357th FG Build Shelf of Doom Edition

TJ,

I've seen it and it's an option.  I pulled an Academy B off the shelf that's missing some parts and the tail section  appears to be a match.  We'll see.

Thanks TJ, but I have that sheet and built NB III for our chapter build back in 05.  I meant NB II, which was OD on the top surfaces, natural metal on the fuselage and undersides.  Eagle Strike has the decals for NB I, which I've built as well.  Tamiya has the decals for NB IV, which will be my next build.  I think I've solved the problem of backdating the Tamiya kit to a filletless early model, just have to see if I can pull it off. 

Buddy. Eagle Strike IP7204 has the markings for Nooky Booky III. I've already used mine or I'd send them to you

Started this on Wednesday.  Took me a little longer than I planned to get back to this.

Standard Tamiya cockpit, ready for installation.

At this point, the plan was to do Capt. Richard Peterson's Hurry Home Honey.  Capt. Peterson flew three aircraft all named Hurry Home Honey, a B/C, an early D, and a later D.  The decals I have are for the early D.  At this point, all upper surfaces were OD, while the fuselage and undersides were natural metal.  I figured it would be easier to mask the upper fuselage without the wings and stabilizers mounted.  Here she is all masked up and ready for the wings to be attached.

Now the wings are on.  I had originally planned to do this one as Nooky Booky III, but I have yet to find the decals in 1/72.  I had already painted the landing gear bays yellow zinc chromate and the underwing silver back in 05.  I stuffed the bays full of pieces of wet napkin to mask them.

I had to do some touch up work after gluing the wing on, so I went ahead and primered it.  At this point, I had something that looked like an airplane and was ready to shoot the black base coat for the natural metal finish.  While on dinner break, I looked at the decals and I realized that HHH as depicted was an early D, without the tail fillet.  The Tamiya kit is a late D/IK with the tail fillet.  The other plane on the decal sheet that I hadn't built yet was also an early D.  I looked through my decals for another 357FG aircraft, but no luck.  I did find markings for a postwar Dutch Mustang with an OD antiglare panel, so that's what I'll be building for this portion of the build.  Markings will be for an aircraft in 121 Sqn, based at Tjilitan (Batavia) Airport in 1946.  Here she is ready for another coat of primer.

More to come.