North American Aviation P-51K Mustang – Mrs Bonnie, 460th FS, 348th FG, Bill Dunham, USAAF, La Shima 1945 (Nose Art Panel)

Corgi Aviation 1/72 scale US32213: North American P-51K Mustang Mrs. Bonnie of 348th FG, USAAF , William Dunham, Le Shima Island, August 1945. Part of the Nose Art series, with a large scale panel showing the aircrafts Nose Art insignia. Limited Edition of 2,700 models, intended mainly for US issue.

Length 5.25 inches Wingspan 6.25 inches

PLEASE NOTE: Model has a polished metal finish which will become tarnished

Lt. Col. “Dinghy” Dunham scored his 16th and final kill in the closing months of the war in this P-51K. He downed a Ki-84 Kyushu on August 1, 1945.

During WW2, young airmen separated from home, family, loved ones and a familiar way of life often sought ways of escaping the harsh reality of war by personalising their aircraft with what has become known as nose art. Humour, slogans, nicknames, cartoons, girls; all were used to bring a touch of light relief to their deadly day-to-day existence. The Corgi Nose Art range aims to capture some of the superb works of art that adorned aircraft on all sides of the conflict. Each model includes a diecast body panel featuring the art in colourful, large-scale detail.

Designed to meet an RAF requirement for fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-51 Mustang was first flown on October 26th, 1940. This versatile aircraft was capable of escorting bombers on long-range missions, engaging in dogfights, and dropping down to destroy German targets on the ground. At least eight versions of the P-51 were produced, but it was the definitive P-51D that gave the Mustang its classic warbird appearance. Britain and the US both tested the airframe with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which gave the aircraft tremendous performance gains. The Truman Senate War Investigating Committee called the Mustang “the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence.”