Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/48 P-51B/D Mustang 357th FGYoxford Boys Part 2 decal sheet

Product # CED48281 for $10.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Mar 29  2006

 

 

 

Where were the Yoxford Boys based?  The Correct answer is that the 357th Fighter group was NOT based at Yoxford!  They were based at Leiston.  The moniker "Yoxford Boys" was created by the infamous British traitor William Joyce, better known as "Lord Haw-Haw", during his January 30th 1944 radio broadcast during which he "Welcomed" the unit to it's new home at the Leiston airfield.  Yoxford was actually one of the small villages located nearby.  Joyce also warned the group's members of all the terrible things that would happen to them in the days to come.  Joyce got it wrong: it was the Luftwaffe that should have been warned about the boys with the red and yellow checkerboard nosed Mustangs!

The 357th Fighter Group arrived in England in late 1943 and entered transition training at the newly constructed Raydon airfield.  The first combat missions were flown by senior Group pilots, flying with the 354th Fighter group (the pioneer Mustang group) based at Boxted.

The 357th was originally assigned the the 8th Air Force, but they became the first P-51 equipped init in the 8th Air Force when they were exchanged for the 358th Fighter Group (a P-47 init) in early1944 due to the pressing need for the Mustangs long range escort capabilities.  the 357th also swapped bases with the 358th, moving to Leiston on January 31st 1944.

The Group's first combat mission was on February 11th, 1944.  despite being one of the last fighter units to join the8th Air Force, the Mustang gave the 357th ample opportunities to engage and destroy the Luftwaffe.  The Yoxford Boys created an enviable record.  They had more aces than any other unit and scored the second highest aerial kill record in the 8th - despite their relatively short time in combat.  they also shot down more German jets that any other group, and were the fastest scoring unit during the last year of the war.

This new decal sheet from Cutting Edge Modelworks includes markings for 4 different P-51's ....all with artwork on script on the nose. 

The first aircraft is a P-51D-20-NA "Moose" with the 362 FS, 357FG in early 1945 flown by Lt. Myron A. Becraft.  The paint scheme is overall baremetal-silver on the top and the underside with an Olive drab anti glare panel in front of the windscreen.  Black code letters on the rear fuselage read "G4 S".  Black tail serial numbers are 463221.  On the nose is the red script "Moose".  Artwork includes a colour image of a blue carton Moose on the side of the fuselage below the windscreen with 7 kill markings.  There is a red and yellow checker band on the nose directly behind the prop spinner and the prop has matching red and yellow stripes.  

The second aircraft is a P-51B-5-NA "Shanty Irish" with the 362 FS, 357FG in the summer of 1944 flown by Lt. Col. Thomas L. Hayes, Jr.  The paint scheme is overall Olive Drab on top and neutral gray on the underside with white stripes on the top of the wings and the tail's top horizontal flying surfaces and white and black D-Day stripes on the top and bottom on the wings and the tail's bottom horizontal flying surfaces.  White and black code letters on the rear fuselage read "G4 O".  Yellow tail serial numbers are 36787.  On the nose is the white script "Shanty Irish".  Artwork includes a 3 leaf clover on the side of the fuselage below the windscreen with 81 kill markings and a huge number of bombing mission markings on the forward engine cowling.  There is a red and yellow checker band on the nose directly behind the prop spinner and the prop has matching red and yellow stripes.  

The third aircraft is a P-51D-5-NA "Frenesi" with the 364 FS, 357FG in the summer of 1944 flown by Lt. Col Thomas L. Hayes, Jr.  The paint scheme is overall RAF Dark Green on top and Medium Sea Gray on the underside with white stripes on the top and bottom on the wings and the tail's top and bottom horizontal flying surfaces.  

White/Black code letters on the rear fuselage read "C5 N".  Yellow tail serial numbers are 413318.  On the nose is the yellow script "Frenesi" on the side of the engine cowling with 11 kill markings (2 Japanese and 9 German) and a further 85 bombing mission markings on the forward engine cowling.  There is a red and yellow checker band on the nose directly behind the prop spinner and the prop has matching red and yellow stripes.    

The fourth aircraft is a P-51B-7-NA "Hurry Home Honey" with the 364 FS, 357FG in mid 1944 flown by Maj. Richard A. Peterson.  The paint scheme is overall Olive Drab on the top and Neutral Gray on the underside.  White code letters on the rear fuselage read "C5 T".  Yellow tail serial numbers are 36935.  On the nose is the yellow  script "Hurry Home Honey"on the side of the engine cowling with 10 kill markings and a further 26 bombing mission markings on the forward engine cowling.  There is a red and yellow checker band on the nose directly behind the prop spinner and the prop has matching red and yellow stripes.  

The decals were flawlessly printed and in perfect registration with great colour.  

The instructions are clear and include colour drawings to assist in decal placement. There is also 4 pages of text including information about all 4 aircraft.

A very nice decal sheet for anyone with an interested in building some of the most famous Mustangs from WW2.  These 4 planes have quite a bit of history.

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford