The much anticipated Tamiya P-51D Mustang kit in 1/32nd scale has been released, and the jury is in!
And the verdict is: Tamiya found Guilty! Guilty of making a kit so superb, it may have edged out their recent Spitfire series as possibly the best plastic model airplane ever made.
I have also been found guilty. Guilty of not blogging in months, but, to be fair, its partly YOUR fault! You guys have been keeping me working long hours, trying to keep pace with demand.
While this might be old news to most of you, some might just be returning from an around-the-world cruise or stranded on a desert island for the last 3 months. Barracuda Studios has responded to this release with 2 new products. The first of which is a new decal sheet featuring 5 schemes for this new kit.
Rest assured that these sheets were designed to fit the actual kit parts, so there should not be any ugly surprises when going to actually use them! They are, like all but our earliest decal sheets, printed by the masters at Cartograf in Italy. The sheet features a full suite of stencils, and the stencils are accurate for the D model Mustang. Most previously released sheets feature stencils that are not really accurate for a P-51D. If the stencils on a decal sheet have the fuel filler caps on the upper wing surrounded with a ring of text, the stencils aren't really right for the D.
A LOT of research has gone into this sheet. The correct green color (a dark green, probably British Dark Green) has been printed for the checkers on the "Millie G" of the 55th FG. They have always been shown before as a bright green color. The name is also given in the correct red with a green drop shadow. "Alabama Rammer Jammer" and "Double Trouble Two" are both new schemes never available before in decal form. Lou IV is represented accurately for the first time, complete with full, correct pilot and crew names forward of the canopy, as well as properly sized codes (The Tamiya decals in 48th and 72nd give you these codes, but they are much too small) The name Athelene on the Starboard cowl is also provided.
The last scheme on the sheet is Chuck Reager's "Amorous Len III". This is a fictional scheme, but intrepid modelers can modify the markings to recreate a different aircraft with what is included on the sheet. A sad state of affairs that this is necessary, but its not a perfect world.
This sheet has also been released in both 1/72nd and 1/48th scale, and all three are available now on the website. I hope you find something to your liking on this new sheet.
I also have scaled down and released the new F4U-1 Corsair Part I sheet to 1/72nd. Those modellers tired of the same old Corsairs will have 5 never before available schemes to play with. My good friend Johnathan Strickland has been researching Corsairs for years, and this sheet is a product of his fine work. Note the inscription on the nose of the well worn Birdcage from this sheet. How this one got past the wartime censors is anyone's guess.
Lieutenant Colonel Donald K. Yost's Corsair, a very colorful and striking aircraft, from the USS Cape Gloucester is featured on this sheet, as is 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth Walsh's Birdcage named "Viva!". 1/72nd scale modelers are not getting a lot of new decals these days. I continue to bring you new releases in this scale, but please note they are printed in very limited numbers. Once they are gone, they are GONE!
One thing I forgot to mention about the two new 1/72nd scale sheets. They are an even greater value, because they both contain 2 complete sets of stencilling! As with the 32nd and 48th scale Mustang sheets, the 72nd sheet includes the first ever accurate P-51D stencil suites in decal form. Note that the decal set comes with two half sheets taped together. This is not a packaging error. You need two sheets to have enough national markings and other major markings, such as codes and serials. Its a little confusing, but trust me, that's how its supposed to be!
Look for another blog installment tomorrow. Lots of news, and I will list the 5 new resin sets coming for the new Tamiya Mustang in 1/32nd scale. Glad to be back here on the blog, and I will really try to keep a more regular schedule. I enjoy doing it, and hope you find it a worthwhile way to spend a few minutes.
Happy modelling! Roy
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