Kit: 1:48 EDUARD kit no. 82102

Built in 2024

P-51D-10, w.nr. 44-14221, flown by Maj. Pierce W. McKennon. CO of 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th USAAF based at Debden airfield, England. The aircraft is in the configuration prior to McKennon’s last sortie in the WWII on 18. April 1945. While strafing Prague-Kbely airfield in Czechoslovakia, his Mustang was hit by flak in the canopy and broken pieces of plexiglass narrowly missed his eye. Luckily the pilot managed to return and successfully landed.

Here are the known photos of the real Ridge Runner III:

On this photo you can see a single rear-view mirror on top of the windscreen and partially visible tail warning radar antennas on the vertical tail.

Notice absent exhausts fairings and square gun camera port on the leading edge of the left wing.

Broken canopy after the McKennon’s last sortie (notice Ferry-pack inside the canopy).

Maj. Pierce McKennon in front of another aircraft: Ridge Runner IV (notice two rear-view mirrors on the top of the windscreen canopy)

Based on the photo evidence above, the next features were added to the kit:
– single rear view mirror on the windscreen
– exhausts without fairings
– squared gun camera port
– tail warning radar antennas on both sides of the vertical tail unit
– loudspeaker of the tail warning radar under the left side of the windscreen
– ferry pack inside the bubble canopy (for additional details see this post)

Photogallery of finished model:

WIP photos – cockpit:

WIP photos – construction and airbrush work:

And finally, another action shot from the raid on the Praque – Kbely airfield:

The author, Mr. Bobek from EDUARD, gave me kindly his consent to publish the picture here on the Warbirds-blog.cz.