Corgi AA34401 P51D Mustang - 'Stinger VII', Major Robert W. Moore 45th FS, 15th FG, Iwo Jima (South Field), June 1945

Corgi AA34401 P51D Mustang - 'Stinger VII', Major Robert W. Moore 45th FS, 15th FG, Iwo Jima (South Field), June 1945

Robert Todd Moore was a top ace of the 7th Air Force who scored his first victory on January 26th, 1944, while flying a P-40N with the 45th FS/15th FG. He had to wait until April 1945 to add to his victory count when he returned to his initial posting of the 78th FS which had now started flying Long Range Empire Missions from Iwo Jima in P-51D fighters. Later transferring to the 45th FS in May, he began piloting 'Stinger VII', and in this aircraft, he scored the final six of his twelve victories, including an incredible three kills in a fifteen-minute period on May 28th, 1945, while flying in a group of one hundred and one Mustangs protecting a fleet of four hundred B-29 bombers attacking Yokohama. He achieved his final victory on July 29th, ten days after becoming the CO of the 45th. He remained commander of the unit until VJ day, the day which also saw him fly his one hundred and fiftieth combat sortie in thirty-seven months in the Pacific.

The North American P-51 Mustang was designed to meet an RAF requirement for fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. It was first flown on October 26th, 1940. This versatile aircraft was capable of escorting bombers on long-range missions, engaging in dogfights, and destroying German targets on the ground. At least eight versions of the P-51 were produced, but it was the definitive P-51D that gave the Mustang its classic warbird appearance. Both Britain and the US tested the airframe with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which gave the aircraft tremendous performance gains. The Truman Senate War Investigating Committee called the Mustang "the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence." 

Corgi's 1:32 scale P-51 Mustang is a large-scale model loaded with features. All of the control surfaces, landing gear, and gear doors are movable with metal hinges. The upper portion of the engine cowling is removable, revealing a masterfully rendered V-12 Merlin engine. Detailed machine guns and ammo belts are located beneath the removable covers on each wing. The cockpit interior and a detailed pilot figure are easily viewed with the canopy open or closed.