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ACADEMY 1:72 P-51C MUSTANG
Reviewer:
Edmund Jankowski (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted:
13 June 2002
Aircraft:
The P-51C was perhaps the best Western
fighter of WW2. It’s considered to be American, although it was initially
built to British specification and it came to excellence only after replacement
of it’s Allison V-1710-39 engine with the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin. The P-51C
was produced in quantity and became the mainstay of US fighter force in Europe.
It was instrumental in massive bombings of Germany in 1944-1945, as it had the
range to provide excellent fighter cover over most of Western Europe.
Kit
Parts:
The kit comes in standard Academy
top-opening cardboard box. It’s a pretty new kit from 2001 and I suppose the
same kit is used in Academy’s P-51B, just with a different instruction sheet
and decals. There are 55 light grey pieces with excellent engraved panel lines
and very good surface detail as well as 8 transparent parts.
Instructions:
Instructions come on a single
sheet of paper in 5 languages; but there are some mistakes. The kit comes with
two types of engine exhausts for P-51B and C versions. The painting versions
propose two P-51Cs and one P-51B, numbered on the schemes from 1 to 3. If you
follow the instructions you will have to fit a P-51C-10 with exhausts from a
P-51B, so take care. The paint range is given in generic colors only.
Construction:
Pretty straightforward, this is one of
the Academy’s recent “snap-together” kits. Cockpit interior is perfect
with dashboard, control stick, seat, rear armour plate, side panels, imitation
of radio, gun-sight, etc. The construction is pretty easy, just a few points of
warning. The cockpit transparent side panels are supposed to be fixed to small
struts, if you choose to use them the panels won’t fit, so I cut them off and
glued the panels to fuselage sides. If you want to use underwing rocket
launchers, don’t forget to cut out the holes in wing lower part.
Versions & Decals:
There’s a lot of options, as I've
already mentioned. You can make either a P-51C-10-NT of 530th FS/311st
FG of July 1945 in China, a P-51B-15-NA of 5th FS/52nd FG
of Summer 1944 in Italy or a P-51C-11-NT of Chinese Air Force. Aircraft can be
made with a choice of original “razorback” hood or Malcolm Hood open/closed,
with filter exhaust open/closed and a choice of underwing stores, including two
different drop tanks, 500 lb bomb and rocket launcher.
Decals:
Academy made, usual quality.
Accuracy:
Fine with me - really captures
the impression of Mustang’s unique wing profile.
Overall:
Very nice kit, highly
recommended.
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