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F-6B Recon Mustang

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  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
F-6B Recon Mustang
Posted by RadMax8 on Saturday, January 4, 2020 11:34 PM

Hello, all. I’ve been slowly working on this since February. It was a part of the “Eye in the Sky“ GB, which I’ve missed the deadline horribly...

 

This is the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 F-6B kit, which is really just a P-51A with a camera in the back. I’ve got a bit of a “thing” for these early Mustangs, and the kits in the stash to prove it. For this build, I’ve added details from Ultracast including a seat, exhaust, prop, and wheels. I decided to do some scratch-building in the cockpit/camera area, though admittedly amateurish compared to some of the work done here. 

 

The plane was flown by Maj. Russ Berg, who ended up retiring from the USAF in 1970 as a Brigadier General. 

 

Without further ado, the photos:

VLiLvNU.jpg

FRycScE.jpg

8zJ71Gz.jpg

xQcIpmM.jpg

NSGzApx.jpg

fHGxAAm.jpg

o3OHBrT.jpg

rZNHEvV.jpg

jCxcHHE.jpg

5Y5aBqU.jpg

Invasion stripe masking in-progress.

bZFuCJU.jpg

Masking complete. Fuselage was a bit of a challenge.

MypM6yk.jpg

Wing tanks and exhaust done in Alclad, prop blades and spinner in Tamiya.

0dVobuL.jpg

Underside painted and faded, and wing tank fillers masked. 

tRbaDKU.jpg

Covered up all my work!

RkI6t64.jpg

Masking tape and sticky-tack sausages for a slightly feathered demarcation.

aemOUm5.jpg

First photo in my Christmas present from the wife: portable photo booth.

CqruC5D.jpg

Starting color modulation.  By all accounts, this was a fairly heavily weathered plane. 

6JrqLck.jpg

There we are, much better after blending it all.

4ise1iR.jpg

Of course, the invasion stripes were scrubbed off the upper surfaces. Here’s my attempt at representing that. 

5KOp5F7.jpg

I’m pretty happy with how the effect turned out. If I were to do it again, I’d have made the color difference less stark on the invasion stripes to be over-painted.

 

Questions, comments, and constructive criticism welcome!

 

  • Member since
    January 2020
Posted by B777Commander on Saturday, January 4, 2020 11:39 PM

I love it! Thanks for sharing. I don't feelt that it is an easy kit either, having completed their P-51A recently. It looks like you're doing very well.

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, January 4, 2020 11:43 PM

Love it so far. Everything looks great!

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Sunday, January 5, 2020 4:52 AM
Looks great. I built this kit about 10 years ago. Would like to find another.

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Sunday, January 5, 2020 11:35 AM

Wow, very nice work. Love those early Mustangs too. 

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Sunday, January 5, 2020 11:14 PM

Thanks for the comments!

 

Had a quick decal session tonight. Accurate Miniatures didn’t have any stencils for this plane, so after about an hour I was finished! Here’s the proof:

0Ku6u59.jpg

I realize now I didn’t bring the olive drab down far enough on the nose, or the fuselage stripes. Oh well, I’m still very happy with how this one’s turning out!

  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: Chapin, South Carolina
Posted by Shipwreck on Monday, January 6, 2020 8:31 AM
RADMAX8, nice work. I noticed that you have the armor plate that goes behind the seat. I glued mine in after glueing the seat in.That had to be the hard way! Did you assemble the plate and seat, then glue them in as an assembly?

On the Bench:

Revell 1/96 USS Constitution - rigging

Kinetic 1/48 YF-104A 5-2957

Trumpeter 1/350 USS Hornet CV-8

Revell 1/48 B-1B Lancer Prep & Reasearch

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2013
Posted by bvallot on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 12:37 PM

You've got a great build going so far RM8. Very nicely done on the cockpit. I like the extras. =] You did well scratching out that camera too. I'm a big fan of the lines on the P-51A. I'm looking forward to the finish.

On the bench:  

Tamiya F4U-1  Kenneth Walsh

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Thursday, January 16, 2020 11:06 PM

Shipwreck
RADMAX8, nice work. I noticed that you have the armor plate that goes behind the seat. I glued mine in after glueing the seat in.That had to be the hard way! Did you assemble the plate and seat, then glue them in as an assembly?



Hey Shipwreck, sorry I just saw this! You're right, I glued the seat to the frame, and then that assembly got glued to the armor plate that I scratch built. Then the final assembly was glued into the cockpit.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Thursday, January 16, 2020 11:42 PM

bvallot

You've got a great build going so far RM8. Very nicely done on the cockpit. I like the extras. =] You did well scratching out that camera too. I'm a big fan of the lines on the P-51A. I'm looking forward to the finish. 



Britt, high praise coming from you! Although I used your build as an inspiration, I didn't got 10% as far as you did on your P-51A masterpiece! Perhaps some day I'll be able to achieve your level of detail! 

I agree, there's just something about the lines of the P-51As that really looks great  I even like the B/C model. Must be the high back look that grabs me.

Nice work on the D model you just wrapped up, as well!

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Friday, January 17, 2020 2:33 AM

Turning out great Max.  OD looks awesome.  I look forward to the finished model.   

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Hoss WA on Sunday, January 19, 2020 1:31 PM

Looking great so far. Looking forward to the finish!

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 10:33 PM

Finally calling this one done. I tried my hand at taking some pictures with a DSLR and a photo tent my wife got me for Christmas... expert photographer I am not. Without further ado, here's the pics. 






And finally, here's an awesome photo I found of Major Russ Berg, the pilot of this aircraft. He had quite the military career, serving in Korea and retiring in 1970.

Questions, comments, and constructive criticism are welcome!

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Thursday, February 27, 2020 1:09 AM

Nailed that OD and stripes peeking through.  Pics are great too.   

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Thursday, February 27, 2020 8:04 AM

lawdog114

Nailed that OD and stripes peeking through.  Pics are great too.   

 

Thanks, Joe. I feel like I can retire from building now, I've got your approval! Haha! I need to get a light blue background for my pics, they just look so much better with that. And maybe I need to ditch the DSLR and just get a new iPhone (mine is approaching 5 years old), your pics are always tops. 

Is it weird if I'm searching for 1/48 Mercedes Benz 540K kits to compliment this aircraft? That's one sweet ride haha.

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, February 27, 2020 12:27 PM

Excellent finish, Max!  Great job on the colors and the weathering.

How do you like the photo tent?  I'm thinking of getting myself a portable, collapsable photo booth, so I'm curious to hear about it.  The pictures came out pretty well.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Sunday, March 1, 2020 7:33 AM

the Baron

Excellent finish, Max!  Great job on the colors and the weathering.

How do you like the photo tent?  I'm thinking of getting myself a portable, collapsable photo booth, so I'm curious to hear about it.  The pictures came out pretty well.

 

I think the tent is a decent value. You get 4 LED lights and 4 backgrounds which are ok. The tent folds up nicely, and you can fit the lights into the pockets easily. As I said, I still need to work on my technique and learn how to use it better. But so far, I am happy with it.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Sunday, March 1, 2020 8:32 PM

A finely made model, love the paint.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Monday, March 2, 2020 1:28 PM

RadMax8
 
the Baron

Excellent finish, Max!  Great job on the colors and the weathering.

How do you like the photo tent?  I'm thinking of getting myself a portable, collapsable photo booth, so I'm curious to hear about it.  The pictures came out pretty well.

 

I think the tent is a decent value. You get 4 LED lights and 4 backgrounds which are ok. The tent folds up nicely, and you can fit the lights into the pockets easily. As I said, I still need to work on my technique and learn how to use it better. But so far, I am happy with it.

 
Thanks, Max!

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Hoss WA on Monday, March 2, 2020 1:39 PM

Looks great. I like how the "scrubbed off" invasion stripes came out. Nice photos and cool to see the pilot photo also. Congrats. 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cleveland, OH
Posted by RadMax8 on Friday, March 6, 2020 7:35 AM

John, Baron, and Hoss:

Thank you guys! Much appreciated. Overall, I am very pleased with how this turned out. Still some lessons learned (or relearned), but on to the next one!

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