Q About P-51B Cockpit colors

Well ed if its anything like the rest of the mustangs the cockpi floor is made out of wood sometimes painted. So you could paint the floor in a woodgrain patern and drty it up and  make the area where the pilots feet rest a lighter color.

I have seen bare wood, painted green or painted withteh black anti skid stuff. So unless you can find some documentation to what it was on his a/cyou can go with what appeals to you most.  Me... i am partial to the wood look. 

I'm lookin' at the wood on this one. would Raw Sienna be an acceptible color?

You can find everything you need to know about the  interior colours of WW II US aircraft here: http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/01/stuff_eng_interior_colours_us.htm

This is the cockpit of Gp Cpt Nowierski's Mustang HB886 taken Oct 1944.

 

Looks rather dark for wood.

As this picture from a comtemporary manual shows, the plywood was covered with a black antislip material:

 

 

After some wear and tear they probably looked more like this:

 

 

 

The Tamiya P-51B (as well as the iCM clone) has an 'incorrect' metal floor a la P-51A.

However, this photo is captioned as a P-51B and it has a metal floor.

 

 

Hippy-Ed wrote:

I'm lookin' at the wood on this one. would Raw Sienna be an acceptible color?

Sure Ed. Maybe a drybrushing with dark brown to give a slight hint of grain. A bit of grime may not hurt either. Looking forward to some pics later

Thanks Antoni,

So, you're saying that the floor of my 1/48 Tamiya P-51B isn't the right one? Interesting to learn.  I have checked that site earlier (I got it bookmarked) 

I agree with Antoni the floors were plywood painted with a black non skid coating. I like to use Floquil Grimy Black with a light dry brushing of light tan in wear areas to show some plywood showing thru.

No, I don't think so Ed. The floor of the P-51 was the centre section of the upper wing. A wood "floor" was put over top to protect it and raise it up to just below the rudder pedals. I have photo's that show it to be the case. I can send them to you if you want. Just need to scan them from my books. Some floors were removed due to damage and wear. I read once that they were hard get in the field for replacements. So, technically either way you do it would be correct. Wood in or out??? Since I don't have a cockpit view of that a/c at the time your modeling it, I say it's your call. I'd paint it as wood myself as it came that way likely. Hope it helps you a bit

DrewH wrote:

No, I don't think so Ed. The floor of the P-51 was the centre section of the upper wing. A wood "floor" was put over top to protect it and raise it up to just below the rudder pedals. I have photo's that show it to be the case. I can send them to you if you want. Just need to scan them from my books. Some floors were removed due to damage and wear. I read once that they were hard get in the field for replacements. So, technically either way you do it would be correct. Wood in or out??? Since I don't have a cockpit view of that a/c at the time your modeling it, I say it's your call. I'd paint it as wood myself as it came that way likely. Hope it helps you a bit

 

Send it. would be good for a reference!

The floors were Plywood.  I've seen many models with floors that were painted to look more like coffee tables, but when unpainted, they would be unfinished Plywood.  As noted, the floors came in 3 finishes.  Unpainted Plywood, Painted Interior Green & Painted with a Black anti-skid paint.  The unpainted Plywood would be most appropriate on the early B's, Most mid production were painted Interior Green & most late production had the Black anti-skid treatment.

Regards,  Rick 

Thanks fellas. I think I'm gonna go with the wood on this. and another comes to mind...

what is that running down the centerline of the floor? and wpuld that be painted cockpit green or???

 

Hippy-Ed wrote:

Thanks Antoni, So, you're saying that the floor of my 1/48 Tamiya P-51B isn't the right one? Interesting to learn.  I have checked that site earlier (I got it bookmarked)

The Tamiya kit has a metal floor like the P51-A without any plywood inserts/covers. The AM kits of the P51-B/C have a wooden floor. The ICM P51-B is a copy of the Tamiya kit. The floor is the same as Tamiya kit. The AM kits have better cockpit detail so ICM also copied those into their kit's cockpit. In fact you can see where they used a grinding tool to remove the Tamiya details.

Aires make a resin replacement cockpit for the Tamiya kit but that has a metal floor as well. I don't think True Details do one for the P51-B but Verlinden might.