Starfix 1/48? P-51D Mustang
| KIT #: | 709/05 |
| PRICE: | $3.75 |
| DECALS: | One Option |
| REVIEWER: | Joe Bairn |
| NOTES: |
| HISTORY |
 You probably know more about
both the Mustang and Starfix than I do. I'm submitting
this, with the Boss' benevolence, because nobody else
has.
The kit is fairly soft silver plastic numbering 26 parts, and a clear canopy. They were sharp, very little clean up was needed, and what was was easy, given the workability of the plastic. A single sheet with four language type history and specs. on one side and three instruction drawings on the other. There is a decal sheet for one aircraft, also, but I think these got past final inspection, as they read NA*Y on the right side and Y*NA on the left.
The interior consists of rear radio deck, seat and pilot. The radio deck is rather well detailed, considering that there are no floor or instrument panel at all.
This was in a package deal, so I built it more for
practice than correctness. I bashed a photo etched
instrument panel from the spares, and fit the rest of
the interior inside. My extensive notes say no spin
prop. I don't recall if It wasn't designed to, or just
didn't work out that way. At any rate, it is glued
solid.
The wings, which are the usual upper/ lower halves
had tabs too thick to fit the fuselage notches. I
expanded the notches, rather than thin the tabs.
 The belly has a notch, that looks to be for stand
display, but no stand is included, nor do the
instructions have a wheels up option. I decided to
build wheels up anyway. The landing gear doors filled
their corresponding spaces pretty well. The gaps are a
bit wide, but as they represent moving parts I didn't
fill the gaps. The tails went on trouble free.
The canopy is thick, but
clear. My big SNAFU here. When building a flying
machine, put a pilot in there. Always good to both plan,
and think. Must be a drone.
The box art and decals are for a natural metal bird.
I wanted to try something a bit more eye catching. I
have a reference to a P-51, put right by the Germans,
and flown by 2 Staffel Versuchsverband Oberbefehlshaber
der Luftwaffe as combat simulation for their pilots.
This is natural metal, for which I used Tamiya XF-16
flat aluminum, over yellow, XF-3 flat yellow. The
interior was hobby kit green, and the anti glare panel,
olive drab.
The swastikas are from an Esci
sheet, and the crosses from a Sword FW190 kit.
 This kit is what it is, which is
basic. Its a good way to while away an afternoon, or
could, I suppose, support a hundred dollars worth of
aftermarket.
"Strangers in a Strange Land" Squadron/Signal # 6047
|
July 2010
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