No other aircraft of WWII could fly as high, go as far, or fight as hard as the famed Mustang. Piloted by a record 281 Aces, this agile and ferocious dogfighter tallied more kills than any other Allied airplane. As the bombers of the Eighth Air Force fought their way deep into Hitler's Germany, it was the Mustang that cleared the skies of Luftwaffe fighters. The powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine gave the Mustang a speed of 445 mph. Re-styled with an aerodynamic bubble canopy for greater visibility, and outfitted with 6 fast-firing .50 caliber machine guns, the P-51 became the best fighter of the war.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a USAAF North American P-51D Mustang fighter that was piloted by John Landers, and nicknamed "Big Beautiful Doll", which was attached to the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, then deployed to RAF Duxford, England, during December 1944. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 6-3/4-inches
Length: 5-inches

Release Date: October 2019

Historical Account: "From Longhorns to Dolls" - John Dave Landers (August 2erd, 1920 - September 12th, 1989) was a colonel in the United States Army Air Forces. He flew with the 9th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific commanded the 357th Fighter Group and the 78th Fighter Group during World War II.

By January 1942, Landers was posted to the 9th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group in Australia, flying the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. He named his P-40, "Texas Longhorn". With only 10 flying hours, he embarked on his first combat missions over the Pacific.

Landers was assigned to the 38th Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group at RAF Wormingford in April 1944. Landers continued to score aerial victories against Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and Messerschmitt Me 410 over France and Germany, first in the P-38 and then the North American P-51D Mustang, after the 55th FG converted in July 1944. Replica of Landers' aircraft

Promoted from Captain to Major, he took command of the 38th FS. During this time he was involved in what is regarded as the longest fighter escort mission. His flight accompanied heavy bombers on a 1,600-mile sortie over Poland and spent approximately seven hours in flight. While with the 38th FS, he destroyed an additional 2 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus one damaged.

Newly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Landers was temporarily assigned as commanding officer of the 357th Fighter Group between October and December 1944 at RAF Leiston. Landers also destroyed one enemy aircraft, while flying with the 357th. He returned to the U.S. in December 1944, and returned to Europe in February 1945.

In February 1945, Landers took command of the 78th Fighter Group at RAF Duxford. He was credited in destroying another 3.5 enemy aircraft in the air, including a shared victory over a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. From July 1945 until the war's end, he commanded the 361st Fighter Group from July 1945 until his return to the U.S. in October 1945. Landers left active duty in December 1945. During the war, Landers was credited with destroying a total 14.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 damaged, and 20 more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields. He flew several P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang aircraft that were named "Big Beautiful Doll."