Subject: Re: 1/32 scale P-51D Mustang
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2014 14:22:49 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 8:18 AM
  Subject: 1/32 scale P-51D Mustang

                                           Hasegawa 1/32 Scale 
                                                North American
                                                P-51D Mustang
                                                                                            By: Steve Negley

      Well there are many new offerings for the P-51D in this scale now, all of them seem to have their flaws from the reviews I've read with the exception of maybe the Tamiya kit. While I would really like to try a build with some of these other kits, the price range on some is a little out there. I have a few of these Hasegawa kits stashed and I've built so many I have a bit of a system down for the construction. The truth is I love to build Mustangs and at one time in my many years of this hobby I had one Mustang from every fighter squadron and fighter group in the 8th AF.

      I put quite a bit of aftermarket stuff into this one and was quite happy with the outcome. The cockpit has a mix of Eduard and Waldron details. The flaps are from Paragon but I don't think these are available anymore. The exhaust stacks are from Quickboost and the wheels and tires are a resin offering from True Details. I also used an Eduard detail set for some of the exterior and internal fuselage details.

      I've always wanted to model this particular Mustang in this scale. There is a rather iconic photo of "Dallas Doll" in a publication called "The Slybird Group", which is written about the history of the 353rd Fighter Group in WWII. This photo can also be found on the 353rd FG Facebook page  Since there are no decals for "Dallas Doll" that I know of in 1/32 scale I set about making my own thru my own artwork, some creative decal bashing and of course my computer printer. I managed to bash the serial numbers from 3 decal sheets out of the Hasegawa kit as well as the ID stripes for the flying surfaces, the invasion stripes were painted. The national insignia is also from the kit decal sheet. The squadron and aircraft code letters as well as the personal insignia were done by myself and printed onto some blank decal paper.

      This Mustang was flown by Lt. Frank Bouldin from the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, US 8th Air Force Raydon, UK 1944. Bouldin named the plane after his girlfriend back in the states. From what I could research Bouldin ended the war with a total of 3 aerial victories. Many thanks to the 353rd FG Facebook page for references and some previously unknown history of the plane and pilot.