In Box Review of Platz 1/144th Scale
P-51D “Foreigners” 2 in 1 Kit.
Kit no. PDR-21:1800
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: 1440 Yen ($13.32) at Hobby Link Japan.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: 1440 Yen ($13.32) at Hobby Link Japan.
HISTORY:
Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop", or "bubble", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rear of the aircraft. In America, new molding techniques had been developed to form streamlined nose transparencies for bombers.
North American designed a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B which was later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late 1942, the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from the assembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned by cutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as those forward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tail unit.
A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mounted on two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-round visibility. Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that the aerodynamics were sound. The new model Mustang also had a redesigned wing; alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was an additional fillet added forward of each of the wheel bays, increasing the wing area and creating a distinctive "kink" at the wing root's leading edges.
P-51D-5-NA, assigned to Lieutenant Abe P. Rosenberger, with the "kinked" wing root leading edge and the added fin fillet on the tail present. This aircraft is famous in photos as one of "The Bottisham Four."
Other alterations to the wings included new navigation lights, mounted on the wingtips, rather than the smaller lights above and below the wings of the earlier Mustangs, and retractable landing lights which were mounted at the back of the wheel wells; these replaced the lights which had been formerly mounted in the wing leading edges.
The engine was the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series, fitted with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger. The armament was increased with the addition of two more .50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 "light-barrel" M2 Browning machine guns, the standard heavy-caliber machine gun used throughout the American air services of World War II, bringing the total to six.
The inner pair of machine guns had 400 rounds per gun, and the others had 270 rpg, for a total of 1,880. The B/C subtypes' M2 guns were mounted with an inboard axial tilt, this angled mounting had caused problems with the ammunition feed and with spent casings and links failing to clear the gun-chutes, leading to frequent complaints that the guns jammed during combat maneuvers.
The D/K's six M2s were mounted upright, remedying the jamming problems. In addition, the weapons were installed along the line of the wing's dihedral, rather than parallel to the ground line as in the earlier Mustangs. The wing racks fitted to the P-51D/P-51K series were strengthened and were able to carry up to 1,000 lb. (450 kg) of ordnance, although 500 lb. (230 kg) bombs were the recommended maximum load.
Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop", or "bubble", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rear of the aircraft. In America, new molding techniques had been developed to form streamlined nose transparencies for bombers.
North American designed a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B which was later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late 1942, the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from the assembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned by cutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as those forward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tail unit.
A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mounted on two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-round visibility. Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that the aerodynamics were sound. The new model Mustang also had a redesigned wing; alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was an additional fillet added forward of each of the wheel bays, increasing the wing area and creating a distinctive "kink" at the wing root's leading edges.
P-51D-5-NA, assigned to Lieutenant Abe P. Rosenberger, with the "kinked" wing root leading edge and the added fin fillet on the tail present. This aircraft is famous in photos as one of "The Bottisham Four."
Other alterations to the wings included new navigation lights, mounted on the wingtips, rather than the smaller lights above and below the wings of the earlier Mustangs, and retractable landing lights which were mounted at the back of the wheel wells; these replaced the lights which had been formerly mounted in the wing leading edges.
The engine was the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series, fitted with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger. The armament was increased with the addition of two more .50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 "light-barrel" M2 Browning machine guns, the standard heavy-caliber machine gun used throughout the American air services of World War II, bringing the total to six.
The inner pair of machine guns had 400 rounds per gun, and the others had 270 rpg, for a total of 1,880. The B/C subtypes' M2 guns were mounted with an inboard axial tilt, this angled mounting had caused problems with the ammunition feed and with spent casings and links failing to clear the gun-chutes, leading to frequent complaints that the guns jammed during combat maneuvers.
The D/K's six M2s were mounted upright, remedying the jamming problems. In addition, the weapons were installed along the line of the wing's dihedral, rather than parallel to the ground line as in the earlier Mustangs. The wing racks fitted to the P-51D/P-51K series were strengthened and were able to carry up to 1,000 lb. (450 kg) of ordnance, although 500 lb. (230 kg) bombs were the recommended maximum load.
THE KIT:
Platz is a prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a end-opening type box that is not shrink-wrapped.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color side profile of a P-51D in British AF markings. It is in a wave pattern of grey and green, with grey under-side. It has a yellow spinner and yellow anti-glare panel in front of its windscreen that extends backwards under the cockpit. It has a buff fuselage code C Y2 roundel. It has a tri-color vertical rudder flash, with a small Canadian AF roundel above it.
Behind the profile there is a large illustration of the Canadian AF roundel. All is posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya brand also does the majority of their box arts.
One corner of the box art has a color illustration of the kit's decal sheet.
One side panel of the box begins with a color illustration of the rear half of the P-51D on the cover art, followed by a one-paragraph history of the aircraft in Japanese and English and Platz’s address, telephone and FAX numbers and web address.
Platz is a prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a end-opening type box that is not shrink-wrapped.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a color side profile of a P-51D in British AF markings. It is in a wave pattern of grey and green, with grey under-side. It has a yellow spinner and yellow anti-glare panel in front of its windscreen that extends backwards under the cockpit. It has a buff fuselage code C Y2 roundel. It has a tri-color vertical rudder flash, with a small Canadian AF roundel above it.
Behind the profile there is a large illustration of the Canadian AF roundel. All is posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya brand also does the majority of their box arts.
One corner of the box art has a color illustration of the kit's decal sheet.
One side panel of the box begins with a color illustration of the rear half of the P-51D on the cover art, followed by a one-paragraph history of the aircraft in Japanese and English and Platz’s address, telephone and FAX numbers and web address.
The other side panel says the model makes up to be 68mm long (close to 3”), it is an unassembled plastic model kit. Glue and paint are not included. Some parts are extremely sharp. Handle with care. Do not used near fire while using paint and cement. For modelers age 15 and over, in Japanese and English.
The bottom of the box serves as the painting and marking guide, with color 4 color side profiles of the P-51D.
The letter A profile is the box art scheme (already described above). It was a Mustang IV (P-51D), No. 442 “Caribou” Squadron, No. 144 Wing RCAF, Hunsdon, UK, 1945,
The letter B profile is overall bare metal, with a black spinner and anti-glare panel in front of the wind-screen. It carries Swedish roundels on the sides of the fuselage, followed by a yellow 16. There is a large black letter L on the rudder sides. It has a logo of a women’s head on the sides of the nose and a back outline circle with a knight on horseback below the windscreen on the sides. It is a J26(P-51D) with the 1st Squadron, F16 Wing, Swedish Air Force, Uppsala Sweden, 1946.
The letter C profile is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It carries black fuselage code R7 roundel L. It has a vertical tri-color flash on the rudder, with a shield outlined in yellow that has a red center with a white cross on it and SAVOLE at the top. It was a F-6D du GR II/33 Savoie, Armee de l’air Francaise , 1945.
The letter D profile is also overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It carries the fuselage code of a roundel with black and white checkered wings and NZ2413 and a vertical tri-color rudder flash. It is a Mustang IV (P-51D) No.1 “Auckland” Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1952.
A small color illustration of the decal sheet appears in the corner.
The letter B profile is overall bare metal, with a black spinner and anti-glare panel in front of the wind-screen. It carries Swedish roundels on the sides of the fuselage, followed by a yellow 16. There is a large black letter L on the rudder sides. It has a logo of a women’s head on the sides of the nose and a back outline circle with a knight on horseback below the windscreen on the sides. It is a J26(P-51D) with the 1st Squadron, F16 Wing, Swedish Air Force, Uppsala Sweden, 1946.
The letter C profile is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It carries black fuselage code R7 roundel L. It has a vertical tri-color flash on the rudder, with a shield outlined in yellow that has a red center with a white cross on it and SAVOLE at the top. It was a F-6D du GR II/33 Savoie, Armee de l’air Francaise , 1945.
The letter D profile is also overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It carries the fuselage code of a roundel with black and white checkered wings and NZ2413 and a vertical tri-color rudder flash. It is a Mustang IV (P-51D) No.1 “Auckland” Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1952.
A small color illustration of the decal sheet appears in the corner.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 2 complete models of the P-51D.
There are 2 medium-grey trees that hold all the parts of the aircraft and 2 clear trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The decal sheet is tucked into the instructions. It too is in a sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a slick coated single sheet, that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a one-paragraph history of the P-51D, over READ THIS FIRST instructions: This is a plastic unassembled scale model kit. Glue and paint not included. Some parts are extremely sharp. Handle with care. Do not use near fire when using paint or cement. Said in Japanese and English.
Below is the part trees and decal sheet illustrations and 3 assembly steps.
Page 2 continues with decal application instructions in the 2 languages, over 2 more assembly steps.
Pages 3 and 4 are painting and marking guides. Showing a 4-view of each of the 4 schemes already described above. Over a suggested paint color listing of Mr. Color band hobby paints.
Trees are alphabetized.
The 2 identical medium-grey letter A trees hold the aircraft’s parts and drop-tanks (35 parts ea.)
This kit contains 2 complete models of the P-51D.
There are 2 medium-grey trees that hold all the parts of the aircraft and 2 clear trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The decal sheet is tucked into the instructions. It too is in a sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a slick coated single sheet, that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 5 ¾” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a one-paragraph history of the P-51D, over READ THIS FIRST instructions: This is a plastic unassembled scale model kit. Glue and paint not included. Some parts are extremely sharp. Handle with care. Do not use near fire when using paint or cement. Said in Japanese and English.
Below is the part trees and decal sheet illustrations and 3 assembly steps.
Page 2 continues with decal application instructions in the 2 languages, over 2 more assembly steps.
Pages 3 and 4 are painting and marking guides. Showing a 4-view of each of the 4 schemes already described above. Over a suggested paint color listing of Mr. Color band hobby paints.
Trees are alphabetized.
The 2 identical medium-grey letter A trees hold the aircraft’s parts and drop-tanks (35 parts ea.)
The 2 identical clear trees hold the canopy parts (2 parts ea.)
There is no pilot figure included.
There is no pilot figure included.
The decal sheet for the four versions complete the kit.
Detail is nicely engraved.
I sincerely wish to thank Platz for this review sample.
All Platz products can be viewed on their web-site at;
I sincerely wish to thank Platz for this review sample.
All Platz products can be viewed on their web-site at;
Highly recommended.