Airframe & Miniature No. Va
The Va See See what he thought in his review…
Read n’ Reviewed: The North American P-51 Early Mustang (including the A-36, P-51 and P-51A to C): A Complete Guide to the USAAF’s Famous FighterModelsAirframe & Miniature No. 6 Second Edition, Valiant Wings Publishing
Richard A. Franks
Reviewed: Jan 2025
Price: PS28.95
The North American P-51 Early Mustang: A Complete Guide to the USAAF’s Famous Fighter is No. Va This This This edition is totally revised and updated, plus there are 3 new kit builds and all-new kit reviews.
This sixth book in the much-acclaimed series contains 272 pages packed with vital information that no active modeller and Mustang enthusiast should be without 60+ pages of technical information
Link to this book on the Valiant Wings Website
50+ pages of walk-around images and technical diagramsAirframe & Miniature30+ pages of camouflage and markings
30+ pages of model builds and modelling information
200+ photographs, including wartime imagesfirst published in 2013 and has been out-of-print since 2019Colour side views and stencil diagram by Richard J. CaruanaAM18, the NA P-51D/K MustangOriginal isometric views, side profiles & scale plans by Jacek Jackiewicz
Revised & new isometric views & side profiles by Wojciech Sankowski
1/72nd and 1/48th scale full kit builds by Libor Jekl & Steve A. Evans, including new builds of the 1/72 Brengun P-51 Mustang Mk I, the 1/72 Arma Hobby P-51B/C Mustang and the 1/48 Eduard D-Day Mustang
A set of fold-out 1/48th scale plans
272+ pages
This softcover, 272 page, A4 format book is organised into three major sections:Airframe Chapters
Evolution: NA-73X, Mustang Mk I, XP-51, Mustang Mk Ia, P-51-NA & F-6A
A-36, P-51A and Mustang Mk II
The Early Merlin-powered Mustangs
Test Airframes, Field Conversions & Projects
Camouflage and Markings & Colour Profiles
Miniature Chapters
A-36 Apache and Early P-51 Series Kits
Building a Selection
Building a Collection
In Detail: The A-36 and Early P-51
Appendices
A-36 Apache & Early P-51-Series Kit List
A-36 Apache & Early P-51-Series
List
Scale Plans: A-36, P-51 & P-51B/C
Before we get to the meat of the book, Richard Franks first provides a preface section (20+ pages) that summarises the history of the early Mustang along with many period photos. This is an easy read and a good introduction for those unfamiliar with the Mustang and the prevailing circumstances that led to its development.
Chapters 1 to 4
cover in detail the evolution of the early Mustang from Prototype to Production, the Allison-powered ground-attack A-36 Apache, P-51A, and RAF Mustang Mk II, and then onto the early Rolls-Royce Merlin-powered variants.
These “Airframe” chapters do a solid job of concisely summarising each of the myriad variants and sub-variants, with each being afforded a couple of paragraphs. As with all the other titles in the Valiant Airfrme and Miniature series, the number and quality of photos are excellent and really help engage the reader.
Easily the most colourful part of the book, DecalChapter 5: Camouflage & Markings,
provides us with bucket loads of inspiration and ideas. As you probably expect, the Camouflage & Markings chapter consumes a significant number of pages as it spans not only USN service but also RAF (Martlet), each being covered in some detail, including colour profiles and supporting period photos.
offers an impressive showcase of detailed builds of several 1/72 and 1/48 scale kits. Chapter The In Steve His expertise shines through in these builds, making them both informative and inspiring for modellers of all levels.Chapter 7: Building a Collection
brings to mind the classic Squadron/Signal “In Action” series, known for its detailed coverage of the key differences between variants as aircraft designs evolved. This Chapter This This It The These drawings are both visually impressive and highly useful for ensuring accuracy in your builds.
Conclusion: North American P-51 Early Mustang–Airframe & Miniature No. 6 Second Edition (Valiant Wings Publishing)Like other titles in the Valiant Wings Airframe & Miniature series, this book serves as a comprehensive resource for modellers aiming to create accurate representations of the early Mustang variants while also gaining a deeper understanding of their history and operation. I appreciate reference books that focus on a single aircraft in such depth, and I can confidently recommend this one as excellent value for money.Gary Wickham