P-51D-5 Mustang

Eduard ProfiPACK Edition, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

Again provided in an enormous box , Eduard is making the best possible use of the splendid parts of this kit. The box has a great illustration of two of the decals choices, “Cripes A’Mighty 3rd” defending a flight of B-17s from a marauding and now defeated Bf109.

The Eduard 1/72 offering has attracted the same accolades as the earlier 1/48 release. Brett reviewed the initial 1/72 Royal Class release in late July last year and I urge you to visit his detailed images and review, to which I can offer no more information apart from telling you of the different inclusion/deletions from the kit as well as the five decal choices. My own review of the Dual 8th Air Force release can be found back in ‘What’s New’ on September 13th last year. I do not really need to emphasise the quality of the mouldings and the fabulous detail moulded into the interior and exterior parts. Brett’s earlier review highlights this.

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Opening the box will reveal a 20-page coloured A4 instruction booklet which starts with a parts map indicating that some 90! parts should be consigned to the spares box. There is also a recommendation to “Please Check the Latest Version of the Instructions on www.eduard.com" . I had a look at this site and, as far as I could see, there are no differences from the provided instructions but you are welcome to look for yourself. There is a set of masks and a colour PE fret that will greatly enhance an already wonderful kit.

The parts fill four large dark grey sprues packed in clear resealable sleeves, along with the transparency sprue in its own sleeve. There are no wheel well masks, 3D prints or fancy badges included in this edition.

Then there is a pair of decal sheets for the five examples with a smaller sheet of stencils and generic markings. As always these are beautifully printed with great register and density and commendably narrow carrier film. Three of them are in NMF overall with different tones as indicated in the diagrams, while two examples have varying Olive Drab areas, one with Neutral Grey undersides.

The choices are as follows :

1. P-51D-5, s/n 44-13321, HO*P, “CRIPES A´MIGHTY 3rd”, Maj. George E. Preddy Jr., 487th FS, 352nd FG, Bodney, Great Britain, July 1944 with a blue nose and B&W ID stripes for the invasion,

2. P-51D-5, s/n 44-13318, C5*N, “Frenesi”, Lt.Col. Thomas Hayes jr, 364FS, 357 FG, 8th AF, Leiston, UK August 1944, in Olive Drab over Neutral Gray,

3. P-51D-5, 44-13606, IV*I, “Louisiana Heat Wave”, Capt. Claude Crenshaw, 369FS, 359 FG 8th AF East Wretham, August 1944 with a  green nose and B&W ID stripes

4. P-51D-5, 44-13859, KI*S,, Lt . Walter Mullins, 55 FS,  20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe, UK, September 1944 with a black nose , and patch with  flying nude lassie and a large S in a black fin triangle, with Olive Drab upper surfaces over NMF , and Black ID stripes underneath, and

5. P-51D-5, 44-13321, ’27', “Devastating Dollie”, Capt John Simmons jr , 317 FS, 325FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy , September 1944 with yellow checked tail surfaces.

All-in-all a good selection of schemes and decals to decorate your models. The problem might be having to make a choice! This is where the Overtrees kits come into their own, or you could share them with kits from other manufacturers. Each choice is illustrated with a full page colour drawing showing decal locations and colour notes with reference to Gunze Aqueous and Mr Color. The final page contains detailed stencil placement drawings.

As usual the instructions are wonderfully clear with each step shown accompanied by colour notes. There is also a very useful guide for the mask placement and the pattern of aluminium lacquer vs Natural Metal areas. I am sure some truly great replicas will result from this wonderful kit and it comes highly recommended to those of you with an interest in this iconic war-plane.

Eduard again meets the demands of modellers with a wonderful kit of this iconic aeroplane that sets new standards of parts, decals and instructions. Highly recommended. Get in and stock up on this series now..

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text & Images Copyright © 2025 by Graham Carter
Images Copyright © 2025 by Brett Green
Page Created 9 January, 2025
Last updated 10 January, 2025

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