1/72nd P-51 Mustangs

[Graeme H]

I have to agree with you Mark, I really like the nose on the Hasegawa kits, and High Planes have long had a resin undercarriage bay to correct that shortcoming, although takes a lot of fettling to fit, also comes with a set of flaps, no photo here,

http://www.hpmhobbies.com/products/High-Planes-North-American-P%252d51-Wheel-Wells-%26-Flaps-resin-%28Accessories-1%3A72%29.html

there is a sort of one here

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/876517-high-planes-models-hpa072001-north-american-p-51-mustang

but as it's been available for about 20 years probably some more out there

[Gwart]

The tail and the 'thick' wing leading edge of the Hasegawa D puts me of a little,you are right about the nose though.

[Pat C]

Interestingly the pic above shows that the work I did removing the seam down the middle of the cowl of my Mustang was pointless!!!

Pat

[occa]

Finally found a photo that shows the drooping inner leading edges:

http://www.ww2color.com/search/webapps/slides/slides.php?action=update&primary_key=11474

http://www.ww2color.com/search/webapps/slides/slides.php

[Bedders]

Thought I'd share with you some pictures of the H-model I'm working on at the moment. It's the relatively new RS Model kit which I'm enjoying very much and, together with the Airfix D and the KP B/C, has got me back into Mustangs. I've always been attracted to the H, with the tall tail, shrink-wrapped Merlin and lack of kinks, and it's interesting to compare the shape of it to a more ubiquitous D. The spindly little main undercarriage and tail-wheel positioned much farther aft than on the eariler models makes the H look quite ungainly on the ground though.

Here's a comparison with the Airfix D fuselage. Despite the distortion caused by the H being slightly closer to the camera, one can still see that the H was two feet longer than the D and a bit taller, though less rounded, in the fuselage too.

I've also been able to learn more about Mustang kinks - with a bit of help from the BM massiv, and the three wings below seem to be reasonably accurate representations of the three styles:

The KP B kit I bought has the Malcolm hood which can't really be posed open so I might have to invest in a vacformed one if I can find one. And it will also help to narrow down the options for decoration. My preference for a 4th FG aircraft means I might end up with Howard Hively's "The Deacon", but I'll cross that bridge in due course...

Justin

Edited August 29, 2016 by Bedders

[Cookenbacher]

I have the RS 'H' kit and was thinking about giving it a go during the upcoming P-51 STGB, and I think you've convinced me Justin.