New P-51A from Tamiya?

[TimTam27]

Hi,

 

just saw over on track-link.com a post from the owner, Paul Owen.

 

Quote:

 

"Tamiya are working on a Mustang A, some kind of early P-51 aeroplane. In case anyone is interested. I seem to only get aeroplane secrets these days, not armour news."

 

Followed by:

 

"It is a new kit, not the old Accurate Miniatures kit reboxed.

It is in early stages right now. I do not know the scale."

 

 

FWIW, on several other occasions Paul has accurately predicted up-coming Tamiya releases. Apparently he has contacts within the Tamiya organization.

 

Based on absolutely nothing I'm guessing 1:32 scale.

 

Cheers.

[Graham Boak]

If attention is drawn to the Accurate Miniatures kit, then 1/48th is implied.

[ColFord]

If Tamiya do a North American P-51A in 1/48th or 1/32nd that will be an interesting development.  My only hope is that if they do a P-51A, then they may eventually do a RAF specification Mustang Mk.I and a P-51/Mustang Mk.IA to do the early Mustangs proper justice.

 

Tamiya considering the early Mustangs could be a counter to Eduard's plans for 1/48th scale P-51D Mustang market saturation with their planned releases over the next couple of years.

 

But then again like many Tamiya rumours, I will believe it when I see it actually produced in plastic and on the local hobby shop shelves (or the internet shop equivalent).

 

UPDATE:  There is in Tamiya News #601 photos of P-51As associated with a mention in that newsletter about Tamiya researchers recently visiting a P-51A (or more than one) for measurement purposes in the USA on a recent research trip.

Edited May 11, 2019 by ColFord
Update

[zaxos345]

Colford, Where i can find this tamiya news??? 

 

John

[colin]

This is the first I have heard/read/seen about this, and with all the rumours of new kits from Tamiya with the run up to the Shizuoka show, I would have thought there would have been more

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

6 hours ago, ColFord said:

My only hope is that if they do a P-51A, then they may eventually do a RAF specification Mustang Mk.I and a P-51/Mustang Mk.IA to do the early Mustangs proper justice.

I hope so as well. I know A/M did these, but as the swap meets locally are few and far between. And i don't like the bay all that much. These would be a great add to my future builds pile.

[Max Headroom]

6 hours ago, ColFord said:

UPDATE:  There is in Tamiya News #601 photos of P-51As associated with a mention in that newsletter about Tamiya researchers recently visiting a P-51A (or more than one) for measurement purposes in the USA on a recent research trip.

Which example I wonder? There is a Frankenstang which I understand is basically a B/C with an Allison upfront, so obviously I hope it’s not that one.

 

Trevor

[John Thompson]

43 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Which example I wonder? There is a Frankenstang which I understand is basically a B/C with an Allison upfront, so obviously I hope it’s not that one.

 

Trevor

 

My thought exactly - the aircraft you're referring to is "Polar Bear" - a recovered Allison P-51 wreck, restored using P-51D fuselage components and a P-51D wing assembly (more wing root LEX hassles!):

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/p51-436006.html

 

John

Edited May 11, 2019 by John Thompson

[German Armour]

Huh, I saw the post also, this could be good news, if they do 1/72 then it won't be too expensive needed p-51.

[ragnarec]

1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I hope so as well. I know A/M did these, but as the swap meets locally are few and far between. And i don't like the bay all that much. These would be a great add to my future builds pile.

AM never did a Mustang Mk I. The only option is to convert a Mk IA. There is a conversion set produced by Ultracast, if I recall correctly. 

 

Ragnar E

[Sturmovik]

Not a variant I'd have expected from Tamiya. I thought they'd follow their 1:48 Bf 109G-6 with a Bf 109G-14 first.

[ColFord]

Information about Tamiya News is available online via the Tamiya website, Japanese language publication for the Japanese domestic market. Translation via Google indicates an article giving an in depth view of P-51A and its characteristics compared to its more well known P-51D family member.  Full content of the publication is not provided online.

 

https://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/65601/index.html

 

Yes, there are pitfalls in using some of the currently airworthy and restored P-51 warbirds in the USA given the nature of their restoration and modification over the years, especially "Polar Bear" which in recent years went through further changes in a major rebuild to bring it back visually to something closer to a P-51A, but still a bit of a mish-mash in the detail eg has a P-51D style undercarriage operating system which is different to that on the earlier Allison Mustangs.  It did race in a pseudo early NA-73/XP-51 Mustang scheme at Reno in 2017 under the name "Shanty Irish".

[Paul Bradley]

5 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

Which example I wonder?

 

Trevor

https://planesoffame.org/aircraft/plane-P-51A

 

I helped repaint this a/c for a John Dibbs photoshoot back in the day. 

 

 

https://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/43-6251

Edited May 11, 2019 by Paul Bradley

[VMA131Marine]

4 hours ago, ragnarec said:

AM never did a Mustang Mk I. The only option is to convert a Mk IA. There is a conversion set produced by Ultracast, if I recall correctly. 

 

Ragnar E

You remember correctly, I have that conversion set.

[stevehnz]

15 minutes ago, Paul Bradley said:

https://planesoffame.org/aircraft/plane-P-51A

 

I helped repaint this a/c for a John Dibbs photoshoot back in the day. 

 

 

https://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/43-6251

From what I'm seeing Miss Virginia is a genuine P-51A not a cobbled together from bits with inaccurate features P-51A. yes?

Steve.

 

[VMA131Marine]

Hopefully they will visit the NA-73X in the EAA museum in Oshkosh, WI

 

[John Thompson]

6 hours ago, Panther II said:

Huh, I saw the post also, this could be good news, if they do 1/72 then it won't be too expensive needed p-51.

 

I wouldn't expect 1/72 right off the bat, as much as I'd like that myself; more likely 1/48, with 1/72 to follow sometime in the misty future. Or not, depending on the whim of the unpredictable Mr Tamiya. There's been so much comment about the "need" for a 1/72 P-51B from Tamiya, I'm surprised that this version isn't next up, but what do I know?

 

John

[Paul Bradley]

2 hours ago, stevehnz said:

From what I'm seeing Miss Virginia is a genuine P-51A not a cobbled together from bits with inaccurate features P-51A. yes?

Steve.

 

Correct, she's 100% real thing. 

[shadowmare]

In LSP there was recently long discussion on Tamiya P-38 which wasn't announced on Shizouka, so I advice to take rumours with a grain of salt 

[Tbolt]

2 hours ago, shadowmare said:

In LSP there was recently long discussion on Tamiya P-38 which wasn't announced on Shizouka, so I advice to take rumours with a grain of salt 

That's why it's called a rumour

 

Tamiya P-38, 1/48th, scale 2021 release, that's my guess 😃

 

 

[Andre B]

Sounds strange with an P-51A when there is an higher demand for an P-51B in 1/72. But what do I knew? Maybe it ends with three new P-51B's from Tamiya, Arma Hobby and Airfix. But not this year.

 

We have to ask James May to do an modelling documentary not only about Hornby and Airfix...

 

Cheers / André

[Graham Boak]

I don't see the connection between a supposed demand for one type on 1/72 and the production of a different type in 1/48.

 

I say supposed because having a vocal but comparatively small bunch of modellers calling for a type does not always convert into sales when the kit eventually appears.

[Andre B]

Maybe not connections but obstacles as producing new kits demands money, research and... 

 

Even Tamiya can't produce every wanted kit. And does really an P-51A sell better than an P-51B (scale not mentioned)?

 

Cheers / André

[Work In Progress]

Tamiya's track record shows that they would much, much prefer to make new single-engined WW2 fighters in 1/48 than 1/72. Especially if it's a US subject, given that the very large US market is predominantly for 1/48 for that kind of subject. 

 

They already have a very reasonable 1/48 P-51B which doesn't have anything like the shape problems of their similar-vintage Spitfire which they have recently replaced - so they don't really need to replace their B or D, so a new Allison Mustang would be an addition to the line-up rather than a substitution.

 

I think they will do pretty well with a 1/48 Allison Mustang, and it fits their demonstrated behaviour pattern.  Tamiya is in the rare position, for a model-making company, of being able to do anything the boss wants it to do. It makes lots of money and is strongly driven in subject matter by the personal preferences of the controlling members of its founding family.

[VMA131Marine]

2 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

I think they will do pretty well with a 1/48 Allison Mustang, and it fits their demonstrated behaviour pattern.  Tamiya is in the rare position, for a model-making company, of being able to do anything the boss wants it to do. It makes lots of money and is strongly driven in subject matter by the personal preferences of the controlling members of its founding family.

Can we start sending subliminal messages to them that they should like the P-40F/L?