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Morne Meyer
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F-51 Mustang "Flying Cheetahs"

October 18, 2022 · in Aviation · · 33 · 0.8K

In November 2020 I visited a school as part of my work as a History Subject Advisor. A memorial commemorating students that participated in wars fought by South Africa caught my eye. Amongst the many names of soldiers who served and died between 1914 and 1989 one name stood out as the only name under the Korean War. His name, Norman Biden.

Biden finished his Grade 12 education in 1939 and joined the South African Air Force during WW II. He saw action in North Africa and Italy where he flew Spitfire Mk. IX's and the P-51 . The ensuing post-war political tensions that spawned the Cold War would ultimately drag Norman Biden back into the cauldron of war.

Kim Il Sung's invasion of South Korea in 1950 would result in the UN Security Council voting for a police action under the UN flag. South Africa answered the call to arms by sending pilots from 2 Squadron known as the "Flying Cheetahs" to Korea. In September 1950 the pilots of 2 Squadron, as part of the USAF 18th FBW, started flying combat sorties in aid of UN ground forces. They were equipped with Mustangs. Their missions were mainly directed against railway infrastructure, bridges, tunnels, enemy vehicles, enemy troop concentrations. Later CAS and RESCAP missions were added to their list of responsibilities. Once Communist China entered the war the mission tallies increased. Inevitably losses increased too. In 1951, 2 Squadron lost 25 pilots either MIA or KIA. On 5 September 1951 Norman Biden's name would be added to that list whilst on a CAS mission in support of US Marines fighting in the Punchbowl area south of the 38th Parallel.

On 4 June 1951 the 1st Marine Division and the ROK 5th Infantry Division began to advance north of Inje towards the Punchbowl and the Hwacheon Reservoir. By 10 June the Marine/ROKA force had secured Line Kansas northeast of the Hwacheon Reservoir and the southern line of hills overlooking the Punchbowl. Following the breakdown of armistice negotiations in August 1951, the United Nations Command decided to launch a limited offensive in the late summer/early autumn to shorten and straighten sections of their lines, acquire better defensive terrain, and deny the enemy key vantage points from which they could observe and target UN positions. The Battle of Bloody Ridge took place west of the Punchbowl from August–September 1951 and this was followed by the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge northwest of the Punchbowl from September–October 1951, meanwhile the 1st Marine Division reinforced by the Korean Marine Corps Regiment captured the line of hills north of the Punchbowl in the Battle of the Punchbowl from 31 August-20 September 1951.

During this phase of the battle the Marines came under intense artillery fire. Lt. Biden, flying F-51 Mustang number 302, was Flight Leader. His Mustang was armed with the normal load of 6 HVAR's and two improvised Napalm tanks converted from fuel tanks. Whilst in a shallow dive towards the enemy his Mustang was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Mortally wounded, Biden's Mustang crashed into the Chinese artilery emplacement. Initially declared MIA, his remains were only recovered much later and buried in Seoul together with other pilots from 2 Squadron.

To honour Biden, I decided to build his Mustang and donate it to his Alma Mater Muir College.
F-51 Mustang serial 302 was operated by the North Dakota ANG and once the war started it was shipped to Japan where the first group of SAAF pilots took charge of it at Johnson AFB.
I managed to find two photos of 302. I noted the crude removal of the ND ANG lettering and US markings on the fuselage. The SAAF leaping Springbok roundel was applied over the US markings on the fuselage. This was something I had to replicate.
I added scratchbuilt details to the cockpit, radios, landing gear and antennas on either side of the vertical stabilizer. The cockpit was painted matt black, details highlighted with dry brushing and details painted. The kit seat was replaced with a resin seat. The Napalm tanks and HVAR's received scratchbuilt fuses and fuse wires

Once assembled, the model was sprayed X-18 Semi Gloss Black. I then sprayed thin coats of Humbrol 11 sealed with Future. I then masked off the gun bays and other panels that were sprayed Tamiya Metallic Grey and Flat Aluminum. Tamiya Black and Grey panel wash highlighted the nice engraved panel lines and rivets. Exhaust staining and weathering was done using Tamiya weathering kits and Doc O' Brien's weathering powders. Decals were custom made. I spent about 96 hours on the model over a period of two months.

Reader reactions:
19  Awesome

23 additional images. Click to enlarge.


33 responses

  1. A spectacular result, Morne, supremely researched and replicated!
    Thanks for the great article, as well!

  2. Fantastic Mustang!

  3. @mornem
    This is some exquisite piece of model making Morne, truly awesome. The NMF, weathering and all those small true to life details really bring this Mustang up a notch or two. Bravo!

  4. Well done, Morne (@mornem). Great model based on a great story. Interior and natural metal finish are both perfect, and your homemade decals are very cool.

  5. That’s excellent, Morne. The erased ANG markings really put it over the top.

  6. Great result of an interesting historical subject! I echo @gblair in his comments concerning the interior and NMF. Excellent in every regard!

    I also really like the work that you did with the brake lines- what type of wire are you using and what are the red and white bits that the wire appears to be running through? I would like to replicate if possible as it looks very realistic!

    • Thank you David for the compliments. I use 0,3 to 0,5 mm copper wire. Solder wire is actually even better suited for that. The red is a hollow Q-tip shaft that was heated and stretched. I just cut off a small piece and thread the wire through it. It is glued in place and then nail art masking tape is taped around it to replicate the metal fasteners.

  7. Really, really well done. Great fit & finish with just-right weathering. Compliments on the scratch-built bits. All good.

    • Thanks Bob. I have new found respect for Tamiya mud weathering stick with which I replicated mud on the tyres, Tamiya panel line wash and Doc O' Brien's weathering powder for weathering the wingroot areas and scuff marks on the wing. I kept the weathering to a minimum as the SAAF ground crews generally kept their Mustangs well maintained.

  8. Excellent build suported by a great article, Morne @mornem
    You don't see South African aircraft being build that often, especially not in this quality.

  9. Thanks John. I am glad you like it. SAAF aircraft are often overlooked. Fortunately some modelers on this forum has posted some excellent SAAF aircraft models and SAAF F-51's.

  10. Good catch on the black cockpit - a definite "tell" that the airplane came from an ANG squadron.

    Beautiful work on the surface detailing to get the markings over-do. The rest looks properly bungled up like a KW Mustang should (rode hard, hung up wet).

    The following info provided for those inspired to do a KW Mustang: many of these ANG planes were painted overall silver (corogruard) but not all, and you cannot be sure without a photo. For those who dislike doing a "perfect" NMF scheme, doing bungled-up weathered coroguard is a good alternarive. The only thing missing here is the late version seat (these are all P-51D-25 and 30 airplanes) but Tamiya doesn't provide that (Eduard does) so no harm.

  11. Thank you Tom. I appreciate your comment very much. I read an article stating that if the panel around the engine exhausts was the same colour as the rest of the fuselage and wings, then it was painted with the silver coroguard. Indeed some of the SAAF Mustangs were painted with silver coroguard.

  12. Great looking Mustang, Morse, those SAAF markings really set it off.

  13. Great work @mornem ! Your attention to small details, and craftsmanship really makes this Mustang stand out.

  14. Great work Morne! As a fellow South African I applaud your interpretation and skill. I can only dream of building and researching to such a high level. A stunning model and nice to hear that you are donating it to his Alma Mater.

    • Thanks Rory. I appreciate your assessment of my Mustang. It's a labour of love only us modelers can understand. SAAF aircraft and the South African contribution to the Korean War is often neglected and overlooked. On Imodeler SAAF subjects have featured before.

  15. Morne,

    What really ties the build together is the back story of the kit and what it represents a brief story of Norman Biden life. It adds some brevity and you can appreciate the build that much more.

    Some strong work on another Tamiya classic that still holds water when compared to some of the newer Uber kits. Painting a kit in a monotone color and having it look right or interesting is no simple task.

    Two thumbs up.

  16. Beautifully done! I love the remains of the ANG markings - how did you accomplish that? The subtlety seems perfect.

    • Thanks Greg. It is actually not a difficult process at all. I dry brushed Humbrol 11 Silver over the ND ANG decals. The dry brushing was more a case of dabbing the paint onto the decal. In retrospect, next time I will rather use a piece of sponge dipped in silver to replicate it.

  17. Great looking Mustang, Morne. You've given me some inspiration to finish mine. Still deciding if I'm going to to the SAAF Museum 325 "Patsy Dawn" or 318 which was flown by Albie Gotze. Those subtle ND ANG markings look superb!

  18. Wow! Excellent work, great weathering.

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