In Box Review of MPC Super 1/24th Scale P-51 Mustang
Kit no. 2-3505
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
I bought my kit at the Toy Fair store, that used to be at the local mall, years ago, that went out of business. I paid $ 6.77, when the kit was marked down from $8.00.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
I bought my kit at the Toy Fair store, that used to be at the local mall, years ago, that went out of business. I paid $ 6.77, when the kit was marked down from $8.00.
HISTORY:
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission.
The commission approached NAA to build Curtiss P-40 fighters and the newer P-46 under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Rather than build an old design from another company, NAA proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. 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 designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine without an export-sensitive turbo-super-charger, a multi-stage supercharger, resulting in limited high-altitude performance. The aircraft was first flown operationally and very successfully by the RAF and as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). In mid 1942, Rolls Royce replaced the Allison with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 65, two-stage intercooled supercharged engine, resulting in a series of development aircraft known as the Mustang X. During testing at Hucknall , it quickly became clear that this dramatically improved the aircraft's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) (without sacrificing range).
Following receipt of the test results and after further flights by a number of USAAF pilots, the results were so positive that North American began work on converting several aircraft and these were developed into the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model, which became the first long range fighter to be able to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.
From late 1943, P-51Bs and P-51Cs (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 Second Tactical Air Force 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, by then redesignated F-51, was the main fighter of the United States until jet fighters, including North American's F-86 Sabre, 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 warbirds and air racing aircraft.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 1
Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
Height: 13 ft 4.5 in (4.077 m) tail wheel on ground, vertical propeller blade
Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.8 m2)
Aspect ratio: 5.83
Airfoil: NAA/NACA 45–100
Empty weight: 7,635 lb. (3,463 kg)
Gross weight: 9,200 lb. (4,173 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb. (5,488 kg) 5,490
Fuel capacity: 269 US gal (224 imp gal; 1,020 L)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
Drag area: 3.80 sq. ft. (0.35 m²)
Powerplant: 1 × Packard (Rolls-Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1,490 hp (1,110 kW) at 3,000 rpm; 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at WEP
Propellers: 4-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed, variable-pitch, 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter
Maximum speed: 440 mph (710 km/h, 383 knot)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (583 km/h, 315 knot)
Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 knot)
Range: 1,650 mi (2,660 km, 1,434 nm) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16 m/s)
Lift-to-drag: 14.6
Wing loading: 39 lb./sq ft (190 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.162 / 0.187 hp/lb. (0.266 / 0.307 kW/kg) (without / with WEP)
Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament: Guns: 6 × .50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 HVAR rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)
Bombs: 1 × 100 lb. (45 kg) or 250 lb. (110 kg) bomb or 500 lb. (230 kg) bomb on hardpoint under each wing
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission.
The commission approached NAA to build Curtiss P-40 fighters and the newer P-46 under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Rather than build an old design from another company, NAA proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. 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 designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine without an export-sensitive turbo-super-charger, a multi-stage supercharger, resulting in limited high-altitude performance. The aircraft was first flown operationally and very successfully by the RAF and as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). In mid 1942, Rolls Royce replaced the Allison with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 65, two-stage intercooled supercharged engine, resulting in a series of development aircraft known as the Mustang X. During testing at Hucknall , it quickly became clear that this dramatically improved the aircraft's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) (without sacrificing range).
Following receipt of the test results and after further flights by a number of USAAF pilots, the results were so positive that North American began work on converting several aircraft and these were developed into the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model, which became the first long range fighter to be able to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.
From late 1943, P-51Bs and P-51Cs (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 Second Tactical Air Force 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, by then redesignated F-51, was the main fighter of the United States until jet fighters, including North American's F-86 Sabre, 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 warbirds and air racing aircraft.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 1
Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
Height: 13 ft 4.5 in (4.077 m) tail wheel on ground, vertical propeller blade
Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.8 m2)
Aspect ratio: 5.83
Airfoil: NAA/NACA 45–100
Empty weight: 7,635 lb. (3,463 kg)
Gross weight: 9,200 lb. (4,173 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb. (5,488 kg) 5,490
Fuel capacity: 269 US gal (224 imp gal; 1,020 L)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163
Drag area: 3.80 sq. ft. (0.35 m²)
Powerplant: 1 × Packard (Rolls-Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1,490 hp (1,110 kW) at 3,000 rpm; 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at WEP
Propellers: 4-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed, variable-pitch, 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter
Maximum speed: 440 mph (710 km/h, 383 knot)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (583 km/h, 315 knot)
Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 knot)
Range: 1,650 mi (2,660 km, 1,434 nm) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16 m/s)
Lift-to-drag: 14.6
Wing loading: 39 lb./sq ft (190 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.162 / 0.187 hp/lb. (0.266 / 0.307 kW/kg) (without / with WEP)
Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament: Guns: 6 × .50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 HVAR rockets (P-51D-25, P-51K-10 on)
Bombs: 1 × 100 lb. (45 kg) or 250 lb. (110 kg) bomb or 500 lb. (230 kg) bomb on hardpoint under each wing
THE KIT:
MPC is of Fundimensions Div. of Gen Mills Fun Group Inc. They are an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, that makes all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a large, shrink-wrapped, tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color photo of the model made up and posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya brand does the majority of their box arts too.
The P-51 is bare metal, below a dark-green top, that curves down over the fuselage and has an orange border. It has a black and red banded spinner. Followed by a red and black checkerboard nose and the name “The Millie G” in red.
There are 4 black victory crosses, outlined in white under the windshield. Large white fuselage code CY star and bars G. A orange rudder flap with a rampant black stallion on it. Star and bars on fuselage sides, on top of left wing and below the right wing. Wide black bands around the wings and elevators. Maintenance text on the side of the nose.
Here is where the rub begins. The checkerboard on the decal sheet is done as yellow and white. The orange border to the dark green top is yellow on the decal sheet and the red “The Millie G” is yellow.
At the top of the box art it says: Wingspan 19”, Length 16”. Detailed Packard-Merlin engine. Authentic cockpit with controls and instruments. Detailed armament. Removable wing and body panels. Retractable undercarriage. Sliding canopy. Rubber tires. Bombs, rockets and drop tanks.
In the upper right corner of the box art there are 5 walk-around type color photos of the model made up. The lower right corner says: For modelers aged 10 to adult.
The side-panels of the box are identical. They begin with a one-paragraph history of the P-51. Over: Paint and cement not included and features of the kit, around a repeat of the box art: Hamilton Standard propeller. Cockpit detail with instrumentation, controls, seat armor, mirror, gunsight & radio. Packard-Merlin 1,150 hp , 12 cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. Sliding canopy. Rockets, 500 lb. bombs. Detailed pilot figure. Complete, full color decals. Navigational lights. Browning .50 cal. wing guns. Wingspan 19”. Length 16”. Detailed cockpit interior. Wing guns and ammunition. Removable cowling, wing and body panels for display. Rubber tires. Bombs. Rockets and drop tank. Retractable undercarriage. Pilot figure included (with a line drawing of him).
MPC is of Fundimensions Div. of Gen Mills Fun Group Inc. They are an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, that makes all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a large, shrink-wrapped, tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color photo of the model made up and posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya brand does the majority of their box arts too.
The P-51 is bare metal, below a dark-green top, that curves down over the fuselage and has an orange border. It has a black and red banded spinner. Followed by a red and black checkerboard nose and the name “The Millie G” in red.
There are 4 black victory crosses, outlined in white under the windshield. Large white fuselage code CY star and bars G. A orange rudder flap with a rampant black stallion on it. Star and bars on fuselage sides, on top of left wing and below the right wing. Wide black bands around the wings and elevators. Maintenance text on the side of the nose.
Here is where the rub begins. The checkerboard on the decal sheet is done as yellow and white. The orange border to the dark green top is yellow on the decal sheet and the red “The Millie G” is yellow.
At the top of the box art it says: Wingspan 19”, Length 16”. Detailed Packard-Merlin engine. Authentic cockpit with controls and instruments. Detailed armament. Removable wing and body panels. Retractable undercarriage. Sliding canopy. Rubber tires. Bombs, rockets and drop tanks.
In the upper right corner of the box art there are 5 walk-around type color photos of the model made up. The lower right corner says: For modelers aged 10 to adult.
The side-panels of the box are identical. They begin with a one-paragraph history of the P-51. Over: Paint and cement not included and features of the kit, around a repeat of the box art: Hamilton Standard propeller. Cockpit detail with instrumentation, controls, seat armor, mirror, gunsight & radio. Packard-Merlin 1,150 hp , 12 cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. Sliding canopy. Rockets, 500 lb. bombs. Detailed pilot figure. Complete, full color decals. Navigational lights. Browning .50 cal. wing guns. Wingspan 19”. Length 16”. Detailed cockpit interior. Wing guns and ammunition. Removable cowling, wing and body panels for display. Rubber tires. Bombs. Rockets and drop tank. Retractable undercarriage. Pilot figure included (with a line drawing of him).
Followed by 4 color box arts of other 1/24th scale aircraft kits that MPC makes: a Messerschmitt Bf-109E, a JU-87B Stuka, a Spitfire Mk. 1a and a P-51D Mustang. No kit numbers are shown for these.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 5 chalk-white trees, a clear tree, rubber tires, the decal sheet and the instructions in one large sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 20 pages in 8 12” x 11” page format.
Page 1 shows a line-drawing of the P-51 in the box art scheme.
The kit holds 5 chalk-white trees, a clear tree, rubber tires, the decal sheet and the instructions in one large sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 20 pages in 8 12” x 11” page format.
Page 1 shows a line-drawing of the P-51 in the box art scheme.
Over: Fundimensions wishes to thank the United States Air Force Museum Research Division for their help in writing this instruction manual. The technical information, parts information, and illustrations on pages 17 and 18 were taken from USAF P-51 flight handbook and USAF P-51D Mk. IV erection and maintenance instruction manual date 20 December 1944, No. AN-01-60JE-2.
1977 Fundimensions INC, A div, of the General Mills Fun Group. Printed in U.S.A.
Page 2 has “PLEASE READ THIS FIRST”, over a couple assembly symbol explanations and illustrations of cements, paints, brushes and tools, down the left side of the page. A one-paragraph history of the P-51 and specifications is down the right half of the page.
Page 3 on through to page 16 gives a grand total of 35 assembly steps. Steps 1 and 2 are for the pilot figure and painting him.
Page 17 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a black and white drawing of the decal sheet and a 3-view of the P-51 in the box art scheme.
Page 18 is a second painting and marking guide. It repeats the black and white drawing of the decal sheet and the top and bottom of the box art scheme.
Page 19 shows a 3-view line drawing of the P-51 that shows where all the maintenance stenciling goes.
1977 Fundimensions INC, A div, of the General Mills Fun Group. Printed in U.S.A.
Page 2 has “PLEASE READ THIS FIRST”, over a couple assembly symbol explanations and illustrations of cements, paints, brushes and tools, down the left side of the page. A one-paragraph history of the P-51 and specifications is down the right half of the page.
Page 3 on through to page 16 gives a grand total of 35 assembly steps. Steps 1 and 2 are for the pilot figure and painting him.
Page 17 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a black and white drawing of the decal sheet and a 3-view of the P-51 in the box art scheme.
Page 18 is a second painting and marking guide. It repeats the black and white drawing of the decal sheet and the top and bottom of the box art scheme.
Page 19 shows a 3-view line drawing of the P-51 that shows where all the maintenance stenciling goes.
Page 20 is mostly blank. With just Fundimensions logo and address at the bottom.
The first chalk-white tree holds: the left fuselage half, radiator, exhaust pipes, rockets, bomb fins, canopy frame, pilot’s arms and some engine parts (66 parts)
The first chalk-white tree holds: the left fuselage half, radiator, exhaust pipes, rockets, bomb fins, canopy frame, pilot’s arms and some engine parts (66 parts)
The second chalk-white tree holds: the right fuselage half, more engine parts, more rockets, bombs, gear doors etc. (84 parts)
The third chalk-white tree hods: drop tanks, machine guns, dashboard, rudder, wing and elevator flaps etc. (34 parts)
The fourth chalk-white tree holds: more rockets, propeller blades, more wing flaps (15 parts)
The fifth chalk-white tree holds the upper wing halves (2 parts)
The sixth chalk-white tree holds the lower wing halves (1 part)
A lot of parts have fallen off the trees. They have been pretty much named already such as the pilot figure, bombs, landing gear, cockpit, propeller blade, etc. (25 parts0.
The clear parts are next and contain the canopy, windscreen, instrument panel, etc. (9 parts).
The main landing gear and tail wheel vinyl tires complete the kit parts except for the decal sheet.
At the time I got this kit, I saw an advertisement by Airfix, that offered the purchase of a 1/24th scale decal sheet for the P-51D. I bought this to use on this kit that has the decal colors wrong on its sheet.
This decal set arrived from the UK in a large manila-envelope, backed by a stiff card.
It consists of 2 large decal sheets.
One is for a P-51 with the name “Big Beautiful Doll” on the sides of its nose, white spinner, a black and white checkerboard nose, large fuselage code of WZ star and bars I, stenciled no. 472218 on the rudder, with a black flap. A black rectangle with white Capt. J.D. Landers on it, on the windshield frame. Thirty seven victory marks over Japanese aircraft under the cockpit.
It consists of 2 large decal sheets.
One is for a P-51 with the name “Big Beautiful Doll” on the sides of its nose, white spinner, a black and white checkerboard nose, large fuselage code of WZ star and bars I, stenciled no. 472218 on the rudder, with a black flap. A black rectangle with white Capt. J.D. Landers on it, on the windshield frame. Thirty seven victory marks over Japanese aircraft under the cockpit.
I separated the one decal sheet into two sheets with the one side containing the Big Beautiful Doll markings.
Along with this sheet, there are 3 color photos of the actual aircraft in this scheme sitting on a runway and a sheet with a 7-view drawing on it of the scheme.
The other large decal sheet holds markings for a P-51D, that was with 443 Sqdn. RCAF.
Along with this sheet, there are 3 color photos of the actual aircraft in this scheme sitting on a runway and a sheet with a 7-view drawing on it of the scheme.
The other large decal sheet holds markings for a P-51D, that was with 443 Sqdn. RCAF.
There are drawings for decal and stencil placement.
It has a white spinner, fuselage band and rudder flap. It is in a wave-pattern camouflage of what I think is green and grey. The photo sent with the sheet of the actual aircraft sitting on a grassy field, will not help to know the actual colors.
It carries the large light tan fuselage code of T long space Y2 roundel. Blue, white and red fin flash. Stenciled black KH668 on the rudder sides.
I have added a 15 page history of the P-51D, with many black and white photos of all parts of the anatomy of a real aircraft in it, by Gerald Scarborough to the kit.
The detail is great and of the engraved variety.
Highly recommended.
It carries the large light tan fuselage code of T long space Y2 roundel. Blue, white and red fin flash. Stenciled black KH668 on the rudder sides.
I have added a 15 page history of the P-51D, with many black and white photos of all parts of the anatomy of a real aircraft in it, by Gerald Scarborough to the kit.
The detail is great and of the engraved variety.
Highly recommended.