Forces of Valour 1/72scale P-51D-10-NA Mustang HO-M Sno.44-14151

[FAAMAN]

Warning, this is probably the worst modern tooling (2018) of the P-51D in 1/72 ever!! 

NA P-51D-10-NA Mustang HO-M Sno.44-14151, 1-72scale "Forces Of Valor" kit no.873010A. Built 25Apr2024 - 01Sep2024
. . . . "it looks like a Mustang" is the kindest thing I can say. No one who's a "modeller" would or should buy this. 

Built this as a dare from my son who happened to accompany me to what passes for a "hobby shop" in my area. It was overly expensive (almost twice the cost of the excellent Airfix 1/72 "D" tool from 2012)  but seemed ok. WRONG!! WRONG!! WRONG!!
The actual out line and size is about right for scale but the details are off, considerably in places, (spinner only half it's depth with the other half molded onto the nose of the fuse, the tail is way fat, wing tips way too sharp, odd windscreen shapes), curiously missing in others. With simply horrendous decals having the strangest "star and bars" that I'd ever seen. They are like thick slightly opaque cardboard when you try to use them. So I left one on the model, removed two others I had placed and ditched the rest. I went looking for decals and at this point I found out the painting instructions were wrong for the blue nose used by the particular squadron. I ended up buying a cheap Tamiya 1/72 Mustang for the 487th FS markings.
I used this model to trial AK's Xtreme Metal and Vallejo's Metal Colours paints, very impressed even though I did not use them quite correctly it still came out ok.
I've slightly over weathered this model to try and cover up some of the kit's errors, will look great at the back of my display cabinet. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yDEOQJEKL3mTYHX-9iCO9rhMhywRgWBG/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w5832DhgIFy2RA_S0bgLARZmj4fim_DU/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B0pidFCBLqUs7oUzEs8dgqFnC6h9J3Nm/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16xmSoHEPcK3dLwbSVnGBTAzkH6VbiNEh/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UVzAli0EZOdPZZq-cKeets_YRVvQsney/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10EBppypGYd_KpObRSLnqXbNZ2ZXp7eUX/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EOZTMS1Wi1aqrFGVORVgqdELzRE45kKV/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KwvD6IzQVX-md_3gJK_OL4vDmK_lU6G2/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KYZsUE8iVH9BT0ycs75Id6JtlrZSaW-C/view?usp=sharing

Regards all and thanks for looking 
FAA 

[raafif]

Aarrh!! Don't Look ! Don't Look ! .... actually you've don an excellent job on a sours arse.

[kim margosein]

Questions=
1.  Is it snap tight?]
2.  Is it sturdy?
3.  Do thbe decals go on easily?

[Kerick]

Those holes around the engine cowling are big enough to drop a softball through!
My guess it's something someone threw together to sell wherever they could. Hopefully this company dies a swift death!

[FAAMAN]

Thanks Raafif for the kind comment!!

I forgot to mention the kits prop with "swept" blades with swept tips way too long. The really weirdly shaped prop before I "fixed" it,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o3XJICBbbpChBy5l-yWF836oFzXUpWBg/view?usp=sharing


Kim it is not snap tight, it's not flimsy and as I said the decals were unusable basically cardboard with very thick and cloudy carrier film. I'll try to dig out some pics.
 
First off, the VERY weird decals, strangest star and bars I've ever seen,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6h0rbN9cIbKUHOR1Z9rkBtM8uyo9uRA/view?usp=sharing

The first two decals on . . . . . complete fail, way thick, poorly printed,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ODnc-gN655XqQ3i5hG_45zjnQesRU8xm/view?usp=sharing

Hope this helps to answer your queries.

Regards all 
FAA 

[Kerick]

That prop has a strange whiff appeal to it. Too bad the kit is expensive.

[FAAMAN]

Kerick, I put those holes (Dzus fasteners) into the cowling to add some detail to a completely barren bit that would take the eye away from the poor shapes around it, like the 'flat' exhaust stubs.

The cowling before adding detail, note it's shape, without modification this caused a heap of problems at the cockpit end as the area in front of the cockpit had a distinct angle down, causing a very pronounced "dip" that does not exist in any Mustang.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_7T7ktBUVFTaOitpL1WZp2iQt1xn9euc/view?usp=sharing
After adding detail and altering the shape a bit (but not enough),
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CyfNedJsbxsdl35IFyb_kTcAgc2uducl/view?usp=sharing
Mated to fuse, you can see the problem,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sEWuQaWhVdwc-s4M9WHRilvMkkkX0CG/view?usp=sharing

You can see the flat exhaust stubs in the "test fit" photo,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TZaJN4bhwhVxvXez9u8scpdjnlyjI1vL/view?usp=sharing
Hope this helps, Regards,
FAA 

[Kerick]

I see what you mean. That cowling looks like it’s from a different kit.

[kim margosein]

You lost me at  not snaptight.  I was looking around for something for myh 8 year grandson to build he can play with.  Are you going to the swap meet in deKalb this weekend"

[Old Wombat]

FINALLY! I got to see the images!

My PC & Google Drive weren't having a bar of each other for a few days, there. 

Not your best work, old son, but pretty good, none-the-less! Could have been much worse, given the starting point. 

[Old Wombat]

You lost me at  not snaptight.  I was looking around for something for myh 8 year grandson to build he can play with.  Are you going to the swap meet in deKalb this weekend"

As FAAMAN lives in Sydney, Australia - unlikely.

It's a long, wet drive to Illinois or Georgia, just to have some ICE agent turn you away, then shoot you, because you forgot to lick the toes of the life-size statue of the orange despot at the immigration point.

[FAAMAN]

Thanks for that Wombat. 
Sorry Google Drive is hating on your PC.
I know it's not great but it is finished!!! From some angles it does look like a Mustang, and as I said I've already picked out a spot for it at the back of the display case 
Was a struggle to do and almost got filed under "S" for S..it tin!!! 
Thanks for explaining my location too as I had no idea what a "de kelb" ? was and did not realise it was a place in the US??.
A much betterer build will be put up this weekend.