Picking out a 1/18 Mustang...

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:01 pm

As if I already don't have enough problems on chucking away money at toys, I want a Mustang. Made the mistake of picking up BBI's Hellcat and Daisy Corsair at TRU and really want a Mustang now.

I'm leaning towards the 21st century Undertaker P-51. Why? The paint scheme isn't too flashy and I really liked the sturdy quality on the 21st's AH-1W.

Does 21st's Mustangs even come with armanments? All I see are fuel tanks. Cause you know, bombs add like a 10x cool factor.

Would appreciate honest opinions.

Light.Inf.Scout · Post by **Light.Inf.Scout** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:06 pm

My fav is the 21C Tuskeegee P 51.

Rogue · Post by **Rogue** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:41 pm

You can't go wrong with a "Big Beautiful Doll"!

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:52 pm

You should go with your preferences

The 21c P-51 is the more accurate in terms of its mould and overall look. The BBI version lacks a few of the finer details and is too heavily rivited. Be wary, as the first few 21c P-51s (Flying Undertaker, Ridge Runner, and Petie 2nd) have prop blades that are angled as opposed to straight. Later 21c P-51s, including "Old Crow" and "Big Beautiful Doll" have straight prop blades.

My personal favorite 1:18 P-51 scheme is 21c's "Big Beautiful Doll" followed by "Old Crow" There is a greater incidence of paint flaws on the 21c planes as opposed to the BBI ones, and if getting a Big Beautiful Doll plane, its one you would almost be better off checking out in person.

Again, however, go with your preferences

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:01 pm

I've always been partial to the 72 Mach 1, but a Shelby GT350 or 500 works too

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:43 pm

If you want to get it cheap, I say buy one of the ones most WM's have for clearance prices. Mine still have them available... It's a good inexpensive way to add that plane to your ceiling.

If you want cooler though, I say the Donal Duck BBI mustang is just a rockin' plane. The pilot's so slick that I'm putting my 21st Mustang pilot in the plane and displaying the BBI figure outside it.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:33 pm

IFLABS:

I went to 3 Wal-Marts. I bought 4 Big Beautiful Dolls and all 4 had defects (1-1/2 glue smear on wing, big scrape on black tip of tail, missing screw covers on right fuselage, very thin red paint on prop hub, missing parachute, cockpit assembly incorrectly installed, drooping flap, gouges on propeller blades, etc., etc.). I kept #4 and took one hour fixing the poorly-installed cockpit assembly myself.

Bottom line: carefully inspect the P-51 through the box window for defects and be prepared to return them.

Shin Densetsu · Post by **Shin Densetsu** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:46 pm

I've got the Daisy June Corsair, Killer BBI Mustang, and 21st Flying Undertaker.

If you like the Corsair, you might like the BBI Mustang better. Its more sturdy due to less moving parts(only gear, canopy, propellor, flaps and rudder as well as elevators). Unlike the Corsair, you do not have to pull surfaces straight out and then let them droop, you merely have to fold them down.

Its built more sturdy than the 21c Mustang. All the pieces that should be clear plastic are clear on BBI whereas some are painted on 21st. 21st has the more accurate Mustang with the forward landing gear rake, hardpoint placement and other differences, but BBI has the more sturdy one. If anything its close and I would say a tie would be awarded to both if they were to compete. The BBI one is that good. The quality is very very impressive. My 21st Mustang had a landing gear door that would not stay up. This problem was not present on my BBI one. In your hands, the BBI one feels more sturdier. Its riveted to hell and has weathering, but I've seen worse and to be honest, I think it looks great.

Its worth having both. 21st has moving ailerons and more accuracy so thats reason enough to get it. BBI has superb quality and durability and you need at least one. Don't get me wrong, the 21st is sturdy as well, just not as sturdy as the BBI one.

To me, the 21st Mustang is not as steady as the Cobra you bought, but the BBI one is more sturdy than the Cobra.

Oh and the pilot and cockpit on the BBI one are better.

STUKA · Post by **STUKA** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:48 pm

When I do pick up a Mustang it will be either the Donal Duck BBI mustang or the Tuskeegee plane - I was really hoping the Tuskeegee one would show at WM - but with my WM ban and all - 4 days now - no WM -

you want to go to where everybody knows your name.....

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:53 pm

Big Beautiful Doll's pilot is a Big Ugly Doll.

(I've been looking for a BBI pilot to put in my Big beautiful Doll).

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:04 pm

If you have a BBI pilot, he can really dress up the 21st Century P-51. The Tuskegee airman version comes with a great pilot. My Tuskegee came with the tail wheel strut glued in the up position. I really had to work to get it out of the plane. I ended up making a nice little bulk head to glue the tail wheel strut to. It looks good, but it will always be in the "down and locked" position.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:41 am

I have almost all of the 1/18 scale p-51's. The only one I do not have is the Hurry Home Honey. My opion is this the BBI 51 looks better than the 21st. The BBI looks more like a model and the 21st is a little more toyish looking. The best looking BBI is the Killer and like some of the others the Tuskeegee is the best looking 21st. Even better than the Holy Grail 21st Tender Terror. I have said this since the 2 of them first came out.

Website · Post by **Teamski** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:46 am

FieroDude wrote:I've always been partial to the 72 Mach 1, but a Shelby GT350 or 500 works too

There always has to be one......

-Ski

normandy · Post by **normandy** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:52 pm

OK ski make it two... I had a '73 MACH 1, 351 Cleavland and Hurst tranny.

I've always liked my LOU IV, it was one of the first XD aircraft I ever got. If I get another, it'll be BBD.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:48 pm

FieroDude wrote:I've always been partial to the 72 Mach 1, but a Shelby GT350 or 500 works too

Ok so- it's no secret that I am a Ford Mustang fan. (My new Vietnam figure namesake reflects that fact). This post from Fiero Dude caught my eye and made me laugh! Anyways, Fiero made some excellent picks. Here is one that I would recommend 2007 Shelby GT!

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:57 pm

Teamski wrote:
FieroDude wrote:I've always been partial to the 72 Mach 1, but a Shelby GT350 or 500 works too
There always has to be one......

-Ski

Haha, I would be lying if I had said I did not see it coming with a thread title like this.

Thanks for everyone's input but I'm still undecided seeing as I can only afford one Mustang as of now. Still no luck with finding anything in retail stores. Would anyone happen to have a link to high resolution galleries?

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:36 pm

Does BBI use the same P-51 pilot figure in both "Killer" and "Donald Duck"?

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:27 pm

Oh yea, about BBI's Corsair. What are those other small pieces of parts for?

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 5:46 pm

Depending on which version of the Corsair you get, there are several types of small parts. All versions come with the little "supports" to go on the wings when folded, and they also come with covers for the fuel tank hardpoints. The other little parts on the "Marine Checkerboard" and "Daisy June" Corsairs are 20mm cannon barrels. These are intended to turn the model from an F-4U1A into an F-4U1C, which had two 20mm cannon in each wing as opposed to the machineguns. Although not entirely accurate, its a slick way to get two different aircraft models out of the same plane

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:07 pm

tmanthegreat wrote:Depending on which version of the Corsair you get, there are several types of small parts. All versions come with the little "supports" to go on the wings when folded, and they also come with covers for the fuel tank hardpoints. The other little parts on the "Marine Checkerboard" and "Daisy June" Corsairs are 20mm cannon barrels. These are intended to turn the model from an F-4U1A into an F-4U1C, which had two 20mm cannon in each wing as opposed to the machineguns. Although not entirely accurate, its a slick way to get two different aircraft models out of the same plane

Interesting, I would have never guessed--don't know much about the Corsair. Hopefully I have those plugged in correctly.

Shame, I thought I had saved the best for last to build (the Hellcat). Turns out I much prefer the Corsair seeing as the build quality of the Hellcat is unstable.

Found a Donald Duck P-51. Gonna pick it up soon. Happy dance!

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:17 am

Again, do BBI's P-51 "Killer" and "Donald Duck" have the same pilot?

digger · Post by **digger** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:23 am

dragon53 wrote:Again, do BBI's P-51 "Killer" and "Donald Duck" have the same pilot?

yes.

Found a Donald Duck P-51. Gonna pick it up soon. Happy dance!

You can get it for $35 and free shipping at Target.com
http://www.target.com/Elite-Force-WWII- ... rce&page=1

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:10 am

DIGGER:

Thanks.
One more question: does Donald Duck have the slot behind the canopy (like 21st Century's 1/18 P-51s) so the canopy can slide?

digger · Post by **digger** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:21 am