1:24 P-51D MUSTANG

The Mustang with the bubble canopy in 1:24

The P-51D is the version that made a legend of the Mustang. The lowered fuselage spine and the molded bubble canopy gave the pilot all-round vision, the Merlin engine with its two-stage supercharger gave power at high altitude, and drop tanks gave the range to escort bomber formations all the way to Berlin. Six half-inch machine guns in the wing meant that the escort fighter was at the same time a dangerous attacker of ground targets.

That bubble canopy is, however, a trap during the build. It has almost no framing, so every imperfect transition stands out on it, while the front windscreen with its flat front panel has sharp and narrow frames instead.

What you will find in the package: glazing masks for both sides, five national insignia masks and, on top of that, decals. The combination of mask plus decal is practical. You spray the large roundels and bars and add the small technical data and lettering with a decal, for which a mask would be hard to make.

The recommended sequence: spray the inner frames first, then close the glazing, cover it with the outer masks and spray the base camouflage. The insignia come last, on a finished and clear-coated surface, so that the edges stay sharp and nothing creeps underneath.

The set is designed for a model from a particular manufacturer; the model itself is not included.

In a large scale the difference between a sprayed and an applied roundel is visible from a meter away. A sprayed marking follows the rivets and panel joints, whereas the carrier film of a decal is stretched over them like a sheet.