P-51C Mustang Mk.III
Model Kit

Arma Hobby, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

P-51B/C Mustang

The prototype NA-73X Mustang was designed and rolled out by North American Aviation a mere 102 days after the specification was issued by the British Purchasing Commission. The initial operational Mustang variants were powered by the Allison V-1710 engine, which was optimised for low-altitude performance. The P-51 Mustang flew its first operational missions with the Royal Air Force in the reconnaissance and fighter-bomber roles.

The combination of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine with the innovative airframe and laminar flow wing design of the A-35/P-51A resulted in one of the best fighter aircraft of World War Two.

A small number of photo-reconnaissance P-51B/Cs were also produced:

Despite its success, the P-51B/C series (Mustang III) was somewhat hampered by poor visibility through its heavily framed canopy. It was also difficult to bail out in an emergency due to the multi part canopy. The Malcolm Hood was a sliding, one-piece canopy designed by the British to be fitted to the Mustang III to address the bailout problem.

However, this was a stopgap measure. The airframe was therefore redesigned with a cut-down rear fuselage and a large, bubble-topped sliding canopy. This would become the P-51D - the definitive version of the Mustang, and perhaps the classic American fighter of the Second World War.

Arma Hobby released their debut Mustang kit, a P-51B/C, to justified acclaim at the end of 2021.

This model was in the "Expert Set" series that provided photo-etched parts and self adhesive masks as well as the plastic sprues.

Arma Hobby has now released a 1/72 scale P-51C Mustang Mk.III in their Mode Kit series. This series omits the photo-etched parts and masks, offering two marking options for RAF and Polish options.

Arma Hobby's 1/72 scale P-51C Mustang Mk.III comprises 87 parts in grey plastic twelve parts in clear plastic and decals for two aircraft options. All the optional plastic parts offered in the initial Exter Set are on the sprues here too.

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The grey plastic parts are delivered on two sprues. Moulding quality is excellent with no flaws or visible moulding imperfections on my sample. The plastic parts boast a luxurious satin texture. Arma’s website advises that long-run metal moulds are used for their kit production, and it really does show.

Being a long-run kit, the parts are moulded with all the alignment aids that you would expect including locating pins, holes and tabs.

Surface textures are just gorgeous. Recessed panel lines, circular fastener heads and other structural details are very fine.

The fabric texture on the elevators are represented by subtly raised rib tapes. The elevators are moulded as part of the horizontal stabilisers.

The fuselage is supplied as left and right halves with a few elements that allow some important options.

The most obvious is the separate rudder, fin and horizontal stabilisers. Two sets of each are included. One set represents the fin without the fillet, while the second depicts the later fin filleted version.

The fillet is moulded in the centre of the horizontal stabilisers.

The lower side cowling vents are also supplied separately. Three options are offered - blanked off, perforated and louvered.

Two styles of antenna mast are provided. A few of the options have whip antennas. This will be best made from fine stretched sprue. A spine-mounted DF loop is also included.

Two sets of exhaust may be found on the sprues - shrouded and unshrouded. Flaps are supplied as separate parts. They are designed to be built dropped. Note also that the flaps seem to have a subtle oilcanning effect along the lines of recessed rivets. I'm not sure if this is intentional but it looks convincing!

Some cockpit sidewall detail is moulded directly to the inside of the fuselage. Additional separate parts include a plastic cockpit floor, radiator ramps, side console, throttle quadrant; a moulded pair of rudder pedals that fit in behind the instrument panel, control column, fuel tanks, radios and more.

Two styles of pilot's seat are supplied.

Decals are used extensively for the various cockpit faces. A plastic instrument panel is also supplied with raised bezels and switches. The decal sheet supplies two sets of harness straps and instrument panels. I think decals will be very effective in the front office in this scale.

The wing parts are full span, top and bottom. They are thin at the trailing edges. I particularly like the very fine and busy recessed rivets on the centre section of the lower wing.

The wheel wells are really nicely detailed and the rear wheel well wall is accurately straight. The chord-wise reinforcements are moulded direcly onto the inner surface of the upper wing, which will make assembly very fast and easy.

A wing spar is provided to ensure that the dihedral will be the correct angle. This doubles as the rear undercarriage wall.

The main wheels are moulded as one piece each and are excquisitely detailed, including raised lettering. The wheels are subtly bulged and flattened. The tail wheel and strut are moulded as a single part. Detail looks good.

A generous allowance of ordnance is included. There are two 108 gallon paper tanks, two 90 gallon metal tanks and two 250 lb bombs.

Variations on the theme of photo recon Mustangs are offered with a number of flashed-over windows and clear lenses.

The canopy parts are thin and clear.

The standard and Malcolm hoods are included.

The Malcolm Hood provides two centre sections - one to be used if the canopy is closed and the other if the canopy is open.

Navigation and formation lights are moulded as part of the wings.

Instructions are supplied as a 12 page stapled A5-sized booklet.

The kit is packed into a end-opening cardboard box. I have to say that I have never been a fan of end-opening boxes - access to the parts is more difficult, loose parts can easily be lost while retrieving instructions or a larger sprue, and the format is less structurally rigid, inviting the contents to be crushed when the box is inevitably at the bottom of a pile of kits.

I know it is a nit-pick but I would prefer to see future Arma Hobby releases in a lid-style of box.

Marking Options

The kit decal sheet offers markings for two RAF / Polish Mustang Mk.IIIs

Stencil markings are printed on the same single sheet, as are propeller logos.

Colour callouts are provided for FS numbers and model paint numbers from a wide variety of companies – Hakata, AK, Lifecolor, AMMO, Humbrol, Vallejo and Tamiya.

Decals are printed by Techmod. They are glossy, colours are well saturated and everything is in perfect register.

Even without the photo-etched parts and self-adhesive masks of its predecessor, Arma Hobby's 1/72 scale P-51C Mustang III is a highly impressive kit with crisp surface textures, high moulding quality, many useful options and a very high level of detail.

I can also confirm that the model is a pleasure to build, having finished the Expert Set kit in January.

This is a another worthy thoroughbred from Arma Hobby's stable.

Highly Recommended..

Thanks to Arma Hobby for the sample

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2022 by Brett Green
Page Created 23 March, 2022
Last updated 23 March, 2022

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