Zero Enna Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Just bought a P-51C (Hobbyboss' easy assembly kit in 1/72). I'd like to know if there were significant differences between the P-51B and P-51C. I find more schemes for P-51B. Couldn't find further info on one of the marking options: Don Gentile's P-51C (the other is for a RAF machine w/ Malcolm hood), so I'm looking for more options even if I have to backdate it to a B. Thanks a lot in advance. Thanks a lot in advance. Best regards. José. P.S. I think I saw P-51B or C with P-51D fin extension, is that correct? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 The serial number is the only external difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Snowbird3a Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 P.S. I think I saw P-51B or C with P-51D fin extension, is that correct? Yes, some Bs & Cs got a fin extension but it is not exactly the same as the 'D' extension. Saw a diagram a while back on one of these forums, just can't remember which one. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tourist Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 P-51B's were built in Inglewood CA and P-51C's were built in Dallas TX, that's about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
breadneck Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 And while on the subject, did Tamiya do a proper wingjob on their 1:48 scale P-51B? Not like there are that many current Hawkeye 1:72 resin wing correction sets out there anymore. That`s why i am considering getting the 1:48 scale Tamiya kit. So i can have a good reference when remodelling my ancient but otherwise nice Hasegawa 1:72 -B kits, hahaha. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 The Tamiya kit is accurate. Hasegawa's 1/72 kit has a D wing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hal Marshman Sr Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 The Tamiya 1/48th P-51B is a beautiful kit, and very accurate. There is one problem, the cockpit floor is done as were those on the Allison engined predecessors, the metal wing top. In actuality, starting with the -B, P-51s incorporated a flat plywood floor, covered with a black non-skid finish. (Pretty much like wing walks). There was a slot for the joy stick and its mechanisms and holes through which the fuel guages could be read. Hal Sr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seawinder Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) The Tamiya 1/48th P-51B is a beautiful kit, and very accurate. There is one problem, the cockpit floor is done as were those on the Allison engined predecessors, the metal wing top. In actuality, starting with the -B, P-51s incorporated a flat plywood floor, covered with a black non-skid finish. (Pretty much like wing walks). There was a slot for the joy stick and its mechanisms and holes through which the fuel guages could be read. Hal Sr What Hal says ... I personally don't think the incorrect floor is a deal-breaker, especially once the model is on the display shelf. Happily, if one wants to deal with it, there's a beautiful Jaguar resin cockpit set that's still in stock at their web site for $17.00: http://jaguarmodels.com/store/index.php/1-48-p-51b-mustang-interior-detail-set.html In other respects, the Tamiya kit is beautifully engineered and fun to build. The optional open clam shell canopy works especially well. Cheers, Pip Edited December 13, 2013 by seawinder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Roy Sutherland mastered that cockpit way back when (hard to believe it's been like 15 years!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Does anybody produce decals for the P-51B/C with the fin extension in 1/48? I have the AM kit, but no decals. Would prefer to build it as something that is NOT NMF. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zero Enna Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Any pic of the P-51B/C fin extension? I'd liek to add it to my P-51B, I read somewhere that planes with the loop antenna had the fin extension. Thanks a lot in advance. Bet regards. José. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tourist Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 The DFF has nothing to do with the loop antenna. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seawinder Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Does anybody produce decals for the P-51B/C with the fin extension in 1/48? I have the AM kit, but no decals. Would prefer to build it as something that is NOT NMF. There's a photo of Bonnie B here: http://www.mustangsmustangs.us/thehangar/index.php?PHPSESSID=6q8eeokp8cb681squl474rmaa0&topic=388.0 ...showing it in OD/NG camouflage with the dorsal fin fillet. Kits World sheet KSW148090 has markings for Bonnie B (although the instructions show it without the DFF) It's out of stock at Sprue Brothers, but there's an eBay listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kits-World-Decals-1-48-NORTH-AMERICAN-P-51-MUSTANG-Bonnie-B-Gunfighter/190981522605?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D3378101514319414150%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D360635739982%26 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Tamiya also got the wheel wells wrong. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-17 guy Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 How are the wheels wrong? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
breadneck Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 How are the wheels wrong? Because Aires makes a resin replacement wheelbay set?! Not sure if this is for the -D type though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
agboak Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 The Tamiya kit is accurate. Hasegawa's 1/72 kit has a D wing. I said that recently - in response I was told that it wasn't true, that the main flaw in the Hasegawa kit was the leading edge sweep. As a result of which the kink was also wrong, but not in the way I thought. It does however have the correct 4 guns, but I don't think that's what you meant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Tamiya enclosed the wheel well, the wheel bay is open in the actual aircraft--this isn't a nit... Google has a wealth of images and dscussions on this topic, including a contemporaneous photo in this thread on Large Scale Planes that also shows color. The Eduard PE perpetuates Tamiya's wells with "detailed" well walls. I used Aries resin on my -B, but it took a lot of scraping to get in. Tamiya stuck to their guns on their 1/48 -D, but in addition to various resin AM, A.M.U.R.Reaver has a nice PE set that I've have for the -D in my stash. BTW, I found a filled with great shots of a P-51B. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grant in West Oz Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 P-51B's were built in Inglewood CA and P-51C's were built in Dallas TX, that's about it. That's it. Different jigs and templates hence the differentiation. G Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seawinder Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Tamiya also got the wheel wells wrong. Thankfully I don't display my models upside down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mawz Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Tamiya made the usual error with the wheel wells, the actual wells rear wall is the main wing spar. Very few kits get this right, Airfix's P-51D in 1/72 and Tamiya's own 1/32 effort are the most commonly found with correct wheel wells. None of the common 1/48 kits get it right. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
breadneck Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I can only assume the -B type preceded the -C type. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Actually not by much. They started building them (B's at Inglewood and C's at Dallas) almost simultaneously. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tbolt Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) Thankfully I don't display my models upside down. The error can be seen when viewed from the front of the aircraft, if you don't correct it just display it on a low shelf ;) Edited January 1, 2014 by Tbolt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ham Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Here are a couple of nice photos of C models that show the dorsal fin extension. It is very different than the D model type. I always liked the look of the dorsal fin extension on the C models. P-51C Excalibur III Another of a what appears to me as an F-6C but is labelled as a P-51C-1NT. P-51C-1NT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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