Eduard's 1/48 scale
P-51D-5 Mustang Early Version

by Brett Green

P-51D-5 Mustang Early Version

Here is Eduard’s 1/48 scale P-51D-5 Mustang early version (without the fin fillet) .

I built this from pre-release sprues and actually had it ready for paint more than two years ago in August 2019.

I came across the model in its box last week and decided to finally finish it.

What followed was about two and a half days of masking, with several layers of masks and paints required to deliver this scheme with its invasion stripes, multi-metallic shades, weathered upper surface colour and striped spinner.

After another day of painting and one final day of finishing touches, the model was finished.

Decals are from Bullseye Model Aviation Item No. 48-011 - Yoxford Boys #3. These are printed by Cartograf and they are a joy to use. I followed the detailed decal instructions, painting the upper surface in a weathered RAF Dark Green and using the optional greyed-out national markings.

The nose chequers are from the Eduard kit decal sheet (also Cartograf-printed) as the red was a closer match to my painted spinner.

The only other after-market addition was the metal undercarriage leg set from Scale Aircraft Conversion, Item No. 48373. The white metal legs may be fine-tuned by bending to the correct angle of rake and splay after they have been glued into the wheel wells.

The model was otherwise built straight from the box. Fabulous kit.

As I was editing the photos I remembered that the rear of the sliding canopy section is supposed to lay flat on the spine. I’ll try to remember that next time I build a Mustang!

I’ll be writing this one up in a future issue of Model Airplane International magazine.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample.

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2021 by Brett Green
Page Created 27 September, 2021
Last Updated 27 September, 2021

Back to HyperScale Main Page