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Which P-51D kit is the best? Tamiya?


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Hello everyone,

I have been asked to do a commission build of a P-51 for a retired Air Force Col. Which kit is the most accurate out right now? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Brandon

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Tamiya...there is no substitute.

For aftermarket, I'd recommend the cockpit sets and decals from Barracuda Studios...wheels too.

Fun Deckles makes really accurate national insignia and stencil data.

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Tamiya...there is no substitute.

For aftermarket, I'd recommend the cockpit sets and decals from Barracuda Studios...wheels too.

Fun Deckles makes really accurate national insignia and stencil data.

Cool! Sounds like Tamiya will be the way to go! I appreciate the responses!

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Tamiya indeed makes the best P-51D, both in 1/48 and 1/32 scales.

The Zoukei-Mura Mustang is a fine kit but far behind Tamiya in terms of accuracy, details, options and fit.

The 1/32 Tamiya P-51D is by far the best Mustang in any scale, it is also the only truly accurate P-51 kit out there.

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You did not mention the scale. 48? 32?...What about the Accurate miniatures kit in 1/48?

He's asking about the P-51D. Ergo, Accurate Miniatures is irrelevant. They never made a D model.

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You didn't mentioned 1/72 and surprise: Tamiya is also the best.

Indeed!

The Airfix kit is nice and very affordable but it does not capture the Mustang quite as well as the 1/72 Tamiya kit.

The separate flaps are a nice touch and the propeller looks good, these are improvements over the Tamiya kit but that's about it.

Airfix tried to get the wheel bays right but they are too shallow.

The surface details are also a bit uneven and when you put the wings and fuselage together the dihedral looks flat, it needs to be corrected.

Finally Airfix missed the opportunity to improve the cockpit, windshield and canopies, they're as poor as Tamiya's.

They could also have included unshrouded exhausts and a N-9 gunsight.

The definitive P-51D in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/24 still eludes us.

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You did not mention the scale. 48? 32?...What about the Accurate miniatures kit in 1/48?

I am sorry everyone!

I need a 1/32 mustang. I am also looking for a source for references for Col. Herbert E. carters mustang from the Tuskegee airmen. If anyone can point me to a good source with photos of specific mustangs I would appreciate the help. I am not having any luck with Google this weekend!

Thanks for all your help! Also, any thoughts on aftermarket items that are a must for the Tamiya kit would be appreciated!

Kind regards!

Brandon

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You didn't mentioned 1/72 and surprise: Tamiya is also the best.

I'd disagree, the Airfix is more accurate, having correct wheel wells (Tamiya's are incorrect in 1/48 & 1/72) and droppable flaps but the Tamiya is an easier build & has finer panel lines.

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Eduard makes some nice wheels. Aftermarket pits are your choice, as are resin vs. color PE. Will it make a difference to the recipient? I think it would mean more to ruggedize it a bit with metal landing gear. I don't know if anyone makes metal props and antennas. Strengthen the fuselage and wings with tabs. It's more important to make sure a recipient who doesn't understand the fragility of a plastic model has something likely to stay together for many years. Otherwise, the Tamiya kit really doesn't need a lot of help to be both accurate and spectacular.

IMO

Edited by Space Tiger Hobbes
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Roy Sutherland (Barracuda) has just about anything you'd need. Unfortunately our 1/32 P-51 stencil decal is sold out. We're toying with the idea of reprinting it, but it will be some time if we do.

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Roy Sutherland (Barracuda) has just about anything you'd need. Unfortunately our 1/32 P-51 stencil decal is sold out. We're toying with the idea of reprinting it, but it will be some time if we do.

Thanks Jennings. I will take a look and see what Barracuda has.

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Any opinions (or threads) on this new 1/72 series from KP?

Gene K

It's a nice B/C, might just be the best version of that variant but the sprue shots indicate that they got the wheel wells wrong, despite doing the wells as a seperate part and thus not needing to follow the gear door outline. Only Airfix's latest P-51D gets the wells right in 1/72.

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Any opinions (or threads) on this new 1/72 series from KP?

Gene K

Hi Gene, based on the first KP pictures posted online I could spot various detail errors such as the wrong wheel bays mentioned by Mawz.

I posted about it on Hyperscale but now I cannot find the thread!

A member of the P-51SIG who has the KP kit posted pictures of the parts on trusted scale drawings (Charles Neely's) and the shape has several serious problems, simply put the kit is anorexic and the vertical stabilizer tilts too far forward, there are also other problems.

It is not the "definitive" 1/72 P-51B we were hoping for, for some reason this iconic fighter does not get much love from manufacturers.

Mawz, you are right Airfix did try to get the P-51D wheel wells right but as I mentioned in the first page of this thread they did not really succeed.

Their wells are too shallow and the thickness of the parts makes the bottom lip look way too thick.

When all is said and done the Airfix wheel wells are not much better than Tamiya's.

Furthermore Airfix's P-51D has no dihedral, it can be corrected with a bit of attention but it's a serious issue.

Almost everything (other than price) is better on Tamiya's kit which is still the best 1/72 P-51D in my opinion.

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A member of the P-51SIG who has the KP kit posted pictures of the parts on trusted scale drawings ....

Thanks (also to mawz). Unfortunately, the P-51SIG is by invitation only :bandhead2:

Gene K

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