1/700 North American P-51B/C Mustang - (x5) 3D Printed - Long Legs!

Description

NO RESERVE. We're offering here for the first time a set of five beautifully super detailed 1/700 scale P-51B/C Mustang models complete with Wing Tanks and standard and Malcolm Canopies that have just come out of the 3D printer! Certainly one of the most famous fighters of all time, the P-51 Mustang has its roots in both Britain and the USA. In late 1939 as the likelihood of a full scale war in Europe becoming reality, the British Air Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation with the intent of having them build Curtiss P-40s for the RAF. Instead, the president of North American offered to build an entirely new fighter using the same Allison engine as the P-40 used. The prototype first took to the air on 26 October 1940 with Vance Breese at the controls, reaching a top speed of 382 mph, 25 mph faster than the P-40. The P-51 was an immediate success and, in fact, it even outperformed some of the early Spitfires. The performance of the Mustang with its Allison engine, however, was only impressive up to 15,000 ft. It was with the P-51B, when the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine was matched with the Mustang airframe for the first time, that the Mustang became a thoroughbred capable of outstanding high altitude performance and incredible endurance to boot. The first P-51B/Cs delivered to the U.S. Eighth Air Force flew their first
long-range escort mission, each equipped with two external drop tanks, on 13 December 1944 - some 490 miles to Kiel and back, setting a record at the time. By 8 May 1945, the 8th, 9th and 15th Air Force's P-51 groups claimed some 4,950 aircraft shot down (about half of the USAAF claims in the European Theater and the most claimed by any Allied fighter in air-to-air combat) and 4,131 destroyed on the ground with losses of about 2,520 Mustangs.
Although the late-model P-51D Mustang has been previously offered as a resin model by WEM and by Pit-Road as an injection molded model, these are the first and only models of the early P-51B/C variant. Plus this special set actually includes
three
different models: (1x) P-51B/C, (3x)
P-51B/C with wing tanks
and (1x) P-51B/C with drop tanks AND the R. Malcolm-designed bulged canopy that was fitted on most RAF Mustang Mk.IIIs plus a number of USAAF P-51B/C Mustangs like Bud Anderson's 'Old Crow' (photo #6 shows a comparison between the two canopy styles). We think that the 3D printed models offered here easily rival (and probably exceed by good measure) the quality of comparable WEM resin and Pit-Road white metal and injection molded models and but we've posted some high resolution photos so you can judge for yourself. While photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills, check out the details of the well proportioned model including the graceful fuselage complete with the two different canopy styles, the engine exhaust stubs at the nose; the delicate tail assembly and those laminar flow wings with retracted landing gear on the underside and the drop tanks that enabled the Mustang to accompany the bombers all the way to Berlin and back.
Although the surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers), the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene. The models may still have some powder and oil-like agent on them that needs to be removed by washing in warm water with a drop of detergent in it.
While the landing gear is represented in the retracted in-flight position, it should be fairly straight forward to add photo etch parts for a "gear down" rendition, perfect for an air base diorama.
These outstanding P-51B/C models with drop tanks should be a welcome addition to any WW2 wargamer's or 1/700 modeler's collection, particularly those interested in USAAF early variant P-51 bomber escort and ground attack operations. Please take a look at the other 1/700 scale aircraft models that we have on auction as well. We're always happy to combine shipping for multiple purchases to save whenever possible. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions whatsoever.