1:72 North-American P-51D Mustang

Mustangs with the code MC over Europe

The 20th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force was based at Kings Cliffe in eastern England and among the other units it earned a reputation as a specialist in hunting locomotives. Its pilots escorted heavy bombers to targets in the Reich, but they tended to end the return journey with a descent to the ground and fire on trains, stations and airfields. Both subjects of this sheet belonged to the 79th Fighter Squadron, which within the group was denoted by the pair of letters MC in front of the individual code of a machine.

The first Mustang, serial number 44-13535 with the code MC-R, carried the name Chattanooga Choo Choo on the fuselage. The second, 44-13667 with the code MC-T, flew with the name Sneebo. Both are late P-51D machines with a bubble canopy, that is in the version that gave the pilot his view to the rear back and became the symbol of long range escort in the last year of the war in Europe.

What the sheet contains

• markings of two particular machines including serial numbers and squadron letters
• national insignia and accompanying technical lettering
• printing on a carrier film that slides over the base once soaked

The printing is done so that the edge of the film practically disappears on gloss varnish. The procedure that has proved itself is to apply a glossy layer, settle the decal into softener and once dry go over it with matte varnish. The coloring is deep and covers even on a bare metal base, of which an uncamouflaged Mustang has the overwhelming majority on its surface, so the thin film does not show through anywhere. A plastic kit of the aircraft has to be obtained separately; here these are exclusively markings.