P-51B Mustang (1/48 Scale) Aircraft Model Kit

Plastic 1/48 P-51B Mustang Airplane from Tamiya. The first Allison powered P-51's were good airplanes but lacked the high altitude performance to be effective bomber escorts. That changed when the basic P-51 airframe was mated with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine to create the P-51B. Tamiya's rendition of the Mustang builds up into an impressive, highly detailed 1/48th scale replica with accurate interior and exterior detail. High quality water activated decals are included for three aircraft.

FEATURES:

Highly detailed 1/48th scale plastic kit for static display. Approximately 60 parts in medium grey and clear with fine recessed panel lines. Accurately captures features of P-51B: wings, gear doors, canopy. Multi-part canopy may be posed open or closed - Malcolm Hood included. Main wheels have separate hubs for easy painting. Highly detailed cockpit with accurate instrument panel, seat, control stick and rudder pedals, bulkheads, and sculpted pilot figure. 2 styles of exhaust stubs, optional position flaps, drop tanks. Detailed pictorial instructions.

MARKING OPTIONS:

Single sheet of InvisaClear decals by Scalemaster. These decals are very precisely printed so that the clear carrier layer is kept to a minimum and does not show on the completed model. 1: 336th FS 4th FG Capt. D Gentile "Shangri La". Top: Olive drab; Bottom: Neutral Grey; Spinner: White w/red stripe. 2: 358th FS 355th FG Lt William Hovde "Ole II". Same as A: except; Spinner: Cream. 3: 339th FS 504th FG "Bonny Bea" S/N 210933. Fuselage: Bare metal w/Olive drab anti-glare panel; Wings: Silver; Spinner: White w/red stripe (decal); Nose: Red and white checked. Paints Required: Colors are all flat except where indicated: Detail colors: Interior Green, Black, Silver, Yellow, Red, Blue, Khaki, Tan, Buff, Gloss Red, Semi-gloss Black, Flesh, Green, Brown, and Gloss Blue.

INCLUDES:

One 1/48 P-51B Mustang Airplane

REQUIRES:

Assembly Hobby Knife Paint: (see MARKING OPTIONS) Brushes Sandpaper Cement for plastics (TESR3512) Nice-to-have tools: Needle File Set, Sprue Cutter, Airbrush and Accessories

SPECS:

Scale: 1/48 Wingspan: 9-1/4" (23.5cm) Fuselage Length: 8" (20.5cm)

COMMENTS:

As exquisite as the cockpit detail in this kit is it does suffer from a small accuracy problem. In the original Allison powered Mustangs the cockpit floor was actually the top surface of the wing , resulting in a curved surface. The change to the Merlin engine require modifications which made the fuselage taller. Consequently, a flat wooden floor was installed in all P-51's from the B model onwards. However, this kit has the curved floor appropriate to an early Mustang. It's easily fixed with some sheet styrene.