Continuing CMK's impressive line-up of resin upgrades for the new-tool 1:32 P-51D Mustang from Revell comes a pair of reolacement undercarriage sets.

The two sets are designed as straight "drop-in" replacements for the Revell parts, so no surgery is required to install them. Casting is essentally perfect in the samples, with the gear legs themselves made from a tough black resin and extra details cast in standard density grey.

The sets arrive in completely different styles of packaging, with the tailwheel in a simple plastic bag, and the main undercarriage in a blister pack - which you'd expect to offer more protection in transit. In fact, the main gear set in the blister pack had suffered minor damage, with one of the torque scissors being broken. It was no big deal to fix (look closely and you'll see the repair lines in the photo at right), but it's an indication that delicate parts in blister packs should ideally have some foam padding to prevent them rattling around.

Q32 322 P-51D Mustang - Tail Wheel

CMK's tailwheel is considerably more detailed than the original Revell version. The set comprises three parts, with a crisply cast gear leg that is attached to its casting block by a series of fine runners and filmy flash, plus a new tailwheel with much sharper hub and tyre details, and a separate steering mechanism.

Comparing the resin upgrades closely with the originals, it's immediately apparent how much clean-up the styrene parts will need to remove their mould-lines, so CMK's tailwheen will be a time-saver as well as boasting much better detail.

Price - 7.00 Euros

5123 P-51D Mustang - Main Undercarriage

The same really applies to the main gear legs, which have separate torque scissors and towing eyes, although the difference isn't as dramatic as with the tailwheel. Everything just that bit crisper, with some subtle additions missing on the styrene parts.

The black resin used for the legs feels just as capable of bearing the weight of the kit as Revell's original styrene, so there should be no worries on that front. The legs will work with the kit wheels, but CMK also produce a range of replacements that are not only more accurate, but offer tyre-tread styles not offered by Revell (see the review HERE).

Price - 12.20 Euros

Conclusion

CMK's undercarriage sets are excellent and well worth considering as upgrades for Revell's budget-priced P-51D. The only downer was the damage to the parts in the main undercarriage set, which is a reminder of the ongoing validity of the classic "ha'porth of tar" saying; perhaps CMK will consider adding some foam backing in their blister backs in future to help ensure parts always arrive in the condition they left the factory.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.