North American Aviation tinkered with several versions until it found perfection in the P-51D.

Yet the plane’s very success has made it a swamp for modelers. Planes were often modified in the field, and numerous P-51s have flown continuously ever since, often with souped-up engines and non-standard restorations. Kit after kit has been criticized as incorrect for a variety of reasons, so finding the right documentation has proven a challenge.

The Japanese publisher Dai Nippon Kaige has released a series of glossy soft cover books intended to help modelers of this and other iconic aircraft. They’re not cheap, but they are definitely worth looking at, especially if you’re only going to acquire a single reference work. The P-51 book was edited by Masatsugu Shiwaku, with text by himself and Shigeru Nohara, and English input from Scott T. Hard. The drawings are by Nohara.
This book is definitely the “one-stop shopping” solution for modelers who want to up their accuracy without investing in an entire library. The price is on the high side, especially for things like the “Walk Around” series, but this book seems to me to be the answer to most everyone’s needs.
The book comes in a square 10 ¼” (26cm) format with 81 pages of color and B&W photos, along with line drawings. Text is in both Japanese and English. As new condition, no longer in print.

Free copy of Aircam Aviation Series North American P-51D Mustang in USAAF – USAF Service published by Osprey, England included. Has 6 pages of side views in colour of different Fighter Group and Squadron schemes.
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