Black Box

1/48 P-51 D Mustang cockpit set

Product # 48025 for Tamiya kit

Product Article by Steve Bamford

 

 

 

It's funny....but when I first opened the package for this set I panicked and thought I had misplaced the cockpit tub.  But a quick glance of the clear and concise instruction sheet reveal this set doesn't come with a cockpit tub, which is different from most of the other Black Box cockpit detail sets.  This was explained on the instruction sheet where I noticed the masters for this set were created by ACME instead of Mike Kirchoff. Anyhow....on to the review.  

I hauled out a 1/48 Tamiya P-51D from my kit stash to compare the kit parts to the parts contained in this resin set.  Without a doubt every single part in this set is a noticeable improvement over the original injected styrene kit parts.  This resin set only has 11 pieces, but those are 11 very crisp and beautifully done pieces of resin. Because there is not cockpit tub....it means the modeller will have to grind off detail from the Tamiya kits fuselage cockpit side wall before attaching the Black Box resin cockpit sidewalls.  This is not a big deal if you have a Dremel Minimite or a similar grinding tool.  The instrument panel is better in this set than the kit part.....this is clearly seen when comparing the busy lower panel of the Black Box instrument panel with the almost bare lower panel that comes with the Tamiya kit.  The Tamiya seat lacks all sorts of details that are beautifully molded into the Black Box resin seat.  Even the armour plate behind the seat has more detail beside the headrest pad on the Black Box part as compared to the Tamiya part.  

I could go on and on, but I suggest you study the photos and compare them with the Tamiya parts and you'll see what I mean.  This set is quite a leap of detail above the Tamiya kit parts. 

Steve Bamford

 

(click on pictures below to bring up full screen pictures)

 

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford