Airfix's recent new-tool P-51D has a lot going for it, boasting some very decent detail at an affordable price. One area that is definitely something of a let down, though, is the exhausts. Although the kit includes both shrouded and unshrouded types, they really are pretty basic and will need a lot of work to look convincing.
The new exhausts arrive safely in the now familiar Brassin clear bubble packs, with the resin parts protected by a piece of foam to cushion them in transit.
The casting on the sample sets is, basically, perfect and the detail is superb, with hollowed-out ends to the pipes, plus tiny fasteners at the base of each stack in the case of the unshrouded type. As is clear in the photos at right, the difference between the Brassin exhausts and the kit originals is almost like day and night. The exhausts just need removing from their casting blocks - which will be quick and easy in this case - and they are ready for use.
The sets are accompanied by simple instructions that are almost redundant because the new resin exhausts are straight drop-in replacements for the styrene ones. A nice touch, though, is the inclusion of colour matches for Gunze Sangyo paints.
I'll recommend Eduard's new Brassin exhausts without hesitation, because they are beautifully produced and will save so much work in trying to make the kit's originals presentable. For a fiver they are certainly justifiable for the immediate improvement they'll add to Airfix's Mustang, while still remaining affordable for anyone working on a tight budget.
Highs: Beautifully cast and detailed. Simplicity itself to use.
Verdict: Eduard's exhausts are a huge improvement over the kit parts and offer equally massive time savings over trying to rework the originals.
These replacement exhausts look very good indeed, thanks for posting. Thanks also for posting pics of the Airfix P-51 parts they are intended to replace - those images really underscore the need for the upgrades!