I picked up a Hasegawa 1/48 P-51D for $28 at the LHS today. I just glanced at the instructions real quick and noticed there were a few options for under the wings. There are 10 rockets, 2 bombs, 2 external fuel tanks, 2 other bomb-like things, and 2 sets of 3 rocket tubes togeather. What would be most common on a Mustang? Any more tips?
Evan

by far the external fuel tanks would be most common.

the rockets weren't really used much in WWII - more appropriate for Korean War Mustangs.

the bazooka tubes were used some, but not much.

P-51s were occasionally loaded out with bombs, but again, not too common (more common than bazooka tubes though. Commonwealth mustangs had bombs more often though i think.

but external fuel tanks were used on a large percentage of missions.

Here is a blurry pic of the other bomb-like things. I am not sure what they are. They are about twice the size of the other bombs and a differant shape then external fuel tanks. Could I mix and match armament with 5 rockets on one side and a bomb on the other? Or a bomb on one side and a fuel tank on the other?

Thanks
Evan

Those are also drop tanks (if you're talking about the items on the top left of the photo) Also, bombs were often carried by 9th AF P-51s in the ETO. Rocket tubes were also used mainly by 9th AF. Some 8th AF P51s also were used in Fighter sweeps and ground attack, especially as their numbers increased and Luftwaffe opposition to deep penertaion raids decreased and could be seen carrying bombs. The HVARs (high velocity aerial rockets) may have been seen in the Pacific (in Europe I think that they were primarly used on P47s and P38s) and of course in Korea.

The Bazooka type rockets were mainly seen on Iwo Jima based P51s late in the war. As above they are much more common on the Jug and P38 in the ETO and Pacific.

Would mixing armament be at all accurate?
Evan

That all really depends on which aircraft you are building.Consult your references if building a particular Mustang , but then again anything is possible if you are not fussed on being totally accurate.The only limit on a real aircraft would have been the weight of the mixed stores ie - rockets , large bombs.As other members have already pointed out - most Mustangs were fighters and the mud moving was left up to Jugs and P38s , so the main stores would have been fuel , fuel and more fuel for those long trips to Berlin or Tokyo

In brief no, don't mix the weapons. That may be done on modern a/c but wasn't seen on WW2 American a/c. If you are using drop tanks, use 1 ea of the same type under each wing. Same with bombs and rocket types. Of course now that I have said this someone will bring out a photo, but by and large, this simply wasn't done.