North American P-51D Mustang (D25)

Plastic kit for a P-51D Mustang

• Scale 1:72
• unbuilt, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The P-51 Mustang was a fighter aircraft developed in the astonishing speed of 117 days under a contract signed in April 1940 between the British Aircraft Purchasing Board and the North American Aircraft Corporation.

Initially exported to Great Britain, it was also adopted by the United States Army Air Corps, which was skeptical of the P-51 when the US entered the war.

The Model D featured a lower fuselage top compared to the preceding Models B and C to improve rearward visibility, and a rearward-sliding valve cowling.

Early models lacked a dorsal fin forward of the vertical stabilizer, but this was added during production to improve directional stability.

The Mustang is considered a masterpiece of World War II, and its proven success is due to its advanced design and overall construction.

Specifications

• Crew: 1
• Wingspan: 11.28 m
• Length: 9.83 m
• Height: 3.71 m
• Total weight: 5,262 kg
• Engine: Packard Marine V-1650-7
• Power: 1,450 hp
• Top speed: 703 km/h/7,620 m
• Fixed armament: Six 12.7 mm machine guns
• First flight: Prototype, October 26, 1940