CORGI AA32212 1/72 P-51D MUSTANG FS, WILLIAM DANIEL USAAF 308th USAAF ITALY 1944

CORGI AA32212 1/72 P-51D MUSTANG 'TEMPUS FUGIT' COL. WILLIAM A DANIEL, 308th FS/31st FG, 15th AAF, ITALY 1944 - LIMITED STOCK

The 31st Fighter Group was the first American Fighter Group to participate in the European Theatre of Operations during World War 2, to land in Algeria during the Northwest African invasion and to be based on Sicily. Also, it was the first American Fighter Group to be based on Malta. It was supposed to have been the first American Fighter Group to be based in Italy, but by the time the Allies had captured its airdrome, another American Fighter Group had already moved into Italy to occupy an improvised airdrome constructed after the invasion. The 31st Fighter Group was chosen to give umbrella protection to the Roosevelt-Churchill conference in Casablanca and was selected to escort the Italian high command from German-defended Italy to Sicily during the Italian surrender negotiations, prior to the Italian invasion. Later they were selected to go in with the assault troops at Oran, Gela, Salerno and Anzio.

North American P-51B Mustang

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."

Product information

Corgi's 1:32 scale P-51 Mustang series includes the early war P-51B and the late war P-51D variants. P-51B releases feature either an early bird-cage style canopy or the "Malcolm-Hood" style canopy and under wing mounted pitot tube. The P-51D's large "bubble-top" canopy allows for easy viewing of a hand-painted pilot figure. A removable engine cowling is included on some releases (see photos), revealing a detailed Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. This series includes models with a variety of wing mount drop tanks and ordnance and accurately modelled radiator scoops. When configured for ground display, the wing's structural detail can be seen inside the wheel wells.

PLEASE SEE OUR OTHER LISTINGS - MANY ARE DESIRABLE AND RARE MODELS YOU DO NOT SEE ANYMORE - WE HAVE MORE THAN 2,000 SOLD OUT MODELS IN STOCK WITH US - ALL ARE STILL NEW UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US, WE ARE HERE MOST OF THE TIME AND ALL QUESTIONS/ENQUIRIES ARE ANSWERED WITHOUT FAIL. BGW TEAM