1/32 Trumpeter P-51B Mustang

Gallery Article by Tolga Ülgür on Dec 8 2016

 

      

This is 1/32 Trumpeter P-51B Mustang finished with the markings of “Ding Hao” flown by Maj. James Howard of the 356th Fighter Squadron at RAF Boxted, Essex, England, UK; early 1944.

Howard's Mustang was named “DING HAO! and carried the victory marks from those AVG actions. [“Ding Hao” was an American World War II slang term based on the Chinese phrase, “ting hao de” meaning “very good” or “number one”.]

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This kit has some accuracy problems. It needs some corrections and modifications. There is a shape problem on exhaust area and radiator cowling. And also upper fuselage area between right and left rear cockpit windows is too wide. Should I have eliminated the huge number of rivets on wing surfaces? Considering other faults that could not be corrected, I decided it was not worth the effort.

Cockpit and wheel well area modified by Aires sets.

Trumpeter molded navigation lights as a single light on the tip of each wing like on the P-51D. But these lights of P-51B should be on the top and lower on the wings. I deleted and put them on the correct places.  

Painting was done with Gunze Sangyo acrylics. Upper surfaces painted to Olive drab and lower surfaces to Neutral gray.

I have used Zotz decals set instead of wrong size kit decals.

And final modifications:

  • Exhaust stacks are from Quickboost exhaust set.

  • Spinner and propeller are from Quickboost

  • Wheels replaced by Barracudacast goodies.

  • I have used Resicast lens for the landing light.

  • This is finished after a matt coat and some weathering.

Happy modelling

Tolga Ülgür

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Photos and text © by Tolga Ülgür