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I for one am looking forward to it. Eduard has been producing some exceptional WWII kits and these CAD drawings really look quite good. I'm also looking forward to the Airfix release as both should be a notch or two ahead of the 20 year old Tamiya kit. If the Eduard kit comes with their exceptional cockpit that is targeted for the Airfix it, it won't be cheap. Sprue Brothers has it in stock for $35! I'm really thinking about it for the Airfix kit, and I'm hoping that it comes with the Eduard kit in some offering. Joel

I'll probably try to snag a Royal Class boxing when it comes out. Personally I'm thrilled they are doing a new tool P-51D. Tamiya and Hasegawa are nice, Meng is excellent, and the Airfix looks great, but knowing Eduard I bet we will get options they ignored. Radio setups for ETO, CBI, and PTO (VLR) were all different and visibly so. Current kits are all based on ETO setups, with some offering CBI ring masts but not correct radios to go with them. No one offers the correct PTO radios even in boxes marked specifically as Pacific Mustangs. I'd love an Iwo Jima Mustang that actually looks correct including 110gal teardrop tanks. Fillet-less tail for early blocks, along with correct wings if they follow the example of their Spitfires and show the subtle differences. Airfix and Meng both depict a wing that is only correct for a D-25/K-10 or later, having HVAR mount locations moulded on them. And these are just US Mustangs, consider the changes for other users. Red Roo and Ultracast offer resin parts, but likely Eduard will have them in the box. There are other differences in the D throughout its life as well, but those are just some obvious ones that I hope Eduard will address. The current kits work great if you want to build something from the 8th or 9th Air Forces, but I am hoping to see a kit that covers the CBI and PTO properly for a change as well. Besides all of that, I imagine Eduard chose it for the same reason they chose the Spitfires and 109's; it will absolutely sell. Who doesn't love Spitfires, Mustangs, and Messerschmidts?

Paul, You're my go to P-51 expert for sure. Now you've made the wait and it's rewards that much sweeter. Honestly, I didn't know half of what you just posted. Thanks so much for that info. I've started to collect all the various P-51 kits so I can do what you've accomplished, and build the family the best I can. Joel

I will be getting at least two of them maybe even more . Not that I need anymore mustangs in the stash but one can never have enough though for all those checker schemes and bluenoses ... I just hope that they get the canopy sitting right !

Nothing against having multiple offering to chose from, but Tamyia will be hard to beat. One thing that Eduard will have better for sure will be the decals and camouflage options. What I dont get is why doesnt Eduard do a 1/48 scale Mig-15 and Mig-17 or an early Mig-21 ? They already have the data and they would dominate the market in that area.

Naseby, Interesting choices for sure. But the why or why not's these days come from whatever form of research they do on what they perceive is their core markets. Popular modeling subjects seem to stay popular for long periods of time. Like I said, if it was up to me, they would be molding a B not a D, as the Accurate Miniature molds are by now certainly showing their age. Or as Paul brought up the need for a early D. Neither which seems to be in their game plan any time soon. Joel

I spoke to a gentleman from Eduard the summer before last at the IPMS Nats in South Carolina about this very subject - I suggested that the modeling world would likely beat a path to their door if they scaled up their 1/72 Mig . He said the process would take 2 years till it was available- perhaps we will see it one day

I spoke to a gentleman from Eduard the summer before last at the IPMS Nats in South Carolina about this very subject - I suggested that the modeling world would likely beat a path to their door if they scaled up their 1/72 Mig . He said the process would take 2 years till it was available- perhaps we will see it one day[/quote] Richard, I'd be very interested in that trio when and if Eduard kitted them. Joel