Hobby 2000 72024 - 1:72 P-51B Mustang US Aces over Europe 1944

Plastic model kit of the American North American P-51B Mustang fighter in 1:72 scale

The P-51B was the version in which the Mustang became the fighter that changed the course of the air war over Europe. Replacing the American Allison engine with the licence-built Packard V-1650 – the counterpart of the British Rolls-Royce Merlin – gave the aircraft excellent high-altitude performance, while its large internal fuel capacity and underwing drop tanks allowed it to escort bombers all the way to Berlin.

Hobby 2000 72024 is based on Hasegawa sprues, complemented by a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the glazing. The release is devoted to American aces of 1944 – the decals cover three specific aircraft, including the famous "Berlin Express" flown by Lt William B. Overstreet of the 363rd FS / 357th FG.

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Clear parts for the canopy glazing
• Underwing drop tanks for extended range
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72024
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 137 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 157 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

This is a small, conventionally engineered kit with a sensible parts count that less experienced modellers will handle comfortably. It is worth painting and finishing the cockpit before the fuselage halves are joined, as access becomes very limited afterwards. The multi-panel canopy typical of early Mustangs needs careful alignment, and the included self-adhesive masks make painting its framing much easier.

All three aircraft wear the finishes typical of American escort fighters in 1944 – Olive Drab or natural metal with the colourful group recognition markings. On bare metal surfaces it is worth considering airbrushed metallic paints with subtle shade variation between individual panels. Applying the decals over a gloss coat reduces the risk of silvering, and a satin varnish makes a suitable final finish. To raise the level of detail you may wish to consider a turned metal pitot tube or a seat belt set, available separately in our shop.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution to help the decals conform to the detail
• Modelling wash to emphasise the detail and panel lines

About the aircraft – North American P-51B Mustang:

The Mustang came into being remarkably quickly – North American Aviation designed it in 1940 to a British purchasing commission requirement, and the prototype flew only a few months after the contract was signed. The aircraft featured an advanced laminar-flow wing section and exceptionally refined aerodynamics, including the distinctive radiator duct under the rear fuselage. The early Allison-engined versions performed well at low level but lost their edge at the altitudes where the war over Germany was being fought.

The breakthrough came with the British Rolls-Royce Merlin, built under licence in the United States by Packard as the V-1650. The result was the P-51B, produced at Inglewood, and the identical P-51C from the Dallas plant. The aircraft gained over 100 km/h at altitude along with a ceiling that allowed it to fight German fighters on their own terms. Combined with underwing drop tanks, this gave the American air forces something they had lacked: an escort fighter able to accompany the bombers all the way to the target and back.

In the spring of 1944 the Mustangs of the Eighth Air Force took air superiority over the Reich away from the Luftwaffe – one of the preconditions for the success of the Normandy landings. The P-51B still had the original framed canopy and the fuselage spine behind the cockpit, which restricted the view to the rear; some aircraft received the bulged Malcolm Hood in the field, while the definitive solution arrived with the bubble canopy of the P-51D. Several of the most successful American aces of the European theatre flew the P-51B, among them George Preddy and William Overstreet.

Original aircraft specifications (North American P-51B Mustang):

• Length: 9.83 m
• Wingspan: 11.28 m
• Height: 4.17 m
• Empty weight: approx. 3,100 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 5,080 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Packard V-1650-3 inline engine (licence-built Rolls-Royce Merlin) of approx. 1,380 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 700 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 12,700 m
• Range: approx. 1,300 km, approx. 2,400 km with drop tanks
• Armament: 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns in the wings; underwing racks for bombs or fuel tanks
• Production: approx. 1,990 P-51B (Inglewood) and approx. 1,750 identical P-51C (Dallas)

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that builds its range around its own themed releases of plastic kits. Each box contains sprues from an established manufacturer – in this case Hasegawa sprues – combined with the company's own artwork, illustrated assembly instructions and a new decal sheet. The waterslide decals for the brand's kits are printed by Cartograf of Italy, valued in the industry for their thin carrier film and accurate colour registration. Most of the aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the glazing, which makes painting the canopy frames considerably easier. Hobby 2000 selects its subjects around specific campaigns, units and pilots, and Polish themes appear regularly in the catalogue. Print runs are limited, so once a release sells out it rarely returns. For the modeller this means access to proven tooling in a boxing with carefully researched markings that are often hard to find elsewhere.