AJD, that cockpit looks very nice!

Theuns, I am loking forward to those photos.

As for me, after the weekend madness, I had to step back from the bench and take a break. And yes my decals arrived, right as I was beginning my WM build. I just opened them up to look... and they look nice...

I got the cockpit mostly done Sunday evening. Not totally crazy about the decal seatbelts but I couldn't find my PE ones and thought I'd give 'em a try instead of scratchbuilding them with tape, not sure if I'll leave them or not. 

Looking real good there so far. I am with you about decal seat belts. They are better than nothing, but something with more depth & scale thickness- paper, PE, tape, etc. will look better.

Nice pit Gamera. You could put the decal over some tape or foil to give it more of a thick 3 D look.

Ok guys my Fuerza Aerea DOninicana P-51 is complete. I see something wrong with the undercart, just can't quite figure out what.

The canopy can also not sit flush ontop of the rear top turtledeck as it should, I think the slant angle of the cill might be wrong??

Theuns: Wow, that's sharp looking! Always cool to see a P-51 that's not NM or Olive Drab/Neutral Grey. The undercarriage doors seem to be angled out a little too much to the sides but otherwise from the angles of the photos the gears look fine to me. I think someone said here somewhere that the canopy doesn't slide that far back, wonder if the kit engineering is a little off there?

And thanks guys! I did go ahead and seal up the fuselage but I think I can still reach the seat to add tape seatbelts.

On this kit it has the gap between the canopy bottom and the turtle deck even if just "cracked" open, so I think the engineering might be slightly off there.

Theuns

Theuns, that's looking good there. Congrats on being first across the finish line here! Take your GB badge and wear it with macho pride (hey it's Latin in here) And feel free to add a bent wing bird here. I will get your build posted to the front page here later on today.

Nathan, I may have to try using the seat harness decals on tape. I have tried on foil and it did  not work well at all. I have plenty of seat harness decals in my stash.

Hmmmm, yeah someone here posted that the P-51s canopy rear shouldn't overhang the fuselage- no gap there. Or so I've been told.

Beautiful job you did there, nitpicking aside!  I hope mine looks half as good.

Ok Theuns, your Mustang in on page one here. Where's that Corsair? 

Thanx mate, the Corsair to follow as soon as we are settled into new "residence" All modling stoped for about 3 weeks or so :-(

I do have pix of a nice light blue Honduran plane I want to try.

Theuns

Hmmmm, I've been absent again for several weeks. This "workin' all day" thing really interferes with the important stuff sometimes.  Going back to check out what I've missed...

ajd3530

Well, it figures as soon as I start on my Argintine Hawk, I stumbled upon some decals for an Uruguayan Avenger AND a Cuban Sea Fury... I have a sneaking suspicion I will end up doing more than one model for this GB

We won't say no to multiple entries!

stikpusher

That wont hurt my feelings. I still have a Mexican Vampire and P-47 in my stash as well as Argentine  Skyhawk and Super Entendard...

I've GOT multiples as well, not sure I'll have the TIME for multiples though. We'll see.

Theuns

Ok guys my Fuerza Aerea DOninicana P-51 is complete. I see something wrong with the undercart, just can't quite figure out what.

The canopy can also not sit flush ontop of the rear top turtledeck as it should, I think the slant angle of the cill might be wrong??

Seeing that beautifull Corsair being built I might just have to enter a Hunduran AF one aswell!

Theuns

REALLY nice job on the White-stang Theuns, I love seeing non-standard finishes on machines like that!

Theuns - I concur with Vance's comments on your Mustang. I love the finish too, and the white scheme certainly adds interest for me.

Cheers

Tony

Thanx for the kind words guys :-)

Just as a matter of interest, look at the main undercart doors. They are drooping down a bit. I read if  "Stang" stands for a while the presure in the hydrolic system starts dropping and the gear doors fall open slowly, but at different rates. Hence the different angles I have there.

Theuns

Wow, second page!?!

Theuns: I've heard the same thing about the drooping doors- nice attention to detail there!

The Corsair is together, I think I messed up the wings at the fold lines somehow since they don't want to fit that well. I built one years ago and didn't have the same problem- not sure what I did wrong here. I'm assuming that these aircraft the wings were permanently fixed in the down position so I just cemented them in place and am puttying and sanding to fit.

Starting to take shape there now Gamera. Too bad all that beautful work you did on the insides is now so hard to see...

Thanks SP, I've ordered a fret of Eduard PE seatbelts. I assume the Salvadorians kept the same old USN ones. I think I can still get inside there.  

I would imagine that they did. Probably using US spare parts thru a military assistance program.

I hope so, the USN belts are all I have!

Put the first primer coat on her today- seems bizarre to spray a F4U buff/tan....

Yes, those colors do seem so out of place on a Corsair...

ok, my Tigershark is back on track. Today I go the intakes painted in white. First a primer coat of Testors square bottle Flat White followed by the top coat of Testors square bottle Gloss White after a short drying period for the primer coat... came out perfect.

I am almost ready to get this all glued together now...

Looks good SP, looking forward to seeing her all cemented together.

Thank you. I am looking forward to that as well.

Well I dont think I ever posted a shot of the decals that I will be using. These ones from Aztec look very nice. The last batch of theirs that I used on my Mirage were excelent.

Today's progress- painted Flat Black in the end of the intake trunk, installed the cockpit tube, and then glued the forward fuselage halves together

then I placed the rear fuselage and intakes on (not glued) just for a teaser of how its gonna look... mean!

seam clean up in the next few days.

That is mean looking. Always feels good to get the fuselage closed up. Makes you wanna keep going full on til the end! Now I have to go peek into my box again and get re-aquainted with the Mig! I'll start full on in Jan.

Yes it does. I cant wait to get it into the wraparound camo scheme. Then it will really look badazz! And with the holiday activities bearing down full bore here, I will not be able to pick up my build pace.

Stik,

I'd like to sign up.  1/72 PM AT-11 Kansan in Guatemalan markings.  Natural metal finish, black anti-glare panels.

Ok lew, you are in! Welcome aboard!

Nice work SP, always thought she was a good looking fighter.

Started the camo on the Corsair and the friggin' gear doors I cut off to clean up aren't in the friggin' box where I left them. Hours search and they are no where. Kits back in the box and I had to just walk away. Maybe they'll show up some day...