HVAR Rockets and VLR Tanks for the Iwo Jima Mustang

The additional VLR sprue prepared for the 1/72 scale P-51D Mustang was designed to make it possible to recreate the characteristic configurations of aircraft operating from Iwo Jima during Very Long Range missions over Japan.

What’s included on the sprue?

The sprue includes two types of drop tanks as well as HVAR rockets with launch rails. These are the details that most clearly distinguish VLR Mustangs from the more typical European-based P-51Ds.

The standard escort configuration used 110-gallon drop tanks for long-range cover missions protecting B-29 bombers. Strike missions often used the more streamlined 150-gallon tanks borrowed from the P-38 Lightning. Their shape helped reduce aerodynamic drag during flights carrying HVAR rockets.

VLR Mustang details

While designing these parts, we also tried to capture some of the less obvious details of the Very Long Range configuration. The fuel tanks feature the characteristic stabilizing fins mounted along the sides. On the real aircraft these were made from plywood.

The HVAR rockets and launch rails were designed not only with appearance in mind, but also ease of assembly. The rails are connected by a thin mounting frame that helps position them evenly relative to the wing and the pre-drilled mounting holes. Once glued in place, the marked section of the frame can simply be cut away.

This makes it easy to build the model either with rockets installed or with the launch rails left empty.

The photos show individual sprue elements as well as part of the assembly guide. These may be small additions, but they are exactly the kind of details that give the VLR Mustang its distinctive late-Pacific character as an aircraft flying from Iwo Jima over Japan.

See also:

• Order from the Arma Hobby store

P-51D Mustang VLR – Malowania z Pudełka #70073

Kalkomanie i maski do P-51D Mustang VLR #70073

 

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