48-670 from AeroMaster is the second of two sheets that provide markings for P-51 Mustangs operated by the Royal Air Force. 

Again, the title is a bit of a misnomer however as two of the machines are from the dominion Air Forces of Australia and Canada. 

Aeromaster acknowledge that information from the Aviation Workshop's On Target Profiles Number 2 - RAF and Commonwealth P-51 Mustangs - was used to produce these two sheets.  This book has previously reviewed here on HyperScale – 

http://misc.kitreview.com/bookreviews/avworkshopp51bookreviewrk_1.htm 

All four options on this sheet feature in this book. 

Sheet 48-670 provides markings for four machines, a single Mustang Mk III and three Mustang Mk IVs.  The individual machines and their markings are as follows: 

Mustang Mk III, FB241 of 112 Squadron, Royal Air Force based in Italy in 1945.  The placement guide advises that the aircraft in Ana 613 olive drab, Ana 603 sea grey and Ana 602 light grey.  The spinner is painted red and wing leading edges carry the yellow ID markings.  The supplied markings are:

• White GA squadron codes and individual aircraft letter Q.  The individual aircraft letter Q incorporates the FB271 serial code which is block on a RAF sky rectangle (no doubt the remnants of a painted out sky rear fuselage band).

• A full set of national insignia comprising type B for the upper wings, type C1 for the fuselage, type E for the undersides of the wings, and a pair of fin flashes.  The red centres for the C1 and E roundels are supplied as separate decals to counter any register problems that may arise during the printing process.

• A set of shark teeth and eyes.  The shark mouth markings are supplied as left and right halves to ease placement.

Mustang Mk IV, KH653 of 19 Squadron, RAF in early 1945.  KH653 is finished in Ana 613 olive drab Ana 603 sea grey and Ana 602 light grey, with the forward part of the fuselage in yellow and the spinner in yellow with black bands.  The supplied markings are:

• Sky QV squadron codes and P individual aircraft code letter.

• Black KH653 serial.

• The two black bands for the spinner.  Thank you for this AeroMaster, it sure saves a heap of hassle trying to mask them off!

• A full set of national insignia as per the first option.

Mustang Mk IV (P-51K) KH716 of 3 Squadron RAAF at Laverino, Italy early 1945. The placement guide advises that this is a P-51D and the artwork shows it wearing a Hamilton Standard propeller however, published photos show the machine wearing an Aeroproducts one.  The machine is in natural metal with the forward part of the spinner and rudder in light mediterranean blue. with an olive drab anti-glare panel.  The supplied markings are:

• Blue CV squadron code and individual aircraft code P.  The rudder and the forward part of the spinner were painted in the same shade so you will have to match it to the same shade as the code letters.

• Black KH716 serial.  Note that this decal is purposely printed in a chipped condition to match that worn by the one-to-one example.

• 3 Squadron's "Southern Cross" white star marking for the rudder.

• A full set of national insignia as per the first option.

The last option is another P-51K (again, the placement guide shows it wearing a Hamilton standard propeller) "Edmonton Special", KH680 of 442 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force at Hunsdon in 1945.  The machined is painted in Ana 613 olive drab Ana 603 sea grey and Ana 602 light grey. with a yellow spinner, anti-glare panel and canopy frame and a sky rear fuselage scheme.  The supplied markings are:

• Sky with a thin yellow outline Y2 squadron codes and individual aircraft letter B.

• Black KH665 serial.

• The name "Edmonton Special" in white.

• A full set of national insignia as per the first option.

As per the Part 1 sheet, the decals themselves have been "printed in Mexico".  Everything is in prefect register and the colours look pretty good to me.  They are a little on the thick side compared to other "Printed in Mexico" sheets from AeroMaster but no thicker than the ones produced by Cartograf. 

There is absolutely no stencil data on the sheet.  Perhaps the guys at AeroMaster weighed whether or not to supply national insignia for each option or a set of stencil data and the national insignia won.  Personally, I would have opted for the stencil data but the extra national insignia is welcome in the spares box. 

The placement guide is the standard A-4 sized sheet with full-colour profiles of each option and upper and lower plan views of each option. 

The decal sheet and the placement guide are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

The recommended kits are Accurate Miniatures and Tamiya. 

This is another nice sheet from AeroMaster.  Recommended.

Recommended.

Footnote 

Two of the machines on the sheet feature a louvred panel over the engine cowling breather. 

If you really want to you can scratch build these or you can purchase the IPMS Canada "Sweating Beaver Decals" sheet - RCAF 442 Sqn Mustang IVs.  This sheet not only provides markings for four aircraft it also provides four sets of these louvred panels in resin.  This sheet has also previously been reviewed here on Hyperscale http://decals.kitreview.com/decals/sweatingbeaverreviewrk_2.htm

Editor's Footnote to the Footnote - Red Roo Models also produce these louvres on a recently released "Mustand Bits" photo-etched metal set recently reviewed on HyperScale http://acc.kitreview.com/rrr48135reviewbg_1.htm

Thanks to Aeromaster / Eagle Strike Products for the review sets

On-line sales are available from the AeroMaster Products / Eagle Strike Productions web site.
 

Review TextCopyright © 2004 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 14 September, 2004
Last updated 14 September, 2004

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