Academy P-51 Mustang
"North Africa"

Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl

History

The Mustang? You know, the P-51? Do I really need to write a history on this plane?

The Kit

This is an all-new tooling from Academy and it is not a modified P-51B kit. This is an accurate Allison-engined Mustang kit, and boy, is it a beauty. The kit is molded in a light gray plastic, with recessed panel lines throughout. In addition to the P-51, this kit also comes with a jeep and trailer. While the jeep has been around, I believe the trailer is all new. The decal sheet offers a couple of choices, both US examples.

Starting wtih the interior, this is nicely done, as they have captured the curved floor just like the original. Behind the main floor are two shelves for radio gear, very different than what you find in later Mustangs. The control stick is separate, and includes a control rod running back underneath the seat. Speaking of the seat, this is in three pieces and includes the bucket, the frame, and a rear bulkhead piece. The instrument panel incorporates the rudder pedals, and there is a camera for behind the seat.

With all of this sandwiched between the fuselage halves, construction becomes quite simple. The wings are in three pieces, with the one-piece lower wing maintaining the proper dihedral. These wings feature the large cannon fairings, with separate gun barrels, carried by these early P-51s, something that really adds to the look of the plane. The tailplanes are solid right and left halves, and the fuselage has separate exhaust stacks. The spinner and propeller is made up of four pieces, and fits onto the shaft molded with the fuselage halves. Add the usual landing gear bits and the under-fuselage intake, and this Mustang is ready for paint.

The marking options in this kit are probably the two most prominent P-51 (no suffix) Mustangs out there. Both are actually F-6A photo reconnaissance aircraft, and both are from North Africa. The first is "Mah Sweet Eva Lee" of the 154th OS, 68th OG during the Spring of 1943. This plane has the US flag on the tail and yellow rings around the star roundels in six positions. The name is on the nose, and there are yellow stripes around the wings. The second aircraft is "Snoopers" of the 111th TRS, 68th TRG in the fall of 1943. This plane retains the yellow bands around the wings, but it has the later style of star and bar (with lighter blue portions to it). The decals are very well printed and should pose no problems in application.

The accessory vehicle is the well-known Academy 1/72 Jeep, with a noticeable addition: this Jeep comes with a 'Follow Me' sign. That, plus the addition of the trailer, adds some uniqueness to this kit.

Conclusion

This is an outstanding kit of the early Allison-engined Mustang, and easily surpasses all previous kits of the type. The high quality of molding, coupled with the easy assembly, is sure to make this a favorite. My thanks to MRC for the review sample.