New P-51 decals with a chequered past and some racy names from Zotz - Plus the Harriers have landed!

Freshly announced P-51D decals (never enough decals for this seeing people are buying multiples of the Tamiya kit ) from ZOTZ from Mexico.The decals cover two aircraft in 1/32 scale – both 78th fighter group planes from the airbase in Duxford in England that would have been escorting the “heavies” of the 8th Air Force into (and out) of their bombing raids onto Nazi Occupied Europe. These “little Friends” as the bomber crews called them were seen as guardian angels to the bomber squadrons as they gave cover all the way to and from the target pretty much anywhere in The continent - Eli has two examples here to add to his other two sheets of new P-51 decals we reviewed earlier this year in The Modelling News. Let’s look at both of the planes on the forthcoming sheet

"Little Chic" WZ-X - P-51D-20NA s/n 44-72099 from the 84th FS 78th FG

This aircraft was assigned to 1st Lieutenant Warren Blodgett who scored four kills in the war. This Mustang was overall natural metal with a black rudder and a segmented black and white spinner. The antenna mast, windshield and canopy framing, wing elevator tips and vertical fairings were all black. Fitted with perforated breather plate and with an olive drab anti-glare panel this is a lovely example of a Duxford bird

Next aircraft on this sheet is named "Big Dick" (Big Dick I am sure all of those gamblers out there will know is the craps call for double five) MX-U - It was a P-51D-20NA with serial number 44-64147 from the 82nd Fighter Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group

This aircraft assigned to Maj. Dick Hewitt. Officially credited with 4 air plus 4.3 ground victories. Hewitt became the CO of the 82nd FS. He survived the war having flown over 100 combat missions.

The aircraft was an overall natural metal finish. With a red rudder and black Spinner segmented with white. Anti-glare panel was again Olive drab while the antenna mast was black.

I suppose at least Zotz haven't given us the Bum steer!

These decals should be available within a month – keep an eye out on the Zotz Site

Also, you should know that their Harrier decals are now out and shipping from them as well

Zotz from Mexico have released two new sheets of decals for the Harrier II and Gr7 harriers respectively – the first being for the advanced harrier and covering US, Spanish and Indian harriers, the second being for British Harriers during the Afghanistan Operations “Telic & Herrick” as well as some display aircraft in Germany and another on deployment to Norway in 2004. These sheets are in 1/32 and are made by modellers for modellers – On Large Scale Planes, there was a kind of “Suggestion Box” where you could put forward your own favourite scheme and these schemes won out.

Let’s have a look at the First sheet of the Harrier II in US/Spanish and Italian service first

Interesting to see an Italian Harrier!!

The UK GR7 sheet I particularly like – it is adorned with a few aircraft I would like to portray – a “Shark mouthed” Harrier from “Operation Telic” as well as some nice silhouetted cover girls artwork that was later covered over so as not to upset the local populace. The silhouettes belonging to famous page three “stunners” Lucy Pinder and Michelle Marsh. Let’s hope these decals aren’t the last with nose art to grace our eyes!!

Michelle and Lucy in Afghanistan on a visit to the troops in front of the plane Michelle signed

Can you believe they covered it up? Lucy's plane below -the "PC gone mad" version. After all, these machines are designed to kill people.

The last scheme on these sheets is for the interesting camouflaged Harriers that took part in an exercise in frosty Norway in 2004 – these aircraft were painted in Grey/White camo and would look striking on any modelling bench or display case – I couldn’t choose!

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