Eduard continues its prolific release schedule with no fewer than 12 new sets for the brand new Airfix 1/48 scale P-51D Mustang.

Let's take a look at the BRASSIN resin upgrades first. Casting quality is perfect on all of my samples:

648 335 - P-51D Wheels. USD$7.95

This set includes six parts in grey resin. Theee are the two main sections of the main wheels, two spoked hub covers, a replacement tail wheel strut and tail wheel. Detail is excellent.

Note that, presumably due to Copyright issues, the brand name is spelt as GOOB YBAR. If brand integrity is important to you, you'll esily be able to spell it correctly after a few minutes' attention with a sharp hobby knife.

648 336 - P-51D Exhaust Stacks. USD$7.95

This is a simple drop-fit replacement for the kit exhausts, featuring perfectly hollowed-out ends for the stacks.

648 337 - P-51D Bazooka Rocket Launcher. USD$12.95

This is a replacement set of rocket launchers. The big advantage here, apart from the superior resin detail, is that the three rocket bodies are cast as a single part so you won't have to deal with the centreline seam as you would on the plastic kit parts.

648 344 - P-51D Exhaust Stack With Fairing. USD$7.95

This is a simple drop-fit replacement for the kit exhausts, featuring perfectly hollowed-out ends for the stacks.

648 345 - P-51D Control Surfaces. USD$12.95

Five resin parts. Another simple dro-fit repelacement for the kit parts, featuring fine raised detail for the fabric covered rudder and subtle surface textures on the ailerons and elevators.

648 346 - P-51D Cockpit. USD$39.95

A beautiful reisn and photo-etched replacement cockpit. The set comprises 22 resin parts (of which several are alternate parts), a colored photo-etched fret and decals for instrument dials and cockpit placards. The modeller is offered the choice of two resin instrument panels or a colour photo-etched sandwich. Battery and radio detail is included too. A very worthy upgrade.

648 361 - P-51D Gunsight. USD$4.95

Another highy detailed drop-fit resin replacement for the kit part. There are three gunsights included, and they are made up from resin and photo-etched parts.

...and now the photo-etched sets:

48930 - P-51D Exterior. USD$14.95

Super detail with a single nickel-plated photo-etched fret for the radiator faces, bomb fins, intake grille, cowl intakes and other exterior features.

49853 - P-51D Interior. USD$24.95

Super detail with one colour and one nickel-plated photo-etched fret providing the instrument panel, throttle quadrant, uper sidewalls and much more.

FE853 - P-51D Interior ZOOM. USD$14.95

The colour photo-etched fret (above) alone is provided in this sub-set. I think these ZOOM sets offer plenty of extra detail, and are a good compromise between detail and price.

FE854 - P-51D Seatbelts STEEL. USD$7.95

The mis-named but excellent STEEL seat belt series offers the best half-tone printed detail yet to be seen on Eduard photop-etched harness. They are also very thin, allowing for natural draping without the need to anneal and the risk of cracking the printed finish.

These are an excellent solution for modellers who do not want to wrestle with separate photo-etched hardware on fabric straps (I think the FABRIC belts still offer the realistic finish, but the STEEL belts are far less work).

...and finally the masks:

EX560 Masks for Airfix P-51D. USD$9.95

Die-cut, self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheels. A fast and accurate solution for an often disliked modelling task.