Group Build Description: Many consider the P-51 Mustang to be the finest all-around fighter of the Second World War. Other designs could exceed its performance in single areas—turn radius, top-end speed, dive performance, resilience to battle damage—but none matched its entire performance package. Originally designed for the British military as an export fighter, the P-51 went on to become the premier fighter of the USAAF.
This Campaign honors this fighter in all its variants, so all scales, users, and variants are welcome. Yes, that includes the post-war Cavalier Mustangs and the turboprop Piper Enforcer. Even modified air racers are welcome. It would be great to see more A-model and prototype builds to balance out the number of D-model builds we’re sure to see!
Event Details: Remember to click “Going” if you want to join the build!
Completion Award: TBD
A Note about Awards: To receive an award for successfully finishing this campaign, you will need to provide your forum username to me by the end of the build. I will then give this list to the site admins to post the badges on your account. If you don’t provide your username or finish the project on the timetable the leader has setup you will not be able to receive an award.
A start date of Jan 1, 2024 seemed to fit best with all the other active and pending campaigns. I’m open to changing the dates if another timeframe works better.
Well, I’ve got 4 winged Mustangs, 3 wheeled ones and a twin Mustang. Might tackle Model News NA-73 if I’m feeling really brave. And squeeze it in with all the other projects I’m not getting done.
I know the feeling. Hopefully with a year you should be good.
Can’t speak to 1/72 but I’d say Eduard for the 1/48 D-model. The Profipak kits come with all the PE but the cockpit is so good in plastic, and you remove so much detail to place the PE, that I honestly think the Weekend kits would be just fine.
Tamiya’s kit is tried-and-true as well but the Eduard has it outclassed in detail and options….and complexity.
Assuming life does not become too crazy, when the time comes, I will purchase and join with a 1/32 Revell P-51D. Since it will be a present, I also need to find a really enthusiastic naked girl to stick on the side so as to cause maximum embarrassment for the recipient.
If time allows, I may even build a second Mustang for myself.
That’s a cool kit, but I hate to say it’s definitely not NA-73X. However with some TLC it could be.
A lot of manufacturers (and even some museums!) mix up the NA-73X prototype (which was badly damaged in a test accident, rebuilt, and later scrapped) with the two XP-51 airframes taken from the first Mustang I production line and given to the USAAF.
One of those is at the EAA Museum in Wisconsin and gets a lot of attention because it’s the oldest Mustang still in existence. But it is not the first.
I’ve been studying this airframe for several years and have made extensive notes on the differences. I plan to try to convert Accurate Miniatures Mk. I to the prototype. It’ll require some major surgery, particularly in the radiator, but should be fun.
Happy to share those notes with you, or with the whole forum if there’s interest.
Yes, I wondered if that was creative packaging or not. Looks like the decals are for a Mustang I or a generic P-51 (before the A) and not the original NX-73X or the rebuilt flavor. I have a photo of the rebuilt NA-73X that I was thinking about trying to re-create.
Either Pic #7 in the deck or a cousin with it on the ground. I remember the large black antiglare panel. I picked this kit up for 99 cents from Squadron over 20 years ago. I can’t hold out too much hope for a quality kit. Looks like it’s going to need some surgery on the carb scoop and the front windscreen is going to need so love too. I might need those notes. Looks like it had an NX number under the wing when it crashed, but it’s hard to see in the earlier pictures. Wonder if it had it after the rebuild.
Yep, it had an NX number and it appears brush-painted too.
I was going to recommend the Falcon canopy set for NA-73X, but I see your kit is 1/72. Honestly might be worth just picking up an Accurate Miniatures Mk. I and going from there. Lots more options for aftermarket in 1/48, as you can see from my project here: NA-73X (Mustang Prototype)
PM me your email address and we can share notes.
EDIT: There’s a neat video in my project of another guy who made the post-accident version like you’re planning.
