P-51D Over the Pacific
Part One

Hussar, 1/32 scale

S u m m a r y :
Catalogue Number:	Hussar Productions Item No. D32006 - P-51D Over the Pacific Pt.1
Description:	Decals for three aircraft
Price:	Available online from AirConnection for Can$12.99.
Scale:	1/32 (also available in 1/48 and 1/72 scales)
Contents & Media	Waterslide decals, colour instructions
Review Type:	First Look.
Advantages:	Interesting schemes; flawless printing; high quality instructions.
Disadvantages:	Incorrect proportions of national markings (the bars in particular).
Conclusions:	Highly Recommended.

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

The name Hussar Productions is far better known amongst the armour modelling fraternity as they produce a very wide range of resin conversions and accessories in both 1/16th and 1/35th scale. Of late however they have dipped a tentative toe into the aircraft decal producing pool. To date they have released sheets in 1/48 and 1/32 scale for Me-109Es and Mk IX Spitfires flown by Canadian pilots in World War Two as well as for B-24 assembly ships in1/72 scale.

Their latest release is for North American P-51D Mustangs flown by the 506th Fighter Group from the island of Iwo Jima in 1945. The release is made up of two sheets which provide markings for six machines in all

The sheets are provided in the three popular scales with Part 1 being numbered D32206, D48006 and D72006 respectively.

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Thumbnail panels:

D32006 is Part 1 of the series and it provides the following three options for machines:

• “The Enchantress”, P-51D-25-NA serial number 44-72671, plane in squadron number 528 flown by Second Lieutenant William Saks of the 457th Fighter Squadron, from the North Field, Airfield Number 3 in the June of 1945. Second Lieutenant William Saks was lost in this machine on 1 June 1945 when it failed to return to Iwo Jima due to very bad weather conditions. The machine looks to be in the “standard natural metal finish” with an olive drab anti-glare panel on it nose and the note on the placement guide has its empennage painted in “FS-612 Medium Green”. Other publications I have seen list this green as “ANA 503 Willow Green”. This was the final evolution of the squadron identifying markings (originally they were diagonal stripes which would have been a real pain to apply!). The aircraft of the other two squadrons in the group wore blue for the 458th, and orange-yellow for the 462nd. The machine is fitted with twin wooden antennas on its rear fuselage indicating it was fitted with AN/ARA-8 “Uncle Dog” VHF homing adaptor radio system (it was termed “Uncle Dog” as it received the letters U and D in morse code – dit, dit dah and dah dit dit) that enabled a pilot to navigate over long distance – a simplistic explanation to say the least! The machine also wears the fin mounted antenna array for the AN/APS-13 (SCR 718) airborne "tail warning" radar. A point to note here is that no Mustang kit comes with the twin “Uncle Dog” antennae out of the box so you will have to scratch build these your self. See the link at the bottom of the page for help here. The upper fuselage part for the beautiful Tamiya 1/32 scale P-51D has two flashed-over holes in it where these antennae are mounted so you can expect to see a “Pacific Mustang” boxing of this kit in the future. The odd looking red and white disc marking for this option is correct as it represents the unfinished squadron insignia that the aircraft wore.
  

• "Little Que" P-51D-20-NA serial number 44-72606, plane-in-squadron-number 590 flown by First Lieutenant Quarterman Lee Jr. in the June of 1945. The machine looks to be in the “standard natural metal finish” with an olive drab anti-glare panel on it nose and the note on the placement guide has its empennage painted in “FS-606 Semi-Gloss Sea Blue”. It wears the twin wooden “Uncle Dog” antennas on the rear fuselage as well as the AN/APS-13 antenna array on its fin. You are on your own when it comes to the squadron markings for the empennage as no decals are provided for it.
  

• "Meatball" P-51D-20-NA serial number 44-72505, plane-in-squadron-number 602 flown by First Lieutenant E. Balhourn, and Second Lieutenant (note that given the long range missions that the Group flew most aircraft had two pilots assigned to it) Iwo Jima, late July of 1945. It appears to be in the “standard natural metal finish” with an olive drab anti-glare panel on it nose and the note on the placement guide has its empennage (minus the rudder) painted in “FS-614 Yellow”. A note on the placement guide advises that the rudder was from another aircraft hence it is sans the last three numerals of its serial. It too wears the twin wooden “Uncle Dog” antennas on the rear fuselage as well as the AN/APS-13 antenna array on its fin.
  

The decals for each option are restricted to the “data block”, plane-in-squadron-number, serial number, squadron insignia as well as the individual nose art it wore. A single set of national insignia and a single set of “dive sight” markings for the wings are also supplied. No stencil data is supplied. With regard to the national insignia be aware that they are a little “funky” in that they have not been drawn to the correct proportions. Given this, you will need to find a replacement set from elsewhere to correctly depict the aircraft.

The decals have been printed by Cartograf. They are glossy, thin and have a minimum of film surrounding each subject. Everything on my two samples is in perfect register and the printing is nice and sharp.

The placement guide is in the form of an A-4 size page with colour illustrations on both sides. Each option is treated to its own page with excellent quality illustrations of both sides of the fuselage as well as a full upper surface plan view and a scrap view of the undersides of the empennage to show the extent of the squadron colour markings. You are also treated to a larger image of each option’s distinctive markings.

Packaging is via the industry standard clear plastic zip-loc bag.

Markings for Pacific based P-51s seem to be the flavour of the month of late which is a good thing as far as I am concerned. Thankfully only one of the three options on the sheet has been produced in decal form before. Whilst the incorrectly proportioned national insignia is a disappointment in this day and age don’t let this dissuade you from buying the sheet as it carries some excellent options that have not been produced in the decal world before.

The 506th Fighter Group was but one Group flying long range missions over Japan at the war’s end. Hopefully Hussar Productions realises this and follows up with further sheets in this series for the squadrons of the 15th and 21st Fighter Groups as well!

Footnote

If you are looking for some further reference on Pacific Theatre Mustangs a great place to start is 506th Fighter Group Iwo Jima 1945 at http://506thfightergroup.org/index.asp . It will provide you with a very comprehensive history of the Group as well as of the very long range escort mission that its squadrons flew.

Thanks to Air Connection for the sample

Hussar Products are available online from Air Connection

Text and Images Copyright © 2012 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 27 August, 2012
Last updated 30 August, 2012

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