P-61 W.I.P. (the slo - poke build)

fermis

Last one I did, I sanded the area smooth, laid a piece of PE mesh over it and framed it in with thin strips of styrene...I dunno about the accuracy, but it looks a heck of a lot better!!!

 That's exactly what I'm going to do too.

Thank's for the advice on the Instrument panel. Can't believe I have been doing it wrong all these year's......   Still learning to breath through my nose instad of my mouth.

And a" GREAT BIG THANK YOU" for the link!

Coming along nicely!

Yes, the I.P. should be all black.

Here's a TON of pics of the one being restored...lots of stuff to see!!!

http://www.maam.org/p61/p61_rest.htm 

That seam and sprue gate on that "mesh" area is a nightmare! Last one I did, I sanded the area smooth, laid a piece of PE mesh over it and framed it in with thin strips of styrene...I dunno about the accuracy, but it looks a heck of a lot better!!!

I almost forgot....... 

So shortly after "The cat incident" I misplaced the cockpit gauge's..... I looked here....... I looked there..... I chased after the cat thinking she had it.....  couldn't find it anywhere.

About 20 minut's later I feel something on my elbow........ YEP !   You guessed it !

Managed to get afew hour's to myself today so I made some more progress ....

                                     THE MESS SO FAR.......

Got the wheel's assembled and "rough" sanded..... I have to remember to "flat-spot" them.

Managed to get some more paint and a few decal's into the interior.

I have a few "touch-up's to do..... always with the touch-up's

Oh yeah.... had some help for a few "tense" minute's.

I have a question for you guy's.....

 I have built this kit 3 time's. every time I have painted the cockpit dash Zinc Chromate and the gauges Black. But I have seen a picture ( Black & White ) where the cockpit panel is Black with the gauge's Black. Is that correct?

Also have a "gripe" about the way this kit was molded.....

I know it's a crummy picture but,

Who in their right mind put's a sprue gate right in the detail part of a mesh vent?????

Now I have to cut the vent out and build my own.......

                                             ON ALL 4 VENT'S !!!!!

                               AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAF

Why would your wife care what you wear while painting? Just tell her you don't want to get paint on your clean clothes.

Dont make me paint myself on this plane!

( How did the villager's come up with pitchfork's and torch's so fast ??????????? )

littletimmy

( My wife has told me in no uncertain terms that If I paint her naked I will get NO MORE FOOD !!! )

Why would your wife care what you wear while painting? Just tell her you don't want to get paint on your clean clothes.   

Nice work, btw.

Gary

GMorrison

Best case, shes against a black background. Makes trimming easy.

Still not sure what paint scheme I will use. If  I go with Olive Drab there shouldn't be an issue. However , If I go with the Black paint...

My wife has Black hair. So I will have to outline her hair with a lighter color... like Blue. I have seen this done on a P-61 The Midnight Caller. That plane is the one I will be trying to duplicate the position of the Pin-up art. It may be a bit "R' rated , but not totally nude.

( My wife has told me in no uncertain terms that If I paint her naked I will get NO MORE FOOD !!! )

It wouldn't be too hard. If you have a jpeg or a pdf, you can stick the image into a word document to print it.

Best case, shes against a black background. Makes trimming easy.

My F-I-Law "owned" one as the E-6 Crew Chief. As such, he named the airplane and his girlfriend was the nose art. All very G rated, one piece bathing suit and High School pennant.

But, like my wife does, she had very dark brown hair. So against the black a/c she became a blonde.

Shipwreck

Suppose that you were to reduce a photo of your wife to scale and print it on clear decal paper?

That would require  Teky knowlegy that I dont have.

I'm going to take her picture and cut it to shape and use it as a mask. Then paint her freehand. ( Watch..... I'll end up with that "happy face" from the 70's. )

                                             HAVE A NICE DAY. LOL! 

littletimmy

I was thinking of doing  Olive Drab over Grey and painting my wife on the nose.....( I'm not THAT good so it will be a pin-up girl that sort of looks like my wife.) Or I could go the easy route and do the overall Black..... with my wife on the nose.

Suppose that you were to reduce a photo of your wife to scale and print it on clear decal paper?

keavdog

Tough to do a black bird.  Looking forward to your finish. 

I havent decided yet what paint sceme I will do. I was thinking of doing  Olive Drab over Grey and painting my wife on the nose.....( I'm not THAT good so it will be a pin-up girl that sort of looks like my wife.)

Or I could go the easy route and do the overall Black..... with my wife on the nose.

Anyway's..... I managed a little paint progress today.

Got the landing gear in silver. I will be following with an Aluminum and an overall Black wash.

Also got a bit of the interior painted..... there will be some touch-up's.

I kinda made a mess of the gauges for the "office" so ..... " I Must Re-Paint! And Thin No More !"

I took two shot's ...... just in case my photography skills matched my painting skill's 

Sorry if this build is taking forever.......I have been doing "BATTLE" with a post hole digger for the past two days so my hand's are killing me. 

Tough to do a black bird.  Looking forward to your finish. 

roony

As a word of caution, it will take a LOT of weight to keep the nose gear on the ground.

Yes. The last time I built one I "pounded" a TON of lead into the nose and under the cockpit.

I also have done the photo- recon version with the clear nose. ( I had to get very creative with the placement of the weight's on that one!)

The P-61 always catches my attention, because it is such a different looking bird.  Someone once suggested buying two kits.  That way the cowls are not a problem.  As a word of caution, it will take a LOT of weight to keep the nose gear on the ground.

Looks like a good start to me. I enjoyed building my Monogram P-61. Typical Monogram issues. Mine turned out pretty good...until the glass! Why they never came out with one piece canopiesbaffles me.

Due to my inability to stay focused on my last shopping spree, I got MM interior green in the bottle only. I totally forgot to get a rattle can of interior green.

Needless to say.... I will be brush painting the Entire interior. ( Thats right ... old school painting..... because I'm the master...   LOL   Because I dont have a choice.)

What I mannaged last night.

I probably wont get much done today...... I hate the way life get's in the way of modeling!

( Why can't I just be "institutionalised ...... then I would have all the time in the world to build  all day long...... ...... doubt they would let me near an X-acto......)

EDIT: I almost forgot. I primed with a "slightly" heavy coat of MM Flat Black and managed to cover almost all the crazing on the kit. I will still have to do some puttying and re-scribing on the worst wing. ( The one with the crecent moon around the engine nacil.)

                                          "SIGH"....................

Retired In Kalifornia

In 1978 when resumed building in earnest did build the 1/72 P-51B, H-75, Do 17Z, nice kits all.

I have been wanting to do the  Do 17Z. Anything you could recommend / warn about the assembly?

CapnMac82

(and less reliance on operating parts and toy like gimmicks).  It also had a rather intimidating Shep Paine diorama 4-page color insert in there, too

I remember building Monogram's P-51 "operating " Mustang. The canopy opened, the wheels retracted, the bomb's could be re-leased....ect.

I also remember Shep's diorama booklet.

I dont remember it "word for word" but I seem to recall he said     "resist the urge to fondle the part's". (somthing I always do anyway.)

I remember the original Monogram kit.  It was of the "next generation" (sadly last) of Monogram kits with increased details and stuff for modlers (and less reliance on operating parts and toy like gimmicks).  It also had a rather intimidating Shep Paine diorama 4-page color insert in there, too.

But, that was long long ago

littletimmy

 

Devil Dawg

Might give you a good reason to learn resin casting, and make a copy of the open cowl flaps......

  

Resin is for people who "know" what their doing.    LOL

I never know what I'm doing from one model to the next!

M. Brindos

I am very VERY much looking forward to watching how you tackle the problems you are going to find during this build.

I'm just going to close my eye's and paint it.

That should work......... right?????????

( I do have a "HAMMER" standing by.............)

Toshi

I’ll be following closely and I will be looking forward to your WIP.

I will be "darting" back and forth between this thread and your's ( mostly looking at your's)

This way I should be able to at least get enough idea's from you to build a convincing plane.

Devil Dawg

Might give you a good reason to learn resin casting, and make a copy of the open cowl flaps......

Resin is for people who "know" what their doing.    LOL

I will be scratch building the cowl flap's with Evergreen sheet plastic. ( I say plastic because I just discovered I cant spell Styrien.... Stireen.....Styrein???)

I washed the kit this morning using dishwashing soap and warm water.

As of this post she's in primer and I'm waiting for it to dry. Then it's on to interior painting. I have decided to try Model Maste Acrylic for the first time. Will be using MM Interior Green #FS34151       A.K.A. #4736 

Will be posting progress later today.

littletimmy

It's nice that you can build it with one engine opened up but on the displayed engine the cowl flaps are molded closed and on the other engine (which has just enough parts to "represent" an engine) the cowl flap's are molded open.

I will be doing some "carving! 

Might give you a good reason to learn resin casting, and make a copy of the open cowl flaps......

I am very VERY much looking forward to watching how you tackle the problems you are going to find during this build. I've stayed away from this kit because it was terrible when I was a kid lol.

I imagine it's going to be a very tough nut to crack being a  3rd or 4th re release lol!

This is modeling. :)

I’ll be following closely and I will be looking forward to your WIP.

Toshi

It's nice that you can build it with one engine opened up but on the displayed engine the cowl flaps are molded closed and on the other engine (which has just enough parts to "represent" an engine) the cowl flap's are molded open.

I will be doing some "carving!