1:48 P-51D MUSTANG

A bubble instead of the dorsal spine

The D version is the Mustang most people picture: a lowered fuselage spine and a teardrop canopy, which gave the pilot back his view to the rear. The wing got six half-inch machine guns and drop tanks were carried under it for the range to the heart of Germany. The glazing is cleaner than on the older versions, and all the more does every uneven edge of paint stand out on it, which is why the frames are painted here with a film.

When to lift the film off

The best moment is shortly after the last coat has dried, while the paint is still flexible and the edge breaks cleanly. When the removal is put off for days, the layer hardens, holds on to the edges and flakes off when torn away. If the set stays on the model through a gloss coat, lift it off by the next day at the latest and check the edges against the light.

How to handle the sheet

The backing sheet takes bending, but not storage in the warm, where the adhesive layer softens and the parts shift. Keep it flat in the original bag and take out only the shapes you need at the time. The remaining pieces are still usable years later, provided the sheet has not been in the sun. The small offcuts left when cutting around an outline can be used to cover small openings in the airframe.

Box contents

Inside lie shapes for the dome outside and inside, a set for the national symbols and a decal sheet. The outlines are based on the dimensions of Tamiya in 1:48 scale. Anyone building a series of Mustangs will appreciate that only the pieces needed at the time are taken and the rest of the sheet lasts for the next model.