Revell 1/32nd P-51D Mustang

By Malcolm Reid

Here's my completed P-51D painted as a Dominican Pony from the '50s. They had some great colour schemes. I chose this particular aircraft (#1917 / 3) as this is the aircraft which was bought by the South African Air Force and repainted to resemble a Korean War P-51D as flown by the SAAF during the Korean War. The aircraft still resides at the SAAF Museum at Swartkop Air Base, South Africa.

The P-51D in question is 44-72202. A brief history (care of the SAAF Museum) is as follows:

January 1945 - Delivered to USAAF
December 1946 - sold to the Swedish Air Force
December 1952 - sold to the Dominican Air Force
Disposed of by the Dominican Air Force in 1984 to a private collector
Bought by the SAAF Historic Flight and restored to flying condition in 1987
Handed over to the SAAF Museum in 1993

Unfortunately, the aircraft suffered a mishap when one of the main landing gear legs did not extend and the aircraft was damaged on landing. It now resides as a static display item at the SAAF Museum at Swartkop Air Base in Pretoria. It is painted to resemble SAAF Mustang #325 "Patsy Dawn".

Thanks to Jose Correa of the Dominican Air Force interest group, Dominicana Vuela, for confirming 1917's identity.

None of the photos of Dominican P-51Ds which I could source from the Internet showed them carrying drop-tanks. But I thought that, surely at some stage, they would have used them.

For more information. Check out my build thread in the In the Works forum.

Revell 1/32nd P-51D Mustang

By Malcolm Reid

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