By Iain Ogilvie
Sent
to us recently for review is a stunning and very different set of
decals for the P-51 in Dutch and Indonesian Air Force service.
Printed by decalprint in Holland, these decals look superb - very
thin, good colour and excellent register. All I can add is there is
something about these shark nosed beauties that is shouting BUILD
ME!
From
the Dutch Profile site:
Camouflage and Markings P-51D/K RNEIAF:
The
North American P-51D/K’s were delivered in natural aluminium.
Fuselage and wings were natural metal as were the moving parts of
the wing. The wings themselves were factory-treated with an
aluminium paint. The laminar-flow wingprofile required a perfectly
smooth surface. From the leading edge to at least 40% of the wing a
zinc-chromate primer was applied over which a second layer of
filling primer was applied. This way all irregularities were
removed. Panel lines were filled and sanded perfectly smooth after
which an aluminium coat was applied. Usually the complete wing up to
the control surfaces was treated this way. The anti-glare shield in
front of the cockpit was Dark Olive Drab non reflective.
During delivery national insignia, the red white and blue flag, were
applied in six positions.
The red was probably “vlaggenrood FS-1105 and the blue
“vlaggenblauw” FS-5044.
On the 1st of January 1948 these flags were replaced by the roundel,
again in six positions and most probably the same colours were used.
On the vertical stabiliser a small flag, approximately 40cmx30cm.
appeared.
Before delivery from Australia registrations (N3-600 series) were
applied in black in several variants on the nose above the exhaust
and, very small on the tip of the vertical stabiliser. It was also
applied on the fuselage, behind the flag. The Australians used a
local letter type. Later on the last two digits of the registration
were applied much larger on the fin.
Through Technical Order TN07-1-H1, it was stipulated that the
registration was to be applied to vertical stabiliser and nose and
at the same time the registration system was put in line with that
of the Dutch Air Force in the Netherlands. That resulted in the
N3-600 series registration of the Mustang being changed into the
H-300 series. This chance commenced in September 1947 on Java but
No. 122 Squadron Medan only started this change during may 1948.
At delivery propellers were black with four inch yellow tips.
Spinners mere natural metal but soon flight colours were introduced.
These colours were red, yellow and blue These were first carried on
the front end of the spinner but later on the whole spinner was
painted. The PVA did not use coloured spinners.
More
information is available from their website at
http://www.dutchprofile.nl
and the publishers can be contacted at
info@dutchprofile.nl
Review courtesy of Dutch Profile - with more to come in the next few
days.
If
you'd like your product reviewed - please contact me at
iain@skywriters.net
