1/32 Trumpeter P-51D "American Beauty"

[ghodges]

Fresh off of the workbench this is the 1/32 Trumpeter P-51D Mustang. The kit has a lot of options I decided to omit so as to "git'er done" quicker. Thus, I closed up the gun bays and left out the engine, making the needed adaptations to fit the exhausts and add gun barrels in the wings at the end. The kit comes with separately molded flaps, but they're not really designed to be shown in the down position. I had to grind off a molded in step under the rear of each wing root and then fill in a molded in step in the end of each flap, as well as cut off their original mounting pins so I could drop them.

I opted to do the very colorful "American Beauty/Lovely Lila" flown by ace Capt. Voll. The kit decals include all of the striping but I opted to paint all of the striping myself. The rest of the decals I used were excellent and turned out to be one of the highlights of building the kit.

If you're a Mustang purist, this kit has a lot of problems, inaccuracies, and irritating small flaws; so I can't recommend it since Tamiya and Zoukei-Mura have newer 1/32 bubbletop Mustangs that are most likely much better. Still, it's a relatively easy build and has indented surface details which most modelers like. On to the rest of the pics!

Questions, comments, and critiques welcome as always!

 

Gil 

Edited July 26, 2025 by ghodges

[Mark Deliduka]

She's an American Beauty for sure! Your metal finishes are always so masterful! Way to go Gil!