The P-51"mustang" Group Build. 2008

I understand IL2 I have trouble controling the thick ca on a tooth pick and I didnt think it would work on the needle. I did make a handle for the needles out of the back of a paintbursh handle. With the thick Ca I end up with blobs of glue all where I didnt want it and with the thin ca the joint seemed to just pull the glue in right where I wanted it to go.

Hey it would be my pleasure to pay back IL2windhawk anytime. The future gloss coat was simple really the first coat I brushed on with a 1/4 wide very soft brush so I could work the future into joints in the foil also I did discover that with an AB I tended to run the future because you cant really see it or at least I cant, or I dont get enough on with the AB that it orange peels and decals silver. The second coat I use an AB and wet coat it fast so it wont run then buffed it a little with an old t- shirt. IF I do run the second coat I touch a paper towel to the run and it pulls the run off when its still wet. I think the big trick is in burnishing the foil with 0000 steelwool.

IL2windhawk wrote:

Your build really came out great, vettman. So you did end up using CA glue? Did you have to trim the seam afterwards? Vac canopies are a pain, but always worth it.

Yup I did use CA IL2 I cut the ends off 2 sewing needles so I had like a tuning fork,( was an idea I saw here in the forum) dipped one in thin ca the other in accelerater and did the capelaroy (spelling) thing. It worked out great no blobs of ca to sand, and no fogging on the canopy. I did use tape to help me position the caonpy that thin ca sets fast. I went around the canopy 2 times with the ca and accelerator then used Mr Surfacer 1000 around the joint took 2 coats then rubbed a q-tip dipped in 91% alcohol to smooth things out and well what can I say it came out well IL2windhawk. Thank you very much for your help best canopy I have done. And yes I have to agree the vacuform canopy was a pain in the well you know. But once I finished the plane it was very well worth the effort and ummmm the new words I came up with ?

Lewbud, I am glad you will stick around, look forward to seeing your build.

Vetteman your right builds are fun.

Thanks lewbud I am looking forward to seeing your build and am happy to hear you will be posting them.

Now to find another BG I am hooked

Raptordriver I decided to leave it shiny like a show bird :) I have seen a bunch of show mustangs with polished props however I never saw one with a polished cuffed prop. I was stuck using the kit prop as I broke 2 of the  ultracast prop blades trying to apply the foil, they are eather very brittle or more likely I am hamfisted LOL. I hope to join another of your build groups when you do another this one was fun.

Andrew,

It's been a good build, even though I didn't get her done in time.  Will keep posting pics thought til she's done.

Randy,

Nice job on the foiling!  She looks great.

Dupes,

How many nicknames you got now?  There's fupes, now dopes, any we're missing?

Hey Everybody! Thanks for coming I thought this build was great. If you have not finished go head.

Vetteman- Thanks always glad to have people here. It ended up very shiny, some day I should try it. I have never seen a silver proped plane before but it looks nice. Oh and you get the badge, even though I see you got it.

Thunderbolt- Glad you enjoyed the build and thanks.

I won't be running another build for along time but will always keep track on this one.

Last, I posted all your finished builds in the airplane forum.

Thunderbolt379 wrote:

Vetteman -- she's a beauty! Yep, this photography brings out her strengths, and I must say the canopy and decals came out very well for first-time techniques (for any experience level, in fact!) I showed my other half the pics, we both agree the Mustang is a very sexy and romantic airplane and I've promised to build her one or two as well (we've had delightful fantasies about being stinking rich, owning our own real P-51 and flying it for adventure -- but until then, models will suffice!) Raptordriver -- thankyou for a very enjoyable GB, I built a model I'm proud of, shared-the-moment with some great hobbyists and learned some skills and tricks along the way, and that's what a group build is all about! Cheers from Down Under, Mike

Ditto raptordriver

I have had a lot of fun and learned a lot during my first BG.

Thank you Thunderbolt means much to me after seeing and following your build. Hey isnt the P-51 Mustang considered the most beautiful plane ever built ??? I for one think so.

Vetteman -- she's a beauty! Yep, this photography brings out her strengths, and I must say the canopy and decals came out very well for first-time techniques (for any experience level, in fact!) I showed my other half the pics, we both agree the Mustang is a very sexy and romantic airplane and I've promised to build her one or two as well (we've had delightful fantasies about being stinking rich, owning our own real P-51 and flying it for adventure -- but until then, models will suffice!)

Raptordriver -- thankyou for a very enjoyable GB, I built a model I'm proud of, shared-the-moment with some great hobbyists and learned some skills and tricks along the way, and that's what a group build is all about!

Cheers from Down Under,

Mike

dupes wrote:

Dang. Sweet home-made decals, Vetteman!

Thanks dopes this is the second time I have made them and let me tell ya once you figure it out it isnt all that hard to do.

PS raptordriver does this mean I get to keep my badge now ???

raptordriver HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Finally finished my build this morning and took pictures to share this afternoon. Some one had sugested I take pictures of this one outside with a delayed flash to keep the reflections down. All I can say is I wish I could remember who it was because these came out pretty well, considering I am truly a camera dummy.

This forst pic is the one Angel likes the most

Like I have said this P-51 is called Angels Playmate for my better half Angel she allows me the time and space along with putting up with me building models. I have to admit she puts up with a bunch too. The nose art decal was printed with a HP720c printer on mircoscale clear decal sheet. Let me tell ya it behaved much better than the kit decals of which 3 exploded on me so I had to scrounge some more from other kits I had on hand.

Foiling the prop was really a problem. I did try foiling an uncuffed ultracast resin prop but the blades were just too brittle for ham fisted me to work with after having broke two of them, I gave up and used the kit prop.

I did use PE in the cockpit for the first time on this build, with the help of a few of the builds here it worked out ok. I will have to try PE again sometime. I also used a vacuformed canopy for the first time on this one and to be honest was at a complete loss how to work with it or glue it. Someone here came to the rescue and walked me thru the whole thing from trimming to glueing and even sugested masking methods. This I have to say is the best canopy I have built to date I am pleased with it. I must thank IL2windhawk for his help and advice with it, I thank you sir.

This is my first GB and I have had a blast building with you and have learned a huge amount, and I hope made a few friends along the way. As usual any comments at all are welcome, as I learn from all of them.

Hope you enjoy the pictures and thank you for looking

Bummer lewbud have been looking forward to seeing your build

raptordriver the checks in da mail lewbud said so maybe you could ummmmm........

raptordriver wrote:

Randy, you got lucky, just barely made the deadline. It looks great and your right, its to shiny to see any mistakes if they are there. Lewbud, sorry looks like your not going to make it. Seriously though, hope to see some pics. Well as we all know, tomorrows the end of the build, the reason I had it end on this particular date is that its my birthday.

Yeah, I know.  Check's in the mail.

Randy, you got lucky, just barely made the deadline. It looks great and your right, its to shiny to see any mistakes if they are there.

Lewbud, sorry looks like your not going to make it. Seriously though, hope to see some pics.

Well as we all know, tomorrows the end of the build, the reason I had it end on this particular date is that its my birthday.

Randy,

Looks good so far.  Looking forward to seeing her done.

Heres a picture of the noseart I think it came out quite well. I drew the lettering with photoshop and printed it with an HP720c printer. Oh and Angel saw the plane  so the pony is outta the bag so to speak LOL. Told me to take a pic rigth now and post it here.

Finished pics tomorrow sometime

raptordriver wrote:

Dupes great work, I can see you didn't want the $35 fine. I myself personally like OD schemes on a mustang. Vett- That is a   very shiny. Be careful you could probably blind someone with that!

Thanks for the complement dupes

raptordriver

There is a means to my maddness ya know, figure if I blind ya with bright foil you wont be able to see my mistakes hehehehe

Thanks IL2windhawk 

Well looks like I will make the deadline tomorrow I put the decals on lastnight and the final coat of future on this afternoon. So tomorrow I will take care of the few final details and call it finished. OH wait !!!!! I have to post the finished pictures, then I can call it finished thats what I was forgetting I have to get done.

raptordriver wrote:

Dupes great work, I can see you didn't want the $35 fine.

Shoot, that's like 2 kits right there! Perfect motivation to get the build on top of the queue!!!

Thanks man.

Dupes great work, I can see you didn't want the $35 fine. I myself personally like OD schemes on a mustang.

Vett- That is a   very shiny. Be careful you could probably blind someone with that!

lewbud Thanks for the links, took a quick peek and both look like they do have possibilities I will take a closer look later this evening.

Heres a picture of what I was able to get done today, got the antiglare painted and the masking off the windshield. This is the very first time I didnt have trouble with paint bleeding under the masking tape. The canopy came out well too I think the best I have done so far, and the first time I have used a vacuformed canopy. Many thanks to IL2windhawk for all the help and advice with the canopy. Its gettin closer to being finished, however lotsa detail work left. As always all comments or advice are welcomed.

As with most survivors, the markings are bogus.  Especially in this case as Gentile never got to the D as far as I can tell.  He was grounded and sent home after he banged up his B (not that it matters, his tour was up and he was sent on a War Bonds tour).  He was killed on a training flight after the war.

dupes wrote:

Yeah, thought I had the silvering under control, then I sprayed the flat coat...and it re-emerged! Aaaack! Wondering if I need to start laying down heavier coats of future?? Multiple rounds of poking the decals with the tip of an X-Acto and coats of Solvaset didn't cure it as well as I thought.

Been there so many times I'm thinking of getting a t-shirt made....

dupes - very nice job on the P51~  16 victories

Capt. Dominic S. Gentile 336th Fighter Squadron 4th Fighter Group 8th Air Force 27.

there is another "Shangri la" , D-version, still survives:

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/pages/45-11553.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8A22lSWNs