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Prop Question from a Jet Guy : Best 1/72 P-51D?


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Hi everyone,

     I just picked up Caracal's decal sheet for ANG P/F-51Ds, but have no idea what kit to start with. I haven't built a WWII prop in 40 years heh heh!  I'm not looking for a show stopper, or something accurate down to the last rivit......  just an easy, fun, inexpensive, and reasonably accurate build. Suggestions please! Thanks, Fred K.

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Either the Tamiya or Airfix F-51D kit.  Both are excellent, and at least the Tamiya kit has both the cuffed and uncuffed (with square tips) Hamiltion-Standard props.  The uncuffed is  common on post-WWII Mustangs.

Both kits are very similar, except for Tamiya providing optional canopies (IIRC) and Airfix allowing the option for lowered flaps out of the box, but on the downside the main landing gear struts on the Airfix are often warped and need either straightening or replacement with aftermarket ones.  I was able to straighten all the ones I had that were warped and so far, they've all remained that way.

 

Other than that, there isn't much to choose between one or the other aside from price. 

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13 hours ago, Paul Boyer said:

Look for the Airfix kit of the Korean War F-51D. Good, easily built, and inexpensive. The Korean War version will have some of the later details you'll probably want for the ANG birds.

 

Thanks Paul! Fred.

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2 hours ago, Joe Hegedus said:

Either the Tamiya or Airfix F-51D kit.  Both are excellent, and at least the Tamiya kit has both the cuffed and uncuffed (with square tips) Hamiltion-Standard props.  The uncuffed is  common on post-WWII Mustangs.

Both kits are very similar, except for Tamiya providing optional canopies (IIRC) and Airfix allowing the option for lowered flaps out of the box, but on the downside the main landing gear struts on the Airfix are often warped and need either straightening or replacement with aftermarket ones.  I was able to straighten all the ones I had that were warped and so far, they've all remained that way.

 

Other than that, there isn't much to choose between one or the other aside from price. 

 

Thanks Joe! Looking on ebay, the Tamiya kit seems to be much more available, and just as cheap as the Airfix kit, so I think Tamiya it will be. Thanks again, Fred.

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8 hours ago, Joe Hegedus said:

Either the Tamiya or Airfix F-51D kit.  Both are excellent, and at least the Tamiya kit has both the cuffed and uncuffed (with square tips) Hamiltion-Standard props.  The uncuffed is  common on post-WWII Mustangs.

 

the Airfix F-51 comes with the un-cuffed HS prop too.

 

It comes  down to price and/or availabliity.   I have both kits, if all things were equal, I would go with the Airfix kit, despite the L/G leg situation and the inaccurate horizontal stabs.

 

Cheers, Tony

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19 hours ago, Snowbird3a said:

 

the Airfix F-51 comes with the un-cuffed HS prop too.

 

It comes  down to price and/or availabliity.   I have both kits, if all things were equal, I would go with the Airfix kit, despite the L/G leg situation and the inaccurate horizontal stabs.

 

Cheers, Tony

Thanks, Tony.  I haven't seen the Airfix F-51, so was not sure what was in there.  I've built several of both Tamiya and Airfix P-51s; I agree that it comes down to what you can get most easily. There really isn't much to choose between the 2, unless lowered flaps is a must-have for you.  Currently, if I were in the market for 1/72 P-51s, the Airfix would probably get the nod as I can pick them up at Hobby Lobby (and take 40% off the price while I'm at it).

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Hi ! 

1. Place: Tamiya

2. Place: Hasegawa

3. Place: Airfix

 

Hasegawa have little shallow whells wells, but is still very detailed and time to time relative cheap... Airfix is nice, but Tamiya is King of the Hill...

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Few weeks back i have a 7x Airfix. But i all sold and waiting for new Eduard 1/48 Mustang in over trees 🙂 - because quarter scale is quarter scale. But all - Tamiya, Hasegawa and Airfix are best ´Stangs in small scale.

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