045-9
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Airfix first released the P-51D kit in 1958, then in 1962 in a bag packaging, 1963 in box, 1967 in bag, 1970 in box, 1971 in box, 1973 in bag, my kit in box in 1974. I paid a whopping $1.70 for my kit in the 70's, according to the price sticker still on the box at my local hobby shop.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Airfix first released the P-51D kit in 1958, then in 1962 in a bag packaging, 1963 in box, 1967 in bag, 1970 in box, 1971 in box, 1973 in bag, my kit in box in 1974. I paid a whopping $1.70 for my kit in the 70's, according to the price sticker still on the box at my local hobby shop.
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 Commission. 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, the P-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 African, 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 Commission. 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, the P-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 African, 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:
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that was not shrink wrapped, but held shut with tape.
The box aart shows 2 P-51's flying through flak and dropping bombs. The P-51 in the foreground is overall bare metal with a blue nose and spinner. It has the black fuselage code of PE before the star with bars. There is a black P on the rudder over the serial no. 414906. The rudder flap is red. There is the name CRIPES A MIGHTY over a barber's striped pole on the sides of the nose. The 2nd P-51 is too far in the background to make anything out on it.
One side panel says the kit can be made into either a P-51D or a P-51K with a list of colors to use for each.
The other side panel has a color illustration for the British P-51K version. It is in a wave pattern of dark green over grey with grey undercarraige. It has a yellow spinner and the white fuselage code CV (roundel)A. It is with the RAAF no. 3 Squadron, based in Italy, 1945.
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that was not shrink wrapped, but held shut with tape.
The box aart shows 2 P-51's flying through flak and dropping bombs. The P-51 in the foreground is overall bare metal with a blue nose and spinner. It has the black fuselage code of PE before the star with bars. There is a black P on the rudder over the serial no. 414906. The rudder flap is red. There is the name CRIPES A MIGHTY over a barber's striped pole on the sides of the nose. The 2nd P-51 is too far in the background to make anything out on it.
One side panel says the kit can be made into either a P-51D or a P-51K with a list of colors to use for each.
The other side panel has a color illustration for the British P-51K version. It is in a wave pattern of dark green over grey with grey undercarraige. It has a yellow spinner and the white fuselage code CV (roundel)A. It is with the RAAF no. 3 Squadron, based in Italy, 1945.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 silver grey parts trees, loose silver grey fuselage halves and wing halves, 3 clear trees, the decal sheet, instructions and a slip that has a customer service coupon on one side and advertisement for Airfix games and their magazine on the reverse side and another sheet that has an application blank on one side of it to join Airfix's Modelers club and the other side is advertising their games, action toys and romper room toys.
This kit holds 2 silver grey parts trees, loose silver grey fuselage halves and wing halves, 3 clear trees, the decal sheet, instructions and a slip that has a customer service coupon on one side and advertisement for Airfix games and their magazine on the reverse side and another sheet that has an application blank on one side of it to join Airfix's Modelers club and the other side is advertising their games, action toys and romper room toys.
The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 6 3/4" x 13" page format, folded 3 times to fit the box.
The face side of the instructions begins with the history of the P-51, followed by GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS, international assembly symbol explanations and the first 4 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions continues with two more steps for a total of 7, over two 4 views of the two schemes provided in the kit (already described above) There is a lot of text to walk you through the builds and the color schemes.
Parts are not cello bagged.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the elevators, bombs, tail wheel, cockpit floor and consoles, landing gear legs, air intake, seat etc. (23 parts)
The face side of the instructions begins with the history of the P-51, followed by GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS, international assembly symbol explanations and the first 4 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions continues with two more steps for a total of 7, over two 4 views of the two schemes provided in the kit (already described above) There is a lot of text to walk you through the builds and the color schemes.
Parts are not cello bagged.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the elevators, bombs, tail wheel, cockpit floor and consoles, landing gear legs, air intake, seat etc. (23 parts)
The 2nd silver grey tree holds: the propeller, exhaust pipes, drop tanks, spinner and its base plate, wheel pants, pilot, main wheel halves etc. (21 parts)
Next are the fuselage halves.
The wings consist of a one piece lower wing and two upper wing sections.
The 1st clear tree is the display stand parts (2 parts)
The 2nd clear tree just holds the cockpit canopy (1 part) It is molded shut.
The 3rd clear tree holds an alternate canopy parts. I'm not sure as yet if it is the P-51D or the P-51K version one?
The last item in the kit are the decals for the two versions mentioned above.
Parts trees are not alphabetized and there are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions. However, there are number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Control surfaces are molded solid and panel lines are of the raised variety.
This is a nice older kit of the Mustang, which is a favorite aircraft subject amongst many modeler.
Recommended.
Control surfaces are molded solid and panel lines are of the raised variety.
This is a nice older kit of the Mustang, which is a favorite aircraft subject amongst many modeler.
Recommended.
I bought my kit back in the 70's at my local hobby shop. I am willing to sell it for a reasonable offer.