1:72 ROCAF P-51D Mustang, 4th Fighter Group, Captain Hsu Hua Chiang, ROCAF, 1949

P-51D Mustang, 4th Fighter Group, 1:72 scale

A finished collector's model of the Forces of Valor brand in 1:72 scale. It captures the single-seat fighter aircraft North American P-51D Mustang in the markings of the 4th Fighter Group of the Republic of China Air Force from 1949, specifically in the fit of a machine associated with a captain by the name of Hsu Hua Chiang. The model is assembled and painted straight from manufacture, so it goes into a display case right away.

The real subject

The P-51D is the most widespread production version of the Mustang. Its recognition features are the teardrop canopy with a lowered fuselage spine, which opened up the view to the rear for the pilot, and the laminar-flow wing profile. The propulsion was provided by a Packard V-1650 twelve-cylinder, a license version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, thanks to which the aircraft gained performance at high altitudes and a long range. After the Second World War the P-51D entered the armament of a number of further air forces including the Republic of China Air Force, where it served as a fighter and ground-attack machine.

Display and maintenance

The model is finished, so all you do is look after it. In 1:72 scale the shape of the airframe, the cockpit and the national insignia stand out, and it is exactly those that careless cleaning tells on most. Use a soft brush dry, or else a gentle stream of air, and never water with a cleaning agent. Display it in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and away from the vicinity of sources of heat. Carry the model by the fuselage, not by the propeller or the tail surfaces.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of Mustangs looking for less usual markings beyond American and British machines
• Anyone interested in the postwar use of piston-engine fighters
• Those who collect in a uniform 1:72 scale
• A purchase as a gift, as the model needs no further work
• Display cases where a collection grows by the individual forms of one type

This is a finished collector's model intended for display, not a kit. We recommend a closed display case away from direct sunlight.