牛魔王新品预告(82101)-1/48 北美P-51D-5″野马″战斗机板件试模

爱神之心Mk.II

The 2019 edition of the Moson Model Show is on this weekend, and we’re starting traditionally with new kit news presented at the show. And not just any news – this one is likely to be the bombshell kit release of the year.

Courtesy of the Eduard staff, the iModeler crew was allowed to examine the test shots for the company’s forthcoming 1/48 scale P-51D Mustang. The kit will represent an early production D-5 version (without a fin fillet), although it is absolutely certain that we can expect a plethora of further P-51 variations to follow.

What is it

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Eduard 1/48 North American P-51D-5 Mustang Profipack
Forthcoming injection-moulded kit with photoetched parts
Self-adhesive masks for canopy
Decal sheet with ? marking options

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Available for our scrutiny are the three test-shot sprues in grey plastic, plus a clear sprue. It’s important to note that these do NOT represent the complete kit – for example, all interior, landing gear detail, propellers etc. are missing from this test-shot. Also, although some of the parts look almost production-ready quality, the Eduard representative was clear that much of the detail will still be refined before the kit reaches production.

What’s good

– User-friendly kit engineering
– Beautiful quality of mouldings
– Visible care for detail
– A complete early fusalage without wing fillet is provided
– Moulds are prepared to cover a wide range of P-51 variants.
– Everything in the kit appears to be well-researched down to the smallest bits of this well-known aircraft
– The quality of moulding and overall finesse of this kit is mouth-wathering.

Things to watch for

– In my mind there are none at this point, although Eduard’s design choices in the kit are bound to revive the classic debate about the puttied wings vs. rivets on a Mustang and how to best depict it on a model.

Release date

We’re being informed that Eduard aims at launching the kit (presumably with the first production items being available for purchase) at the 2019 IPMS/US National Convention on 7-10 August in Chattanooga, TN. General availability in hobby stores is expected in October.

Reviewer’s point of view

Do we need another quarter-scale P-51D? Having had these test-shots in my hands, the answer appears clear to me – with this quality, we do! Personally, I’m not going to resist buying the Eduard’s P-51D as soon as it becomes available, even though the previous Airfix, Meng and Tamiya offerings are already in my stash and are all excellent kits. That’s just how exciting this new P-51 feels…