Kit: No. 48153
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: ICM Holding from the Ukraine, icm@icm.com.ua
Price: $11.98
Comments: Injection-molded, 115 parts (20 for figures), decals
Pros: Good cockpit and exterior detail, external stores
Cons: Fit problems, flash, brittle decals
P-51 Mustangs are always popular in 1/48 scale, and ICM has decided to add a little something more: pilot and ground-crew figures.
The kit is molded in off-white plastic that is a bit thin. The moldings have some rough edges and flash. Features include two styles of canopies, full and flattened tires, two styles of exhausts, and two types of propellers. Bombs and drop tanks round out the wing stores. Also included is a set of five figures: three pilots and two ground crew members in varying poses.
I started construction with the cockpit. It is adequately detailed and includes the ventral radiator. The instrument panel is provided as a clear part, but no backing decal is included for the instrument faces. The whole assembly dropped into the fuselage without a problem.
Next I tackled the fuselage halves. Before gluing, I spent some time removing flash. There aren't any locator pins on these parts, so be careful aligning and bonding them. I encountered a problem installing the ventral intake lip, (C22). The locator pins for this piece were poorly molded and interfered with the fit, so I cut them off and aligned the part visually.
The wings and the gear bay went together without a problem. The same can be said for attaching the wings to the fuselage. The landing flaps are separate, and I positioned them partially lowered. They can be assembled in the up position without modification.
The well-done pilot and ground-crew figures include optional heads and headgear that can be swapped among them.
I painted my Mustang with a variety of Testor Metalizer and metallic colors. Decals are included for one aircraft: "Ridge Runner." Generally they went down OK, but were brittle. Two of the star insignia broke during application. I replaced these with spare decals.
I completed my Mustang in 12 hours. My primary reference was Squadron/ Signal's Walk Around, P-51D. The completed kit looks good compared to the book's photos. The kit has some rough edges, but with the bonus figures, it's a good way to get the classic Mustang into your collection.
- Jim Zeske