1/48 Hobby Master HA8501, P-51B, “Shangri La”, Maj. Dominic “Don” Gentile, 1944

Description: 1/48 Hobby Master HA8501P-51B-7-NA Mustang, “Shangri La” Serial No: 43-6913 Flown by Major Dominic “Don” Gentile (19.83 aerial victories, 3 damaged, 6 destroyed on the ground)USAAF 4th FG / 336th FS RAF Debden, England, April 1944 NEW: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item. Box has shelf wear. (Extremely Rare and Out of Production…Highly Sought After by Collectors) Scale: 1/48 Product Number: HA8501True 1/48 scaleProfessionally paintedGreat attention to detailAll markings are Tampoed (pad applied)Option to display the model on a stand that is providedModel can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positionsCanopy can be displayed open or closedPilot figure includedExtremely heavy metal with a minimum of plasticHighly collectable The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was originally designed and produced by North American Aviation for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and later adopted by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF). The P-51 is widely regarded as the finest all-around piston-engined fighter of World War II was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and several other conflicts. The P-51 Mustang was a solution to the clear need for an effective bomber escort. With external fuel tanks, it could accompany the bombers all the way to Germany and back. The P-51 proved perfect for escorting bombers all the way to the deepest targets. P-51B “Razorback” Mustang While happy with the P-51A’s low-drag laminar-flow wing and an efficient low-drag engine cooling system that gave it exceptional speed and range the British weren’t impressed with the liquid-cooled in-line Allison engine’s lack of an efficient high-altitude supercharger. This drawback restricted the Mustang to low-altitude operations below 15,000 feet. So the British began experimenting with Mustangs fitted with the powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and they discovered that the Merlin’s efficient mechanical supercharger gave the fighter outstanding high-altitude performance. North American quickly followed suit. The Merlin was already being produced under license in the United States by the Packard Motor Company, and by the summer of 1943 Packard Merlin-powered P-51Bs were coming off North American’s assembly line. P-51B or C?The only difference between the North American P-51B and C variants was the B was built in Inglewood and the C in Dallas. The B variant first flew on May 5, 1943 and the C variant first flew on August 5, 1943. The B variant saw 1,988 built while the C variant saw 1,750 built. On December 1, 1943 the P-51B Mustang flew its first combat mission and in March 1944 provided bomber escort to Berlin. The high shape of the P-51B/C dorsal spine gave it the name “Razorback”. To say the Merlin Mustangs were successful would be an understatement. The P-51 became one of the aviation world’s elite. The total number of 14,819 Mustangs of all types were built for the Army. The Mustang was employed throughout 40 USAAF fighter groups and 31 RAF squadrons. American P-51 Mustang pilots claimed 4,950 enemy aircraft shot down an 11:1 “kill ratio”, second only to the carrier borne Grumman F6F Hellcat among Allied aircraft. They were used as dive-bombers, bomber escorts, ground-attackers, interceptors, for photo-recon missions, trainers, transports (with a jump-seat), and after the war, high performance racers. Maj. Dominic “Don” Gentile (P-51B-7-NA, VF-T)Dominic S. Gentile was born on December 6, 1920. As a young man, he developed a passion for aviation and even owned an Aerosport biplane as a teenager. He flew the biplane around his hometown in Ohio, engaging in daring stunts like buzzing water towers and his girlfriend’s house. After high school, Gentile joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and later transferred to the RAF to fly in England. In 1942, he joined the No. 133 Eagle Squadron, a group of American fighter pilots who volunteered to fight with the British. Flying Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes, Gentile achieved his first aerial victory in August 1942, destroying an Fw-190 and a Ju-88 over France, for which he was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross. In September of the same year, Gentile transferred to the United States Eighth Air Force: 336th Fighter Squadron, Fourth Fighter Group, which claimed over one thousand German aircraft destroyed. Gentile, along with fellow pilots such as Don Blakeslee, Jim Goodson, and Duane Beeson, became one of the top aces in the European theater, especially after the group transitioned to P-51 Mustangs. During his time in the Fourth Fighter Group, Gentile partnered with Captain John T. Godfrey, another American pilot who had transferred from the RAF. Their effective teamwork made them a lethal combat team, destroying more enemy planes than any other partnership of American fighter pilots. In June 1944, the two men returned to the United States and participated in a war bond tour before Gentile was assigned to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, leading to their eventual separation. After World War II, Gentile remained in the Air Force, serving as a test pilot at Wright Field, a Training Officer in the Fighter Gunnery Program, and a student officer at the Air Tactical School. Tragically, in 1951, Gentile’s final flight in a T-33 trainer ended in a crash that claimed both his and his passenger’s lives. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the World War Two Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the British Distinguished Flying Cross, the British Star, the Eagle Squadron Crest, and other foreign medals. Specifications for the North American Aviation P-51B/C Mustang Role - Single Engine Escort Fighter and Fighter-Bomber Total Aircraft Manufactured - 1,988 B models and 1,750 C Models out of more than 15,000 (All variants) Manufacturer - North American Aviation Crew - (1) Pilot Dimensions:Maximum Length - 32 ft. 3 in.Height - 13 ft. 4.5 in.Wingspan - 37 ft. 0 in. Weights:Empty - 6,985 lbs.Normal Takeoff - 9,800 lbs.Max. Gross - 11,800 lbs. Powerplant: Engines - (1) Packard (Rolls Royce) V-1650-3 or -7 12-cylinder piston engine with two-stage mechanically-driven supercharger, 1,380 horsepower at Sea Level Propeller - (1) 4-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller (11 ft. 2 in.) Performance:Maximum Speed - 439 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft.Service Ceiling - 41,800 ft.Rate of Climb - 4,380 ft. / min.Drop Tanks – (2) 75 gal. or (2) 108 gal.Combat Range – 1,180 miles and 1,900 miles with Drop TanksFerry Range – 2,740 miles with Drop Tanks Armament: Fixed - (4) 0.5 in. M2 Browning machine guns with 315 rounds per gun (1260 rounds total)Disposable (Bombs) - Up to 2,000 lbs. of bombsDisposable (Rockets) - (2) M8 Bazooka tube rockets SHIPPING & HANDLING IN THE U.S. U.S. contiguous 48 States All items are shipped insured. INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS … All packages are shipped through Ebay’s Global Shipping Program. All Duties, Taxes and Customs Fees imposed by your country are your responsibility and are not estimated into the shipping cost. NO EXCEPTIONS! “I Combine Shipping When Possible!” PAYMENTSPayment is due within 3 days after auctions ends. If you need extra time to pay, please notify me so arrangements can be made. “Thank You For Stopping By To View My Listings!” _gsrx_vers_1653 (GS 9.7.5 (1653))

Price: 169.95 USD

Location: Chicago, Illinois

End Time: 2024-09-08T22:46:23.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD