Tamiya 1/32scale P-51D (1 Viewer)

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Peteflint

Airman 1st Class
246
264
Aug 24, 2022
I'm hooked on Tamiya 1/32scale kits, here's their Mustang with Eduard decals
 

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Dude! Boo-tee-ful! One minor critique if I may... ETO/8th/9th AF Mustangs used the radio (for the life of me, I can't remember the technical name/#) that did NOT use the wire going from the vertical stab. through the canopy. Plus, it's nice not having to go through that pain when building ETO 'Stangs!

MUDDY.JPG
 
Dude! Boo-tee-ful! One minor critique if I may... ETO/8th/9th AF Mustangs used the radio (for the life of me, I can't remember the technical name/#) that did NOT use the wire going from the vertical stab. through the canopy. Plus, it's nice not having to go through that pain when building ETO 'Stangs!

View attachment 686810


Generally that's true. But ... the wire antanna W-106-A was used not only for the SCR-274-N radio. The wire antenna also was used for the Detrola Model 438 / BC 1206 Radio Range Receiver. Contrary to that the blade antenna mast VHF type AN-104-N was used for the VHF SCR-522-A ( a copy of British TR-1143 ) radio set only.
In Europe US fighters didn't use the LF band for communication. But it is known they used radio beacons associated with their home fields for navigation. So at least some of the P-51's might have been equipped with the Detrola/BC-1206 for that purpose, along with a long wire antenna.
Therefore a good image of the kite could be an evidence if the wire was there or not.
 
Generally that's true. But ... the wire antanna W-106-A was used not only for the SCR-274-N radio. The wire antenna also was used for the Detrola Model 438 / BC 1206 Radio Range Receiver. Contrary to that the blade antenna mast VHF type AN-104-N was used for the VHF SCR-522-A ( a copy of British TR-1143 ) radio set only.
In Europe US fighters didn't use the LF band for communication. But it is known they used radio beacons associated with their home fields for navigation. So at least some of the P-51's might have been equipped with the Detrola/BC-1206 for that purpose, along with a long wire antenna.
Therefore a good image of the kite could be an evidence if the wire was there or not.
Very true, Wurger but in the literally thousands of wartime P-51 images I have, I honestly have yet to see one 8th (probably 9th as well) AF Mustang with the aerial wire. Interestingly tho, P-47's definitely DID have the wire, albeit not into the canopy. And unlike me, thanks for remembering it's the SCR-522!
 
I agree as well. In many pics the cockpit hood doesn't have the slot for the wire. But there are also these with it noticed. The question is if there was the wire or not. It appears that the cable was very thin and might be unnoticed in many cases because of the angle a pic was taken with or background. Also the distance could affact that.

Here a couple of shots ...

Strange, but it isn't seen ...
P-51D_ antenna wire_c.jpg


but with the angle .. it can be noticed although it seems to be the same P-51 seen in the pic above ...
P-51D_ antenna wire_b.jpg


A quite close up image reveals how the wire was thin ..

P-51D_ antenna wire_a.jpg

the pic source: the net.
 
Dude! Boo-tee-ful! One minor critique if I may... ETO/8th/9th AF Mustangs used the radio (for the life of me, I can't remember the technical name/#) that did NOT use the wire going from the vertical stab. through the canopy. Plus, it's nice not having to go through that pain when building ETO 'Stangs!

View attachment 686810
Very glad you like it, and than for the info on the radio because I plan to build another after this one seems to have gone missing in the post on its way to Germany but its ongoing so we could still have a happy ending
 
Dude! Boo-tee-ful! One minor critique if I may... ETO/8th/9th AF Mustangs used the radio (for the life of me, I can't remember the technical name/#) that did NOT use the wire going from the vertical stab. through the canopy. Plus, it's nice not having to go through that pain when building ETO 'Stangs!

View attachment 686810
Very glad you like it, and than for the info on the radio because I plan to build another after this one seems to have gone missing in the post on its way to Germany but its ongoing so we could still have a happy ending
Great job
Thanks 👍
 
Note that, when the VHF radios were fitted to the P-51D and P-47 ( and up-dated P-51B/C models) operating from the UK ( and later mainland Europe) with 8th USAAF, the wire was not fitted, the antenna being in the "blade" mast, or, on Bubble-hood P-47, and Malcolm hood P-51, in the form of a "whip" antenna on the mid fuselage.
Where some P-51D's previously had the wire, the "lead in" opening in the rear of the canopy was covered over, normally with clear Perspex.
The earlier P-51 "razorbacks" which had originally been fitted with the straight, tubular radio mast and the wire to the fin, had the mast replaced by the "blade" type, and the wire removed, if still using the framed canopy hood, when VHF radios were retrofitted. If a Malcolm hood was fitted, then the "whip" antenna was used.
 

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