| SPECS Scale: 1:35 Price: $150  FEATURES > Opening cowl, cockpit, gun and ammo compartments > Operative control surfaces > Articulated/retracting gear > Optional/extra parts (bombs, tanks, wheel chocks) RATING (Scale of 1-5) > Body detail/Paint/Markings 4  > Engine 4 > Undercarriage/Gear 4 > Interior/Cockpit 3  > Presentation/Proportion/Stance 4 > Collectibility 5  Comments GMP’s Glamorous Glen III is well-built and solid, and although minor mistakes in scale accuracy detract somewhat from its authenticity, this is a great-looking model whose size and detail are truly impressive. |
Chuck Yeagers WW II warhorse
If not the best WW II fighter, the P-51D Mustang is certainly the most glamorous and admired fighter among warbird enthusiasts. This particular Mustang die-cast will be more revered, as it is based on Chuck Yeager’s third wartime mount, Glamorous Glen III (named for his fiancée and eventual wife) Glennis Dickhouse. The full-scale -15-NA was built at the North American Aviation (hence the NA) plant in California. On November 6, 1944, in Glamorous Glen III, Yeager became one of the first, if not the first, to shoot down an Me 262 that was on a landing approach.
The P-51 Mustang earned high praise from bomber crews because its long-range capabilities allowed it to escort them deep into Germany on bombing missions. The Mustang’s nimble flight characteristics made it a great dogfighter, but its appeal to aviation enthusiasts is primarily because of its great looks. Whether on the ground or in the air, the P-51’s sleek lines exude power and speed and a taste for victory. Those characteristics make it a very worthy die-cast subject.
Highlights
This limited-edition, standoff 1:35 scale of the Glamorous Glen III from GMP will certainly be much sought after by die-cast collectors. As the second release in GMP’s warbird series, its overall look is quite appealing, and its construction quality is topnotch. Weighing in at 1.8 pounds, this model is solid. The package is made all the more substantial with the inclusion of “Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force” by Jerry Scutts (Osprey Publishing). The book is a great reference source and includes many photos and color profiles of various aces’ Mustangs. The model requires minor assembly, but a fine instruction manual is included with the book, so be sure to read it.
Exterior. The paint scheme is accurate, as are the markings, however, the S/N colors should be reversed: black on the fin and yellow on the rudder. The Glen III comes with a choice of 500-pound bombs or two types of drop tank for the underwing stations. The paper-type tanks are more true to the original configuration, but it’s nice to have options. The control surfaces move up and down, left and right to about 45 degrees; the rudder has a movable trim tab, and the coolant exhaust and access doors on the bottom of the fuselage are extendable, so the model looks authentic in many positions. Little details such as the painted wheel chocks give an overall feel of a completeness that is particularly important in a model of this size and detail. GMP even throws in a pair of white gloves so you can handle your model without covering it with fingerprints. Be cautious, however, as they make handling the model a bit slippery.
Those with a discerning eye for Mustang detail will notice an inaccuracy in the wingtip shape. Some of the smaller details I noted include the lack of a slot at the back of the canopy and the lack of perforated air-filter inspection panels in the lower cowl, and the B6 [star and bar] Y markings are just slightly out of position.
I particularly like the extendable coolant door because it adds to the scale look when the Mustang is parked on its hardstand. And speaking of the hardstand, a diorama that will add realism to your Mustang’s display can be purchased separately.
