Mustang Build

modelcrazy

Toshi,

Nice score, several of us have the non silver kit. What a great kit Tamaya has put together. I will be stating mine today, but you should be finished way before I am.

I'ts good to have you aboard my friend. I updated the roster.

Steve

 

Toshi

Here is what has been completed thus far.  I have the Merlin 1,400hp V-1650-3 engine assembled as well as the supercharger.  Please view these two iconic pieces below.

Here is the assembly of the supercharger.

Toshi,

Nice score, several of us have the non silver kit. What a great kit Tamaya has put together. I will be stating mine today, but you should be finished way before I am.

I'ts good to have you aboard my friend. I updated the roster.

Steve

Here is the "Special Edition" box art.  Displayed with the box art is the FSM magazine I ordered in regards to finishing and weathering a model kit.

This is the first Mustand I've built after a 40 year haitus.  looking back, there's lots of mistakes.  My goal is to minimize this issue on this build.

To ModelCrazy and the Mustang GB members,

Thank you for having me to join this wonderful and very exciting endevour.  This will be my second GB, the Boeing was my first.  I hope my build can be exceptible to the many Mustangs I see here displayed.  My Build will be a Tamiya 1:32 P-51D Mustang "Silver Chrome Plated" Special Edition.  There are several interior parts not silver plated, I will then AB all parts not silver to be matching the exterior silver plating.  

In essence, when this project is completed?  I have no clue what to expect.  Except I think it will really look cool in my minds eye.  I have to give credit to my daughter who's been following and helping me with this new and wonderful hobby, model kits!  It is my daughter, a photography major at Kent State University that came up with this idea.  Below, you can view the box art and spruces.  Once again, thank you very much.

Toshi

George,

I love Alclad. It lays down very well, however you will need a mirror smooth primer coat or it will show every flaw. Keep the amount of masking down as well. My mask has removed It before. Some guys use post-it notes as a mask.

Steve

rooster513

George, you've got nothing to worry about buddy, that pit came out awesome! Good luck with the Alclad! I've yet to try it but hopefully will soon. I'm sure it'll come out great for you!

 

Thanks Andy! I did do a little experiment with the Alclad on the tail wheel and the air scoop. I really like how it lays down! I am about to join the halves. I did run into an issue with the exhaust though. While drilling out the ends I buggered a couple of them so I have ordered a resin set to replace them. Since the kit requires the exhaust to go in before the halves are joined, I cut off the backing plates and glued them in place. I will hopefully be able to make the resin ones fit towards the end of the build from the outside instead. I am not sure why the Hasegawa kit has them added before the fuselage is joined but oh well.

George

George, you've got nothing to worry about buddy, that pit came out awesome! Good luck with the Alclad! I've yet to try it but hopefully will soon. I'm sure it'll come out great for you!

modelcrazy

I just Googled "P-51 Mustang puttied wings" and got some informative stuff regarding this.

This is one of the reasons I like to host group builds. It keeps me learning new things. 6 months ago I had no idea about putty wings

 

Thanks Steve! I will check it out and keep you posted. I am at a point now where I can play with the Alclad on the tail wheel gear before I join the fuselage halves, so should be interesting.

infofrog

I Painted the wings Tamiya Chrome silver ..Came out looking very good

I did have to respray some light primer over couple areas .Just Did not look right . I hear alclad will show issues . Fixed now

Rick

 

 

Thanks Rick! That does look great! I am probably still going to use the Alclad though. The stuff is too expensive to waste at this point since I already bought it. I think I can make it work...hopefully! 

George

fightnjoe

George I am glad I could be of some help.  The interior looks dang good to me.

 

 

 

Joe

 

Thanks Joe! I am so glad I jumped in with you guys! It is nice to get the input from folks that know their stuff!

George

Rick wow.  That looks sharp.

Joe

George I am glad I could be of some help.  The interior looks dang good to me.

Joe

I Painted the wings Tamiya Chrome silver ..Came out looking very good

I did have to respray some light primer over couple areas .Just Did not look right . I hear alclad will show issues . Fixed now

Rick

I just Googled "P-51 Mustang puttied wings" and got some informative stuff regarding this.

This is one of the reasons I like to host group builds. It keeps me learning new things. 6 months ago I had no idea about putty wings

George, 

You'll like Alclad, and those colors will be perfect. North America usually applied a "putty" to the wings and horizontal stabilizer for aerodynamic purposes, basically making them smother. they would go over that with a silver paint, typically a dull looking silver. The Stangs you will see at airshow's won't typically have this putty, so it's really up to you as far as accuracy. 

modelcrazy

That looks better George.  Great looking office. 

What are you going to use for the natural metal finish and the putty'd wings? 

 

Thanks! I was going to use an Alclad system (first time trying it). I have the black base, then 3 different aluminum's to highlight panel lines. I have Airframe Aluminum, White Aluminum, and Dark Aluminum. I hope I can pull it off! By putty'd wings do you simply mean the seam fills? Or is there something that you are thinking would require putty?

Thanks!

George

That looks better George.  Great looking office. 

What are you going to use for the natural metal finish and the putty'd wings? 

Ok, here is the revised/corrected cockpit with the blackish grey fuel tank. Thanks to my new friends for the research and help!

Thanks Joe, that's perfect.

Joe, Larry and Steve,

Thanks so much for the fuel tank info! I will get it fixed. I am so apreciative of the help!

George

George,

Thanks! The kit is an Accurate Miniatures kit. I'm using the Aires cockpit set intended for the Tamiya P-51B. I've been impressed by the level of detail and the Aires parts fit together really well. Fitting them into the AM kit, now that's a different matter...

I also did a bit of reference checking. Squadron's Walk Around Number 7 has two photos that show portions of the fuselage fuel tank on a P-51D. In both cases, it looks like a fairly light gray, maybe light Gull Gray.

Larry

Re the fuel tank

http://www.air-relics.co.uk/communities/2/004/010/876/292//images/4573788899.jpg

I hope this helps.

Joe

lzdaily@comcast.net

George,

Great start. I look forward to seeing the rest of the build.

After a couple of crazy weeks at work, I got a little work done on my P-51B this evening. I think I have everything done that I need to close up the fuselage. Here are a couple of shots of the various cockpit parts. Obviously I need belts on the seat; I haven't worked with photoetched belts before so I'm taking my time with those.

Larry

 

Hi Larry,

I like it! I love the B model! Is that seat part of the kit? It looks fantastic! I have found that the photo etch is usually quite time consuming because of the nature and size of the pieces. You therefore will be forced to take your time...or get VERY frustrated trying to find the little bits that fly off onto the carpet!

George

George,

Great start. I look forward to seeing the rest of the build.

After a couple of crazy weeks at work, I got a little work done on my P-51B this evening. I think I have everything done that I need to close up the fuselage. Here are a couple of shots of the various cockpit parts. Obviously I need belts on the seat; I haven't worked with photoetched belts before so I'm taking my time with those.

Larry

I Googled P-51 fuselage fuel tank and P-51 cockpit fuel tank and It came up with different photos. 

modelcrazy

While the photographic evidence is is difficult to find (in other words, I'm no expert ) the fuel tank under the radio may have been black or black gray. I'm not sure green is wrong though. 

 

Thanks! It is still not too late for me to fix it. I wonder if anybody else wants to help with this dilemma? I have not been able to find any evidence online and was just defaulting to what the kit instructions were showing...