AA34403-C
Consignment
This is a Consignment sale item we are offering. It comes in its original box and is in like-new condition.
Corgi Aviation Archive
AA34403 North American P-51D Mustang, USAAF 78th FG, #44-72218 "Big Beautiful Doll", John Landers, RAF Duxford, England, 1945
1/32nd Scale, Limited Edition (No Certificate)
Wingspan is 14" x 12" nose to tail.
The Mustang modelled is 44-72218, the 192nd of a batch of three thousand P-51Ds ordered on 7th June 1944, 24 hours after D-Day, June 6th 1944. With callsign 472218, it was coded WZ-I while flown in the European Theatre of Operations and carried the nose art of 'Big Beautiful Doll'. It was flown by Colonel John Landers, Officer Commanding of the 78th Fighter Group, who flew a series of P-38s and P-51s, all of which were named 'Big Beautiful Doll'. From the 38th FS of the 55th FG he was promoted to command the 357th FG before moving to Duxford to take command of the 78th. After the war Landers commanded the 361st FG. He scored 14.5 victories, 8.5 with the Eighth Air Force.
Designed to meet an RAF requirement for fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-51 Mustang was first flown on October 26th, 1940. This versatile aircraft was capable of escorting bombers on long-range missions, engaging in dogfights, and dropping down to destroy German targets on the ground. At least eight versions of the P-51 were produced, but it was the definitive P-51D that gave the Mustang its classic warbird appearance. Britain and the US both tested the airframe with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which gave the aircraft tremendous performance gains. The Truman Senate War Investigating Committee called the Mustang "the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence."
Corgi's 1:32 scale P-51 Mustang is a large scale model loaded with features. All of the control surfaces, the landing gear and gear doors are moveable with metal hinges. The upper portion of the engine cowling is removable, revealing a masterfully rendered V-12 Merlin engine. Beneath the removable covers on each wing are detailed machine guns and ammo belts. The cockpit interior and detailed pilot figure are easily viewed with the canopy open or closed.