During the second half of WWII, the 8th Air Force had the dangerous mission of flying bombing runs over Germany in order to weaken its production capability. The P-51D Mustang was used to escort bombers and defend them from the Luftwaffe's fighters. To honor the men who fought with the 8th Air Force, Tamiya couples its wonderful Mustang with new decals made by Cartograph for 3 brand new markings representing famous 8th AF ace pilots' airplanes. Newly designed figures have also been included in the kit to realize realistic dioramas.

About the North American P-51D Mustang 8th A.F. Aces

The appearance of the cutting-edge P-51B Mustang marked a solid improvement to the protection of bomber formations. By the time the final D version was deployed, the control of German airspace was entirely in the grasp of the Allied Forces. The laminar airfoil and undersurface of the fuselage minimized air resistance, making the P-51D aerodynamically polished. For its power source, the P-51D packed a Packard Merlin V1650-7 engine with supercharger. A teardrop type canopy provided excellent visibility for the pilot, and six 13.7mm guns put daunting firepower at his disposal. Auxiliary drop tanks enabled the Mustang to achieve a continuous flight range up to 3700km, and secure thorough bomber protection all the way to Germany. As a result of the P-51D Mustang's effectiveness against the Me109 and Fw190 interceptors, a significant reduction in the amount of B-17 losses and a marked increase in pilots achieving the status of Ace was realized.

About the model

North American P-51D Mustang plastic assembly kit. 1/48 scale, Overall length: 205mm, Overall width: 236mm. The elegant and aerodynamic form of the Mustang has been perfectly rendered. The cockpit and the radiator located on the aircraft belly have been reproduced down to the finest detail. Decals for 3 different markings including "Big Beautiful Doll" flown by ace pilot Col. John D. Landers are included. Kit features 3 figures and 2 types of drop tanks: 108-gallon and 75-gallon tanks.

Display your Mustang aside the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Bubbletop" (ITEM 61090) The P-47D Thunderbolt was also used by the 8th AF as a ground attack airplane when the P-51 took over the escort of the bombers. The late version of the Thunderbolt was called bubbletop because of its teardrop shaped canopy.

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