Big Beautiful Doll

I like both kits, but that is only in my opinion. One might be better at one over the other but either way you look at it they are both fantastic kits.

I'm not a 1/48 scale modeler but I've read the FSM Warbird Modeling and this features the Big Beautiful Doll and I quote Theodores Orinos ," The Hasegawa kit scores points for a better detailed cockpit, a generous choice of modeling weapon loads, and impressive decal sheet. Its main shortcoming is that the undercarriage bays are too shallow. On the other hand, the Tamiya kit has perfect undercarriage bays, a better general fit of parts, panel lines that are more finely engraved, and a smaller number of parts. It falls short however, in cockpit details and in choice of weapon loads.

For the casual modeler, it's a toss up between Tamiya's and Hasegawa's in 48th. My pick would be the Hasegawa kit, but the Tamiya offering is a bit easier to build, overall.

The cons on the Hasegawa kit are the facts that the gear wells are WAY too shallow and you can't lower the flaps without cutting them. (The flaps and gear doors invariably came down as hydraulic pressure bled off after shutdown; if someone pulled the dump handle, that is...)

There's only one really big con to the Tamiya kit and that's the canopy. First, the clear parts are very thick; unforgivably so, especially compared to Hasegawa's and more especially for a Tamiya kit in general.

Second, the sliding portion is in two parts; the rail is solid gray plastic with the bubble being clear. It's not too horribly tough to get a good join of the two parts, but it is a minor PITA.

Also, the sprue attachment point on the bubble is in a very bad spot. Unless you're lucky (lotto-lucky) you're gonna wind up with a white spot where you cut the canopy off of the sprue. And this, more often than not, cannot be fixed. The windshield has a similar problem. However, if I'm not mistaken, the re-release of Tamiya's Stang with markings for the 'Doll' is the first release with re-tooled clear parts with different sprue attachment points. But in any event, the parts are still too thick.

One area that both are pretty equal in is decals. Most kit decals, in my opinion, are good for one thing: kindling for the campfire! (unless they're specially-printed by Aeromaster or Cartograf...)

The Hasegawa kit has a bit more detail, especially in the cockpit and in areas of the wing pylons. But if you don't mind a bit-o-scratching then this is moot.

Anyhoo, if you don't care about any of these things, then go with the Tamiya kit. I've built both Tamiya's and Hasegawa's Stangs and the Tamiya kit goes together alot quicker, easier and cleaner than Hasegagme's.

But the problems of the Tamiya kit, in my mind, outweigh those of Hasegawa's, so I'd personally go with Mr H. I'd rather have a shallow gear well and have to cut out the flaps than have a really thick and ugly canopy. Besides, cutting out the flaps is fun. (?!) And yeah, it has the shallow gear wells, but I can put the model on a base...


Fade to Black...

I've never built the Hasegawa kit but I have built the Tamiya kits. The only reason I leaned towards the Tamiya kits is because they came with dropped flaps. Most Mustang fans know that the flaps and gear door lowered once the pressure bled out after the engine was stopped. I like to have them down 1) for accuracy, and 2) I just think that ANY plane looks so much cooler when it has it's flaps down. Think "Corsair"! But getting back to the subject, having only seen the Tamiya cockpit, I certainly isn't the worst thing out there. Give it a good weathering and wash and pick out some of the knobs with red and yellow and maybe scratchbuild some placards in it and you've got yourself a nice cockpit.

Eric

I suggest taking the best of both kits.Buy both and scratch build to where it fits and is beautiful.

I have both kits but haven't built them. One thing that I noticed on the Hasegawa kits at model shows is that the spinner and cowl don't make a nice smooth line. Maybe the spinner isn't the proper curvature. The Tamiya seems to look better. Also like the dropped flaps but the filet indentation really got my goat!

The canopy was retooled in the latest Tamiya release of the P-51-D ( The one with the Big Beutiful Doll decals) which partially resolved the problem noted in other replies. I have built several of each kits and my personal preference is Tamiya. It's a lot easier to correct Tamiya's cockpit than to correct Hasegawa's wheel wells which as noted are WAY to shallow.

Rick

I am in the process of building one of each P-51-D (Tamiya/Hasagawa). The Aries resin wheel well and cockpit kits are a very nice addition and enhance the appearance without too much effort. I used the Sqaurdron vacuum formed canopies. Both kits fit exceptionally well. If I do another P-51 I want to try the Moskit cast metal exaust pipes.

The Aries engine kit, with motor mounts, firewall, fuselage panels, gun bays, etc, takes a lot of work and careful filing and fitting. The castings are very nice and the enhanced details add to the finished model.

Note: If you try the wheel well resin kit take the time to "fit" the wheel well including the fit of the top of the wings. it is a tight fit. I had to thin the inside of the top wing halves and thin the wheel well to the point where you could see through the resin. Had I been a little more careful in fitting the wheel well into the bottom of the wing I could have avoided all the extra work. All's well that ends well!

All that having been said, either kit makes an excellent scale replica right "out of the box". Now if the paint and decals will cooperate! rangerj

Personally,

I built the Tamiya kit with the True Details resin cockpit to make up for the Tamiyas shortcomings and I thought the kit was great.

Kit wen't together very well with no problems as with alot of the Tamiyas lately, but I would recommend getting the Resin cockpit - makes all the difference

Hey Snowy,
I have to agree, both theTamiya and Hasegawa kit have there pros and cons.
Tamiya released their Mustang again but w/ a catch, they retooled the canopy.
Like Blackwolf had mentioned about cleaning the canopies and leaving lil white marks behind, the revised one is attached now on the frames.
So all you have to do is clean up the frame work a lil and TADA, no more white marks.
Yes Mr T's canopies are a lil thicker than norm(Mr H's Mustang) but if ya want an easy,fun and quick build, I'd go w/ the Tamiya Stang.
AH heck I really cant say anything I have a few of each of Mr T's and H's 51s
Flaps up, Mike

Nice to know they fixed the canopy "problem". I guess it was too much to ask to fix the flap indentations!

You mean they have to be perfect?? Aren't we modelers? LOL..!!!!!!!!.
Ya never know, it took em this long to fix the canopy attachments. May be what in the next few years they'll fix the flap problem.
BTW, Melgyver which side of the flap is the indentation?? I really dont recall seeing um.
Well I have not built a Tamiya 51 in a few years though
Flaps up, Mike

Thanks for the low down guys. I'll probably end up building both kits, your input tells me they are both excellent in thier own way, although I have to finish my "Spirit of Atlantic City" P47 first. You know I just spotted Tamiya's 8th AF Aces "Old Crow"/"Glamorous Glennis" P51 release and now I want to build it as well, why is that? I know it's just the same plane with different paint and decals but I can't help it!

Regards......Snowy.

Mike,

The indetation is on the top side, inboard edge where the wing filet overlaps. They put the indentaion so you could build it flaps up without any work. Makes the flaps down incorrect unless you fill it in. On the 1 to 1 scale P-51's this area may have have been a different color shade because it was covered during flight but there is no indentation!

Hey Mel,
What do ya know...!!! Its funny I really never noticed that. I am really for the detail and this is the first time that I did not catch that.
Darn next time I go to build one and drop the flaps, I am for sure going to do some fillin.
Thanks again for pointing that out my friend.
Flaps up,Mike

No sweat Mike! We all have our own areas of expertise. I always wanted to have a good model of the P-51D with dropped flaps and was excited about the Tamiya kit until I saw the flaps. It was was a "slap in my face"! More filling and sanding away of detail!