Eduard Mustang Mk.IV ProfiPACK (82104) 1:48

[Mike]

Mustang Mk.IV ProfiPACK (82104)

1:48 Eduard

 

 

The P-51D was developed by the North American Aviation company as a possible fighter for Great Britain, but due to the poor performance of the original Allinson engine it wasn’t all that good, especially at high altitude.  Luckily they decided to try strapping a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine to the airframe and it brought out the best of its design, which included the energy efficient laminar flow wing that gave it the potential to escort Allied bombers all the way to Berlin with the addition of drop-tanks and a lean mixture when not in combat.  It was flown in this guise as the Mustang III in British service, and as the P-51B/C in US service, then as the P-51D with the bubble canopy and cut-down aft fuselage, with an additional fin-fillet added later to improve stability that had been reduced by the new shape and fuel tank location.  In British service it was known as the Mustang Mk.IV, and the same variant made at the Dallas factory with hollow AeroProducts props that was designated P-51K in US service was known as the Mk.IVa in RAF service to differentiate.  Sadly, the hollow prop was prone to vibration thanks to some inferior quality control at the factory, so was often swapped out in the field.  The P-51D is the Mustang that most people think of when they hear the name, unless they’re more of a petrol head or a bit horsey.

 

The Kit

We were treated to the ProfiPACK, Royal Class and Weekend forms of this new tooling and now it’s everyone’s favourite Mustang in 1:48 (with good reason), with an increasing number of variants with filleted and unfilleted tails differentiating them.  We’re now able to get our grubby mitts on an RAF boxing, which includes a nice decal sheet with 6 markings options.  Inside the box are five sprues in blue/grey styrene, a clear sprue, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass with nickel-plating and much of it pre-printed both in colour and with domed clear instrument faces, two decal sheets and a thick instruction booklet with the markings options printed in the rear in colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction begins with the seat, which is built up first with PE belts, then the cockpit floor, tanks and radio gear are added in, with sidewall framework dotted with PE parts on both sides.  It shapes up to be a well-detailed cockpit, and the PE parts are numerous and impressive.  The tail-wheel bay is made up, the radiator pathway and a spinner backing-plate are all slipped into the fuselage along with a PE grille and exhaust backing panel before they are closed up.

 

The wheel bays are built up next with some advice regarding colour added along the way, splitting the bay down the middle and bracketing it front and back with bay walls that have partial ribs added once in place.  This assembly is fitted to the full-width lower wing and joined by backing panels to the spent brass chutes, a central insert that shows through the bay, and a clear part for the identification lights.  The wing uppers go on and the ailerons fit into tabs in their recesses, with some room for offsetting if you wish.  On the leading edge is an insert for the guns, and you’ll need to fill a few panel lines under the nose.  There are also a complement of holes that will need opening up if you’re fitting drop-tanks, so have a pin vice to hand.  The wings are mated to the fuselage, and tiny clear wingtip lights are slotted in on long stalks, then the tail fins are begun.  The filleted fin is a separate insert and the elevator fins with their metal flying surfaces are inserted into slots horizontally, while the rudder can be fitted at any sensible angle.

 

You may have noticed the lack of comments about the instrument panel during building of the cockpit, but we’re getting to it now.  The finished coaming and rudder pedals drop into the fuselage, but are first decked out with a multi-layered instrument panel made from pre-painted PE, with those glossy instrument dials we've come to expect from Eduard.  The two radiator doors under the tail are fitted at the same time as the tail wheel, with bay doors and PE closure mechanism added along the way, with a scrap diagram showing the correct orientation.  Inside the main bay a pop-up landing light is slotted into its mounting point, a PE divider is added to the exhaust intake lip, and chin-scoop plus the correct panel under the nose (decal choices again), then it’s on to the main gear legs.  The tyres are diamond tread, with wheels and hub caps added before they’re fitted to the struts, which have separate styrene scissor-links and door supports slotted into place.  The flaps are each made up from two styrene parts with a tiny piece of PE added to the inner end of each one and a decal on the curved leading edge after painting.  You’ll have to remember to add these yourself, as I won’t!  Those are all slotted in place on the underside along with the rest of the bay doors, and at that point you can sit her on her wheels and add the appropriate exhaust stacks.

 

The prop is made from two paired blades that fit perpendicular to each other in a choice of two types of blades and spinner, canopy with interior structure, a backup ring and bead sight.  There’s also an aerial on the spine behind the canopy.

 

 

The weapons and drop tanks are last to be made, with a choice of two tank types that all share the same type of pylon, while a few spares are left on the sprue, including a set of six rockets under the wings, which have separate tails and moulded-in launch-rails and would be fitted three per side.

 

Markings

By now you should have your decal choice locked in.  You have a half dozen choices, and they’re quite colourful.  The two sheets are separated between the individual markings and standard stencils.  From the box you can build one of the following:

 

• Mk.IVa KH680 (P-51K-1-NT; 44-11383), P.O. John Mallandaine, No. 442 Sqn, RCAF, Hunsdon, England, April 1945
• Mk.IVa KM232 (P-51K-10-NT; 44-12355), W/Cdr James E Storrar, Hunsdon Wing CO, Digby, England, April 1945
• Mk.IV KH655 (P-51D-5-NT; 44-11182) F.O. Edward R Davies, No.19 Sqn, Peterhead, Scotland, April 1945
• Mk.IVa KH716 (P-51K-1-NT; 44-11483), S.Ldr Murray P Nash, No.3 Sqn RAAF, Fano, Italy, Jan 1945
• Mk.IVa KH852 (P-51K-5-NT; 44-11840), No.112 Sqn, Cervia, Italy, April 1945
• Mk.IV LH663 (P-51D-5-NT; 44-11255), No.303 (Polish) Sqn, Wick, England, Dec 1945

 

 

 

 

Decals are printed in-house with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas.  The stencils are dealt with on the back page in the instructions to prevent clutter and replication of effort, and the various metallic and fabric covered sections for the "unpainted" decal options are marked on another page.

 

Conclusion

We already know the quality of the basic kit, and this box has some RAF and Commonwealth markings that will please a lot of people.  You just have to narrow down the decal choices to one… or get some Overtrees maybe?

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[John_W]

Very nice. A question. Did the RAF Mustangs have the wing panel joints puttied like the USAAC?

[593jones]

Mmm, that does look nice.  Mind you, I think that some people may take umbrage at LH663 being based at Wick, England!

[ColFord]

John_W yes RAF Mustangs had the wing panel joints puttied like the USAAF, NAA built them that way and all the maintenance instructions US and UK required the retention and maintenance of the wing putty.

 

Secondly, it is disappointing to see that the research in the camouflage and markings for these kits is less than thorough.  As a quick example, a 30 second Google search for images for KH716 will bring up images held by ADF Serials and No.3 RAAF Squadron Association of the subject aircraft.  Those images show that it carried a full set of NAA applied factory stencils, including the quite prominent aircraft data block under the cockpit.  It will also show a range of other smaller factory stencils applied to the airframe that are not included on the decal sheet or reference on the instruction sheet.  (Interesting point about that P-51DK is that it was shipped direct from the USA to the MTO and erected and issued to the RAF in the MTO so did not go through the same processes of modifications as happened for UK based aircraft.)

 

Also the inclusion of the older style fuselage roundel with large white and yellow segments on the No.303 (Polish) KH663 is spurious at best.  If they had looked at the excellent reference Polish Wings #23 - 303 Squadron North American Mustang, published by Stratus, there is a very clear side on photo of this aircraft showing it with the standard late war type fuselage roundel with reduced white and yellow segments. Two photos on same page from same flight show standard fuselage roundel but in one of them effects of direct bright sunlight make the lighter colours sections of the roundel (and the rear fuselage id band and spinner) look larger due to light reflection, with same happening to the other two Mustangs behind it to a lesser degree, but no where near enough to support the roundel as portrayed by the decals in this kit. (The book also has photos showing it earlier with the Squadron when the same aircraft was marked as RF-M, complete with standard type roundels for the period.)

 

It is these lapses in attention to detail, like "Wick, England" that seem to be becoming more evident in a number of more recent Eduard releases.

 

 

 

 

 

[Over The Ponder]

Hi All,

 

A question:  from a modeller's point-of-view are there any obvious physical differences between a RAF Mustang IV and the comparable USAAF P-51 model that one needs to be aware of?  

 

If yes, has Eduard identified these changes and included the necessary parts and instructions in the new Mustang IV kit?

 

Thanks.

 

Christopher Child

[Boman]

Effectively the RAF Mustangs where standard P-51D/K's. The most obvious differences easily visible are the airvent on the lower forward part of the nose and the blown canopy of the P-51K, which really is standard for P-51K. 

You can compare the instructions on Eduards homepage; 

Mustang Mk.IV 1/48 - Eduard Store

P-51D Mustang 1/48 - Eduard Store

 

The airvent I mention can be seen on page 8 of the Mustang IVa instructions. 

[Paramedic]

On 5/11/2021 at 12:49 AM, ColFord said:

John_W yes RAF Mustangs had the wing panel joints puttied like the USAAF, NAA built them that way and all the maintenance instructions US and UK required the retention and maintenance of the wing putty.

 

Secondly, it is disappointing to see that the research in the camouflage and markings for these kits is less than thorough.  As a quick example, a 30 second Google search for images for KH716 will bring up images held by ADF Serials and No.3 RAAF Squadron Association of the subject aircraft.  Those images show that it carried a full set of NAA applied factory stencils, including the quite prominent aircraft data block under the cockpit.  It will also show a range of other smaller factory stencils applied to the airframe that are not included on the decal sheet or reference on the instruction sheet.  (Interesting point about that P-51DK is that it was shipped direct from the USA to the MTO and erected and issued to the RAF in the MTO so did not go through the same processes of modifications as happened for UK based aircraft.)

 

Also the inclusion of the older style fuselage roundel with large white and yellow segments on the No.303 (Polish) KH663 is spurious at best.  If they had looked at the excellent reference Polish Wings #23 - 303 Squadron North American Mustang, published by Stratus, there is a very clear side on photo of this aircraft showing it with the standard late war type fuselage roundel with reduced white and yellow segments. Two photos on same page from same flight show standard fuselage roundel but in one of them effects of direct bright sunlight make the lighter colours sections of the roundel (and the rear fuselage id band and spinner) look larger due to light reflection, with same happening to the other two Mustangs behind it to a lesser degree, but no where near enough to support the roundel as portrayed by the decals in this kit. (The book also has photos showing it earlier with the Squadron when the same aircraft was marked as RF-M, complete with standard type roundels for the period.)

 

It is these lapses in attention to detail, like "Wick, England" that seem to be becoming more evident in a number of more recent Eduard releases.

 

 

 

 

 

Atleast you get the correct decals for that 303 machine.. So if you are aware.. But I agree. Sloppy.