In his editorial in the January 2024 edition of Eduard Info, Vladimir Sulc announced the future release of the Eduard 1/72 North American P-51D Mustang. Eduard had previously indicated their intention to scale down their phenomenal 1/48 P-51D kit, so while it did not come as a complete surprise, it is great news.
Eduard
Eduard’s releases of their 1/48 P-51D kits covered every production block of the D model from the early filletless D-5 through the D-25, including the needed parts for the D-20/25 Iwo Jima VLR Mustangs and kits for the P-51K and the F-6D/K photo reconnaissance versions. The hope is that Eduard will follow suit with their 1/72 P-51D kits.
Eduard
The projected release of this kit is June of this year, the same month Eduard will be releasing their new 1/48 P-51B Mustang. With Arma Hobby releasing their 1/72 P-51D Mustang in the first quarter of this year, it is a good year to be a Mustang modeler.
UpRise Decals from St. Petersburg, Russia has released decal sheets featuring two 457th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group North American P-51D-25-NA Mustangs in 1/72nd, 1/48th, and 1/32nd scales.
UpRise produces decals for both World War II and modern military aircraft, civil aircraft and airliners, helicopters, ordinance, and insignia. Their website can be found here: https://uprise-decal.ru/
UpRise Decals
Decals are provided for 542 “Fighting Lady” (Serial No. 44-72570), and 528 “The Enchantress” (Serial No. 44-72671). Both of these planes are popular among modelers because of the pin up art which adorned their fuselages.
The decals are lazer printed and look exceptionally good, and each sheet comes with the dive angle stripes that appeared on the leading edge of the top of the wings and most of the exterior stencils that appeared on 506th FG P-51D Mustangs. The extensive exterior stencil decals are a nice nice touch on UpRise Decals’ part.
UpRise DecalsUpRise DecalsUpRise Decals
528 “The Enchantress” was assigned to 2nd Lt. William E. Saks. 2nd Lt. Saks went Missing in Action on the infamous June 1st “Black Friday” escort mission to Osaka in which 27 Mustangs and 24 pilots of the 15th, 21st and 506th Fighters Groups were lost to severe weather conditions encountered between Iwo Jima and the Japanese Home Islands. His Missing Air Crew Report indicates that he was flying a different P-51D-25 Mustang (Serial No. 44-72885) on that mission. The Enchantress survived the war and was transferred to Japan as part of the occupation forces after the cessation of hostilities.
528 “The Enchantress” (506th Fighter Group Association)
It is unknown if a second pilot was assigned initially to fly The Enchantress along with 2nd Lt. Saks, and if any other pilots were specifically assigned to the plane after 2nd Lt. Saks was lost on June 1st. We are unable to locate an individual picture of 2nd Lt. Saks, or a group picture that includes him. The picture below is of Dr. Theodore Paprocki, the 457th squadron’s medical officer, sitting on the wing of The Enchantress. Note the wear of the paint on the back sides of the propeller blades (uncuffed portions) due to the sand and volcanic ash on Iwo Jima.
Dr. Theodore Paprocki sitting on the wing of “The Enchantress (506th Fighter Group Association via Maurita Paprocki)
The other decals are for 542 “Fighting Lady” which was assigned to 1st Lt. Ralph Gardner and 1st Lt. Chester Jatzcak. Below is a nice close up picture of the pin up art that adorned the fuselage.
542 “Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association)
While the quality of the below photo is not the best, it does clearly show the position of the name “Fighting Lady” on the nose below the engine exhaust stacks and the elegant design of the Mustang’s nose.
Unknown ground crew member lying on the wing of “Fighting Lady” (506th Fighter Group Association)
Norma Jatczak, 1st Lt. Chester Jatczak’s wife, was of the belief that the plane’s name was “Broadway Gal”. Unfortunately, the 506th Fighter Group Association does not have a photo to substantiate her belief.
1st Lt. Chester Jatczak crouched on the wing of “Fighting Lady” (506th Fighter Group Association via Norma Jatczak)
Please note the photo below does not have the name “Fighting Lady” on the nose yet. This photo was likely taken in June of 1945 as the plane has a solid green tail instead of the initial squadron markings of diagonal green stripes on the tail.
1st Lt. Ralph Gardner in the cockpit of “Fighting Lady” (506th Fighter Group Association)
I interviewed Ralph Gardner at the 2013 506th Fighter Group Reunion in Chino, California, but did not think to inquire about the whether the plane had the name of “Broadway Gal” at one point in time, or whether the name was on the right side of the nose. The photo below appears to dispel the notion that “Broadway Gal” appeared on the right side of the nose.
1st Lt. Ralph Gardner flying “Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association)457th Fighter Pilots in front of “Fighting Lady” – Front row left to right; Lts. Alan Kinvig and George Hetland; Back row left to right; Lts. Ray Miller, Martin Ganschow, Ralph Gardner and Larry Grennan (506th Fighter Group Association via Ralph Gardner)
UpRise Decals uses Film Free Ability (FFA) for their decals. This is the technology that allows the modeler to remove the clear film that covers the decal during production. The initial application of FFA decals is the same as regular water slide decals. After applying the decals, whisking away the excess water, and working out any air bubbles from under the decals, you let the decals sit for 24 hours, and then gently remove the film that covers the decals. Without any film surrounding the decals, they look like they are painted on. Really nice!
A tutorial/description of UpRise Decals’ Film Free Ability decals is found here: https://uprise-decal.ru/ffa. There are also several YouTube videos providing tutorials on how to use these and similar decals from other manufacturers.
UpRise Decals can be purchased on eBay from two vendors who appear the be the same person. When I initially purchased these decals, the FFA was only available on their 1/32nd decal sheets, but now all their decals (1/144th, 1/72nd, 1/48th, 1/32nd and 1/24th) produced from November 2022 forward use the FFA technology. If you want to use UpRise’s FFA decals, you need to check to make sure that the particular decal sheet you are buying has the FFA technology. There are probably some the regular water slide decals still being sold or resold on eBay.
In keeping with their initial business model of releasing 1/72 single engine fighters, the good folks at Arma Hobby have recently released a Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank).
Tamiya, Revell and Hasegawa have all released 1/72nd Ki-84s, but these kits are decades old. The Hasegawa kit is still being produced, and while it is a nice kit, it has raised panel lines, a very basic cockpit without a lot of detail, and a one piece canopy. Sword released a Ki-84 in 2008, and a pre-production version in 2010, but these are limited run kits that are no longer being produced. So it is nice to see a new tool Ki-84 in 1/72nd scale.
As of the date of this post, Arma Hobby has released two boxings of this kit; an Expert Set (with photo-etch parts and masks), and a basic model kit. It is customary for Arma Hobby to release at least two boxings of each kit, so it will be interesting to see if they release another boxing.
Arma Hobby
There are three sprues included in the basic model kit; one with the fuselage, wing, engine, cockpit, and undercarriage parts; one with the horizontal surfaces, drop tanks and bomb parts; and one with the clear parts.
The level of detail in the cockpit is exceptional, and the designers have done a great job keeping the cockpit components to scale. This makes for very delicate parts in which great care is needed when removing them from the sprues and cleaning the parts up. All of the great detail can be showcased since the canopy can be posed open.
The surface detail on the kit is also very nice.
The canopy parts are thin and crystal clear.
As indicated above, the Expert Set comes with a photo etched fret that includes the engine wiring harness, seat belts, and cockpit parts. The masks for the canopy and wheels are made of kabuki tape instead of vinyl.
Six decal options are included in the Expert Set, which allows the modeler to choose between Home Defense Hayates, a Philippine based Hayate, and CBI based Hayate, and a kamikaze (57th Shimbu-tai). The decals are printed by Techmod.
Arma HobbyArma HobbyArma HobbyArma HobbyArma HobbyArma HobbyDecals in Expert Set (Arma Hobby)Arma Hobby
The basic model kit provides two decal options; one Home Defense Hayate and a Philippine based Hayate
Arma HobbyArma HobbyDecals in the basic Model Kit (Arma Hobby)
This looks to be another great kit from Arma Hobby. If you would like to see some built up models, please visit Arma Hobby’s website https://www.armahobby.com/. They have an excellent blog that not only shows built models, but also features articles focusing on the history of the planes included in their kits. Very cool.
On March 1, 1945, just 11 days after the United States Marines stormed Iwo Jima’s black sand beaches, Lt (jg). Noah B. Butt, Jr. of VC-76 landed his General Motors FM-2 Wildcat (White 4) on South Field after experiencing difficulties with a drop tank. White 4 was the first U.S. Navy plane to land on Iwo Jima.
USAAF/National Archives via Fold3
Wanting to build an FM-2 Wildcat involved in the Battle for Iwo Jima, I was pleased to see Arma Hobby release a FM-2 Wildcat in 1/72 scale. I researched on-line build reviews for both the 1/48 Hobby Boss FM-2 and the 1/72 Arma Hobby FM-2, and decided to go with the Arma Hobby kit.
Founded in 2013, Arma Hobby is a Polish model manufacturer that has been releasing 1/72 airplane kits, and they are set to release their first 1/48 kit shortly. I have been following them for the last few years waiting for them to release a kit I wanted to build.
Arma Hobby
As is customary for Arma Hobby, they have released several boxings of this kit; an Expert Set (with photo-etch parts and masks), and two basic kits. There are three sprues included in the basic kit; one with fuselage, wings, and engine; one with cockpit, undercarriage, and horizontal surfaces; and one with the clear parts.
The casting is very well done with a minimal amount of flash, and the level of detail is very impressive for a 1/72 kit. The recessed panel lines and other surface detail are very nice and not overstated.
The level of detail in the cockpit parts is extremely nice and both types of wheels are included. Some of the undercarriage parts are quite delicate, but that is what you would expect for a 1/72 scale Wildcat.
The canopy comes in two parts so you can you can show off all that nice cockpit detail with an open canopy. The canopy parts are clear and thin.
The instructions are very well done with good illustrations. Decals are provided for White 29, flown by Lt (jg). Heatherly Foster, III, (VC-93/USS Petrof Bay); and White 35, flown by Lt. Ralph E. Elliot, Jr. (VC-27/USS Savo).
Arma HobbyArma Hobby
The decals, printed by Techmod, are in register and come with a lot of stencil details which will show up nicely on overall glossy Dark Sea Blue planes.
Arma Hobby
This looks like a really nice kit for 1/72 scale. I have red a few on-line builds, and it appears that it is well engineered without a lot of fit issues. Looking forward to building this kit.
Iwo Jima Models 