60322 1/32 North American P-51D Mustang

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat World War II fighter aircraft. Designed and built in just 117 days to a specification issued to NAA by the British Purchasing Commission, the Mustang first flew in Royal Air Force (RAF) service as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber. In later versions it was also used as a bomber escort, employed in raids over Germany; in these roles the Mustang helped ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944. The P-51 was in service with Allied air forces in Europe and also saw limited service against the Japanese in the Pacific War. At the start of Korean War the Mustang was the United Nations' main fighter but the role was quickly shouldered by jet fighters, including the F-86, after which the Mustang became a specialised ground-attack fighter-bomber. In spite of being superseded by jet fighters the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s.

Mustang was first designed to use a low-altitude rated Allison V-1710 engine and was mainly used in the tactical-reconnaissance and fighter-bomber roles. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a licence-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 series two-stage two-speed supercharged engine, and was able to be used as a long-range bomber escort. The P-51D was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns.

   Following combat experience the P-51D series introduced a "teardrop", or "bubble", canopy to rectify problems with poor visibility to the rear of the aircraft. In America new moulding techniques had been developed to form streamlined nose transparencies for bombers. North American designed a new streamlined plexiglass canopy for the P-51B which was later developed into the teardrop shaped bubble canopy. In late 1942 the tenth production P-51B-1-NA was removed from the assembly lines. From the windshield aft the fuselage was redesigned by cutting down the rear fuselage formers to the same height as those forward of the cockpit; the new shape faired in to the vertical tail unit. Wind tunnel tests of a wooden model confirmed that the aerodynamics were sound. A new simpler style of windscreen, with an angled bullet-resistant windscreen mounted on two flat side pieces improved the forward view while the new canopy resulted in exceptional all-round visibility.
   The addition of the 85 U.S gallon (322 l) fuselage fuel tank, coupled with the reduction in area of the new rear fuselage, exacerbated the handling problems already experienced with the B/C series when fitted with the tank, and led to a fillet being added to the base of the vertical tailfin. P-51Ds without fuselage fuel tanks were fitted with either the SCR-522-A or SCR-274-N Command Radio sets and SCR-695-A, or SCR-515 radio transmitters, as well as an AN/APS-13 rear-warning set.
      The new model Mustang also had a redesigned wing; alterations to the undercarriage up-locks and inner-door retracting mechanisms meant that there was an additional fillet added forward of each of the wheel bays, increasing the wing area and creating a distinctive "kink" to the leading edges of the inner wings. Other alterations to the wings included new navigation lights, mounted on the wingtips, rather than the smaller lights above and below the wings of the earlier Mustangs, and retractable landing lights which were mounted at the back of the wheel wells; these replaced the lights which had been formally mounted in the wing leading edges.

This is a 1/32 scale assembly kit of the North American P51D Mustang.

The kit includes a full compliment of parts to depict early-production and late-production P51 D, the parts include: 2 types of tail sections (with and without dorsal fin), 3 types of canopies, 4 types of rearvies mirrors, 2 types of instrument panels, 2 types of seats a 2 types of engine exhausts.

The control surfaces (ailerons, flaps, elevators and rudder) are all movable.

Magnets allow for easy attachment and detachment of the ultra thin engine cowlings even after assembly! This allows you to show off the detailed Packard Merlin V-1650 engine.

Parts are included to allow the landing gear to be positioned in either the deployed or retracted position. The landing gear tires are made from solid rubber and feature accurate tread patterns.

The kit also comes with a display stand to depict the aircraft in flight.

Photo-etched parts are included for the seat harnesses and the intricate oil cooler.

Two types of pilot figures (1 standing and 1 seated) along with 75 and 108 gallon drop tanks are also inside the box.

A 16 page full colour photographic reference manual is also included.

The radiator mechanism components are reproduced just like those on the actual aircraft, in that both the radiator flap and oil cooler flap are movable.

Tamiya has included 3 different marking options to depict aircraft from the U.S. 8th Air Force:

-334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group

-487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group

-79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group