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P-51D-5 Mustang
Chattanooga Choo Choo

Eduard Limited Edition, 1/48 scale

S u m m a r y

Description and Catalogue Number: Eduard Kit No. 11134 - North American P-51D-5 Mustang Chattanooga Choo Cho Limited Edition
Scale: 1/48
Contents and Media:

265 parts in pale grey plastic (112 not used); 17 parts in clear plastic (four not used); markings for six aircraft.

Price:

TBA

Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Very high level of detail; state-of-the-art surface textures; many useful options including three styles of propeller, three styles of canopy, three different carburettor air filter panels, two styles of fin fillet, choice of metal and fabric elevators, two seat options, large range of ordnance, aerials, avionics and more; high level of attention to detail.
Disadvantages:

 

Conclusion:

Eduard has delivered a beautiful kit with their 1/48 scale P-51D Mustang.

It is hard to believe but I think the surface textures are even better than their recent Tempest and Fw 190 kits.

Cockpit and wheel well detail are quite clearly the best of any 1/48 scale Mustang kit currently available. Surface texture and the sheer number of optional parts are also class leading.

If you are impatient to build a different version to the P-51D-5, the plastic parts are in the box to finish the model as a wide range of production blocks from the D-10 up to the D-30 in the European or Pacific theatres. Inclusion of the Aeroproducts propeller means that you can build a P-51K too.

This really is a Gold Standard Mustang and a very versatile kit.

Well done Eduard and roll on with the series!

Reviewed by Brett Green


Airfix's 1/48 scale Bedford MWD is available online from Squadron.com

Background

 

The prototype NA-73X Mustang was designed and rolled out by North American Aviation a mere 102 days after the specification was issued by the British Purchasing Commission. The initial operational Mustang variants were powered by the Allison V-1710 engine, which was optimised for low-altitude performance. The P-51 Mustang flew its first operational missions with the Royal Air Force in the reconnaissance and fighter-bomber roles.

The combination of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine with the innovative airframe and laminar flow wing design of the A-35/P-51A resulted in one of the best fighter aircraft of World War Two. However, the P-51B/C series (Mustang III) was somewhat hampered by poor visibility through its heavily framed canopy. It was also difficult to bail out in an emergency due to the multi part canopy. The Malcolm Hood was a sliding, one-piece canopy designed by the British to be fitted to the Mustang III to address the bailout problem. However, this was a stopgap measure.

 

 

The airframe was therefore redesigned with a cut-down rear fuselage and a large, bubble-topped sliding canopy. This would become the P-51D - the definitive version of the Mustang, and perhaps the classic American fighter of the Second World War. A total of 7,956 P-51Ds were produced.

North American’s Inglewood factory could not keep up with the pressing demand for this high-performance fighter, so production was also undertaken at Dallas. There was also a shortage of Hamilton Standard propellers. The "P-51K" designation was applied to a further 1,500 machines built at this Dallas facility. The P-51K was almost identical to the P-51D except for the propeller.

The P-51K was equipped with a four-bladed Aeroproducts propeller assembly. This could be distinguished from the Hamilton Standard prop on the P-51D by the lack of the characteristic "cuffs" at the root of each propeller blade and a narrower chord.

 

 

FirstLook

 

This is the debut release in Eduard's brand new 1/48 scale P-51 Mustang family.

Eduard labels this as a P-51D-5 Mustang but the presence of the fin fillet makes it a late D-5. There are two styles of fin fillet supplied - one field installed and a second style that was fitted at the factory. When combined with other optional parts on the sprues, the modeller can build a later block Mustang too, including P-51Ks.

Eduard’s all-new 1/48 scale P-51D Mustang comprises around 265 parts in grey plastic, 17 parts in clear, a colour photo-etched fret, die-cut self-adhesive masks and decals for six marking options.

This parts count is not really anywhere near as high as might sound. Owing to the large number of options and parts for other versions, 112 of the grey plastic parts are marked "not for use", and four clear parts are also destined to stay on the sprues. You can subtract another dozen or two for alternate parts.

 

  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 P-51D Mustang Chattanooga Choo Choo Limited Edition Review by Brett Green: Image
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The parts breakdown is quite conventional although there are a few fuselage and wing inserts to provide for various options.

Surface detail is beautifully done with crisply recessed panel lines and selected rows of rivets. There are also a number of rows of subtly raised rivets where appropriate.

 

 

Recessed panel lines are present on the wings but rivets are not. I think this should satisfy the majority of modellers.

 

 

The fabric control surfaces feature restrained and convincing raised tape texture.

 

 

Two different fin fillets are included. Part D5 (on the left in the photo below) is the early field installed version appropriate to the P-51D-5 schemes on the decal sheet. The fillet on the right is the factory fitted version that applies to later production blocks.

 

 

Construction gets underway in the fabulously detailed cockpit. First up is a seven-part plastic pilot’s seat, enhanced with photo-etched harness straps. Photo-etched parts are also used for the instrument panel with raised bezels, quadrants and various handles and switch panels.

 

 

Alternative plasic instrument panels, lower switch panels, gun sights, coaming and sidewall switch panel parts are offered for the D-5 and later production blocks up to the D-20.

The sidewall frame structures are separate parts.

 

 

To the rear of the pilot, parts are suppied for three styles of radio, battery and IFF installation

Three styles of propeller blades are included - Hamilton Standard with cuff, Hamilton Standard without cuff and Aeroproducts . These are moulded in pairs with a separate hub. Two subtly different propeller spinner assemblies are also included.

 

 

The kit also offers the choice of shrouded or exposed exhausts. These are moulded as one piece per side and the ends of the stubs are hollowed out.

 

 

The main landing gear bay is beautifully detailed and the shape is correct.

 

 

The diamond tread tyres and wheel hubs are separate parts.

Ailerons and landing flaps are separate parts held in place with tabs. Two sets of separate elevators are included representing the early fabric covered and the later metal skinned. The flaps feature a mix of raised and recessed rivets - just lovely.

 

 

The rudder is also a separate part.

The machine gun panels on the wing leading edge are separate inserts. This avoids the tricky seam/join that would otherwise run through the centre of the gun muzzles.

The radiator flap may be posed open.

Three different carburettor air filter intakes for the lower sides of the engine cowling are also included.

 

Other options include two 108 gallon paper drop tanks, two 75 gallon metal drop tanks, two 100lb bombs, two 250lb bombs, two triple rocket tubes, ten 5" HVAR rockets and a DF loop.

 

 

Many of these options are not required for the P-51D-5 markings supplied in this kit, but if you are impatient to build a later version, you'll find almost anything you could hope for right here on the sprues.

Three styles of sliding canopy are included - Dallas early, Inglewood early and Inglewood intermediate. These will cover variants from the D-5 to D-25.

 

 

The clear bubble section is moulded with the frame, so you won’t have any trouble getting a nice clean painting line. The windscreen is moulded with a small section of the upper fuselage, once again ensuring a clean join and painting demarcation.

 

 

All transparencies are clear, thin and free from distortion.

Two canopy mounted rear view mirrors and a number of lights and lenses are also moulded as clear parts.


 

Markings

Markings are supplied for six aircraft.

A great selection of different colours and patterns are offered:

  • 44-13535, Lt. Edward F. Pogue, 79th FS, 20th FG, Kings Cliffe, United Kingdom, 1945

  • 44-13298, Capt. Freddie F. Ohr, 2nd FS, 52nd FG, Madna, Italy, Fall,1944

  • 44-13984, Lt. Clarence Boretsky, 334th FS, 4th FG, Debden, United Kingdom, Fall, 1944

  • 44-13783, Lt. Irving Snedeker, 364th FS, 357th FG, Leiston, United Kingdom, April, 1945

  • 44-13893, Lt. Thomas P. Smith, 370th FS, 359th FG, East Wretham, United Kingdom, 1945

 

 

Decals are printed perfectly by Cartograf

 

 

Conclusion

 

Eduard has delivered a beautiful kit with their 1/48 scale P-51D Mustang.

It is hard to believe but I think the surface textures on this model are even better than their recent Tempest and Fw 190 kits.

Cockpit and wheel well detail are quite clearly the best of any 1/48 scale Mustang kit currently available. Surface texture and the sheer number of optional parts are also class leading.

If you are impatient to build a different version to the P-51D-5, the plastic parts are in the box to finish the model as a wide range of production blocks from the D-10 up to the D-30 in the European or Pacific theatres. Inclusion of the Aeroproducts propeller means that you can build a P-51K too.

This really is a Gold Standard Mustang and a very versatile kit.

Well done Eduard and roll on with the series!

Thanks to Eduard for the sample.


Text and Images Copyright © 2019 by Brett Green
Page Created 5 August, 2019
Last updated 6 August, 2019

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