North American Mustang F-51D

Mid M18 Hellcat build, I had a bit of a break with an alfresco ☀️ construction of the Airfix North American P-51D Mustang. I first built this kit as the Red Tails “Lollipoop” back in May 2020 and had forgotten what a lovely little kit it is. This time however, as you may notice from the pilot’s attire, I’m going for something very different.

Here is my Airfix 1:72 scale Mustang F-51D, with a difference, completed … this is from my next project inspired by Roland White’s lesser known but excellent book “Phoenix Squadron”. More on that later, meanwhile …

In early summer 1971, the Guatemalan F-51D Mustang squadron deployed to a rough jungle strip at Tikal, close to the border of British Honduras. Less than a year earlier, the unit’s aircraft had been repainted in an effective camouflage known as the ‘invasion scheme’.