Tamiya 1/48 F-51D

[NormSon]

Another item that is well known, but I'll mention it anyway; the wings on a Mustang are not natural metal. Because of the airfoil shape, they were filled and painted silver at the factory. Mustand rivet counters will ding you big time on this one.
There is some debate about whether or not they might have been stripped later during maintenance and not repainted.
Norm

[ClydeM]

Lee is soooo right about the canopy. be very careful removing it from the sprue as you have no frame to "cheat" with on the wind screen or the main canopy. the best way to deal with this if I can offer a susgestion is to clip from the sprue with plenty of margin and then use progressively finer sanding sticks to clean up. I don't under stand why people with such outstanding products don't find a better way to deal with this problem.

[Bill L2]

Thanks. I want to do a NMF after Clydes demo and want to do a Mustang. I will start it next week. Not sure which plane to do though.

[Lee_K]

Yes, as I remember the F-51D kit contains both the AeroProducts (blunt blade tips) and the Hamilton Standard (rounded blade tips) propellers.  So you can indeed build a WWII era Mustang.

As I understand it, Tamiya copied a warbird and that riveted plate on the top of the wing over the landing strut attachment is strictly a modern feature (for strength, probably), much like the F4U-1/2 Corsair kit shouldn't have a step in the starboard flap -- another warbird feature.  But the Mustang is a good kit, although the two piece canopy and frame is a real pain in the neck.

Lee K

[ClydeM]

as was bluntly pointed out to me, a club rivet counter informed me that my p-51 was wrong because the rivets on top of the wing over the wheel wells don't belong.

[NormSon]

I think that the only thing to be aware of is the propeller. I believe that the F-51 kit has an Aero Products prop, and it should have a Hamilton Standard for the P-51. Canopy can be an issue, as there was a difference in Dallas builds and El Segundo/Inglewood builds. Otherwise, just make sure you use proper under-wing ordinance (drop tanks, bombs, whatever). I'm not a P-51 rivet counter, but this is what I recall.
Sorry about your recent loss; too much of that stuff going around this summer.
Norm

[Bill L2]

Can I make a P-51 D from the Tam F-51 D 1/48 kit. Is there that much of a difference?