1/72 P-51D Mustang Very Long Range

The North American P-51D Mustang is one of the most iconic fighter aircraft of World War II. Originally designed for the RAF, it only reached its full potential after the installation of a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine (licensed Packard V-1650), which gave it excellent high altitude performance. Its combination of speed, manoeuvrability and, above all, exceptional range made it the ideal escort fighter for USAAF strategic bombing missions over Europe and the Pacific. The Very Long Range (VLR) variant represented the pinnacle of this development - the P-51D modified for the extremely long missions required by operations from Iwo Jima against the Japanese islands in 1945.

After the capture of Iwo Jima in February 1945, the United States acquired a base approximately 1,200 miles from Tokyo. From there, Boeing B-29 Superfortresses could conduct daily precision raids on Japanese industry - but they needed escorts. The P-51D Mustang was the only Allied fighter capable of handling such missions. In VLR configuration, it carried a combination of external tanks: standard 110-gallon underwing tanks and often 150-gallon aerodynamic tanks originally developed for the P-38 Lightning. The total fuel capacity thus allowed for flights lasting six hours or more. In addition to escorting bombers, the Iwo Jima Mustangs also conducted solo strike missions against ground targets, carrying missile ordnance or bombs.

Arma Hobby 70073 depicts just this demanding operational configuration. The kit is based on a modern next-generation mold and features special VLR moldings with Pacific-specific equipment. The modeler has both types of overhead tanks (110-gallon and 150-gallon from the P-38), ground attack missiles, a detailed cockpit and high quality Cartograf decals. Also included are cockpit masks to facilitate painting and a link to download a 3D file with additional accessories.

The markings offered cover two authentic machines from the spring and summer of 1945:

P-51D-20-NA "Snortin' Phyllie" - 1st Lt. Herb Straughn's aircraft of the 531st Fighter Squadron, 21st Fighter Group, Iwo Jima, spring-summer 1945.

P-51D-25-NA "Little One" - 1st Lt. Francis J. Pilecki's aircraft of the 458th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group, Iwo Jima, spring 1945. The tail stripe decals are specially shaped to match the curved surface of the tail, providing a more realistic result than the flat stripes common in other kits.

The kit is suitable for modellers with an interest in WW2 aviation, USAAF, operations against Japan in 1945, long range escort fighters and classic Mustangs in a less common variant. The 1:72 scale offers a good compromise between detail and size of the finished model. The package does not include paint or glue needed for assembly.