357th FG Profile
Lt. Edward Fry’s P-51D Mustang “Princess Pat”
Modeler Tips:
Side View Notes:
A. Rear red band on propeller boss extends onto spinner to leading edge of blades when in neutral pitch. Determine width of yellow band by dividing remainder of spinner evenly.
B. “Princess Pat” in yellow on port side only, all capitols except that the P’s are 33% larger and overlap panel to just under level of exhaust cutout.
C. Project number and specification data on natural aluminum.
D. No mirror.
E. Canopy frame is natural aluminum except for olive green forward windscreen risers.
F. Tail Number “413” in yellow, “648” in black on yellow rudder.
Upper & Lower View Notes:
G. Width of checkers reduced on underside in order to fit evenly on the narrow surfaces of the chin scoop area. H, I, J. Red, Green, Yellow navigation lights- circular and flush with wing panel.
K. Formation Lights- Red (Port) and Green (Starboard)
Overall Modeling Tips:
*This aircraft wore dark olive green over USAAC medium gray. Paint on the flat camouflage first- then mask off a rectangle for the project number background and paint in natural aluminum color. Most metal colors will be marred or removed by masking materials so it’s often better to leave them for last.
*After building several 357th A/C over the past 30 years, I recommend painting the nose area forward of the exhaust cutout yellow when the flat features are painted. When the time for decals arrives, carefully cut away the yellow squares from the checkerboard decal and apply the remaining strip of red checkers to the nose. This method significantly reduces the potential for bubbles, and wrinkles plus it makes exact alignment of the decal easier.
*Prior to assembly, wash clear plastic parts with a mild glass cleaner and gently wipe dry. Then use a Q-Tip to evenly spread clear liquid floor wax (Future Brand seems to get the best results) on both inside & outside. Protect from dust and let dry for at least 2 hours. The wax fills in microscopic flaws and creates an even gloss that is clearer & shines brighter than the original plastic underneath.
Repli-Scale Decal Sheet 48-5056
Lt. Ed Fry’s Prince Pat, a P-51D-10, the name in yellow is very faint.
