Reviewed by Rodger Kelly
 

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Thoroughbred Mustangs 24-011 is Custom Aeronautical Miniatures (Cam Decals) first of two new P-51B sheets in 1/24 scale. 

Just like their P-51D sheets, the P-51 B sheets provide markings for a single aircraft only.  "Leakin Liz" is a P-51B, serial number 43-6523 flown by LT Charles Blair of the 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group out of Steeple Morden, UK in 1944. 

The aircraft is in olive drab over neutral grey with a full set of D-Day markings.  Her spinner and nose are white and there is a band of freshly painted olive drab on her fin and rudder covering the white theatre theatre band that she previously wore. 

Markings include:

• A full set of national insignia,

• White YF squadron codes and individual aircraft in squadron letter E.

• Yellow serial numbers for the fin and rudder.

• The name "Leakin Liz" in white.

• A scoreboard consisting of yellow and orange bombs as well as brooms, the latter probably indicating fighter sweeps.   This decal is applied to the cowling cover below the exhaust.

• A single kill marking consisting of a two-piece swastika.

• A black nameplate that shows both the pilot's and the crew chief's names.

• A full set of stencil data in white is also provided. There is no data block provided at all.

The D-Day markings are not supplied so you will have to paint them yourself.   This is probably a good idea as trying to position what would be very large decals would be a bit of a nightmare anyway. 

The decal placement guide is the standard fare from CAM Decals - an A-4 sized sheet with black and white profiles of both sides of the fuselage and a plan view of the top surfaces of the wings and fuselage and the bottom surfaces of the wings. There is also a colour left hand side profile on the aircraft on the header card. 

The decals have been printed by Microscale and are well up to their high standards. They are all sharply printed and in perfect register. 

The placement guide, decal sheet and header card come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.  

The recommended kits are the Airfix and Trumpeter P-51Ds but as far as I know, neither of these companies have kitted the P-51B in this scale.  Maybe Cam Decals know something that we don't and there is a new 1/24th scale kit on the way.

Nice stuff from CAM Decals.

Recommended. 

Thanks to Brookhurst Hobbies for the review sample.

A great reference site for 8th Air Force Mustangs is Little Friends at http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/Sitemap.htm .

It covers each of the fighter squadrons that made up the 8th Air Force.  It gives a very detailed history of each squadron and it also contains a wealth of images, many in colour.

CAM Decals are available online from their website at http://www.camdecals.com and from Brookhurst Hobbies

CAM Decals 59 page 2002 color catalog of decals and resin parts is also
now available through the CAM Decals website

Review Copyright © 2003 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 04 April, 2003
Last updated 14 August, 2003

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