Kagero has issued a series of “References for Modelers”, each focusing on a specific subject. In this case, the P-51B Mustang. The format consists of color artwork, photos, and line drawings in two scales. A bonus decal sheet is included, along with color artwork in the centerfold showing their placement. Up front, the book explains that most of the photos have appeared elsewhere, but this series presents them differently. They have been enlarged enough to show details lost in smaller formats. Two great examples appear on pages four and five, one showing a close-up of the equipment behind the pilot’s seat and the other a nice view of bazooka tubes on a P-51 in China.

As for the decals, in this volume we get markings for the Mustang of 4^th FG ace Duane Beeson in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. In addition to the centerfold art, there are four other color side views in camouflage and bare metal finishes. Each photograph as well as the artwork are accompanied by a description in both Polish and English. Rounding out the book are 11 pages of line drawings in the popular 1/72 and 1/48 scales.

This book is a nice addition to any P-51B reference library, but it’s not definitive. Missing are any photos or color views of the cockpit and gear wells. Engine details are shown in a photo of an open-cowled Mustang, and a line drawing of the merlin engine. The text is limited to describing photos, illustrations, and drawings. While providing a full history is not the goal of these volumes, as a stand-alone modeling reference, the book falls a bit short for the reasons given above. The information that is presented is completed in a quality manner and I have found the scale drawings helpful for my current Mustang builds. Given the reasonable price point, this book is a nice addition to any Mustang library and is therefore recommended. Thanks as always to IPMS-USA for sharing this book with me and to Kagero Publishers for the sample.