Okay I’ve looked high and sorta low, but cannot find a confirmed reference on what model(s) of P-51 Mustangs the Red Tailed Tuskegee airmen flew. I know the one being flown by the CAF is a C model but not sure that is accurate for the 332nd guys. And I think there is a kit or two out there of D models, again, accurate?
Along with that, best kit in 1/72 for a Red Tail Mustang?
Thanks for any help!
I’m guessing they would have had B/C models and then the D’s.
For a D in 1/72…Airfix. Having done Academy, Heller, Tamiya and several Airfix 51’s…Airfix will get my vote every time. They even have one boxed with RedTails markings, and it’s 1/2 the cost of the Tamiya 51 (if even that much!)
For a B/C…the Academy kit is nice…much better than their D.
B’s mostly. The only diffrence between the B and C was the C was built in Dallas. Like fermis said they moved to the D’s later.
I got a chance to see the CAF C Mustang up close and personal on Tuesday. It’s being repainted at the local airport and another teacher in the high school knows the owner of that business so we took a few students out for a tour of the facility. It was super cool to see it in the stages of reassembly. As an added bonus the company just got a F4U-4C Corsair in as well.
Can’t help you as to specific variants (though i’m convinced i’ve seen pictures of B/C’s in Red Tail markings). I have heard/seen GREAT things about the airfix P-51D. The older release, at least, comes as a Red Tails plane. Only problem is, if you don’t like the -D, Airfix doesn’t really have anything. (I’ve alway’s been partial to the earlier variants, myself.
As far as I know, the only difference between the P-51B and the P-51C is where they were built. The B was built in California and the C was built in Texas.
My grandpa was on a B-17 crew and was escorted on several missions by the red tails. He said they were in D’s when he saw them. I choose to go with that because I prefer the P-51D. Haven’t really looked beyond my bias toward the D at this point though.
Tamiya makes a !/48 edition of the D with Red Tail markings. I’ve seen it on ebay a few times.
There is a surviving D model Mustang which was not only flown by the Red Tails, but was recently repainted into its wartime colours and reunited with its WW2 pilot! Unfortunately I didn’t keep the article, but the item was in one of the heritage aircraft magazines, probably “Flypast”
I think there’s a Tamiya D kit with 332nd markings. Not that they are very complex.
Here’s the current one they fly at airshows. I would assume that it’s the right model but I only shot the picture a few years ago. Hope this helps.
Max
Although a snap-tite kit, Pegasus makes a great 1/48 51B in Tuskegee markings. It’s not a bad kit for the price and is a quick build.
According to Aeromaster Decals they flew both D’s and B/C models
Look up (GOOGLE) Col. Charles E McGee who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen. They flew P-40s, P51 B/Cs, and P51Ds. Col Mcgee stayed in the Service and flew Combat in Korea as well as in Viet Nam. His P-51 B had the name KITTEN on the nose. He flew missions out of Ramitelli, Italy. I have seen pictures of him near a P-51D., but I cannot say he flew it.
TAmiya is the best Mustang in both 1/72, and in 1/48th.The 1:32 nd is the overall king.
I’ve built the Tamiya 1/48 -D and it falls together. It’s a truly wonderful kit to build.
BK
