Mustang Build

Steve,  it's been 11 days since I heard from the gentlemen on the A36. That is a real shame considering it is $5!   Either way, you can keep me on as a "maybe" for the A36 -- if I join the GB it will be with that kit.

I'm having a bit of a fit issue on some parts. I shot some Mr Surfacer 1000 and found things I didn't like. It's better to leave the panels open than to close them as their fit is just miserable. I'm really trying to save this build from going into the trash can. [View:]

The wings on the late war Mustangs  had their panel lines puttied up and sanded flush to cut down on drag. They were painted in aluminum colored lacquer except for the flaps and ailerons that were in NM.

I sanded off most of the wing panel lines and left just a hint of the lines. I also had to fill in the uneven gun access doors with more PPP and sanded smooth to even the surface.

A little more PPP in a few areas was needed to even up things.

The rear underside actually looks very good.

Hopefully the next Mr Surfacer coat will show no flaws.

Plasticjunkie,

That is some serious filling and sanding job you have there,  hope that the next round is more promising.  Best of luck.

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Well, I was prepping to build my trumpeter kit, and was planning on adding AM wheel wells and cockpit.  I began working the insides of the wings to accept the wheel wells, don't anticipate much problem there, just a bunch of sanding and dry fitting.  As I was looking over the cockpit (Aries kit) it was shipped with two of the right sidewalls and no left.  I did email the company, and it appears that they are going to send me the missing piece, which is very nice of them.  Since it is probably coming from Cz it will take some time to get here, so I will press pause on this one and finish up the Bf 109 F I am building for the 109 GB.

Might start the Tamiya D when I am done with the F, will let you know.

<Matt

Wow pj..u have way more patience than me!! Keep at 'er!! 

Well Matt, as it happened I ran out of RLM 71 for the Stuka I'm building for The Stuka GB and went to my LHS to get a bottle of it and noticed the Tamiya P-51D 8th AF waiving at me. It was $4 more than on ebay so $29 wasn't bad.  I grabbed it and have it as a stand by just in case the old Monogram crashes and burns..

LOL Rob.

The model is actually good if I would have left the panels off. I actually like the Monogram pit better than Tamiya's.  Oh well, lesson learned for the other 2 I have that will be built with the panels opened.

Mike,

I'll keep you with the A-36. Just update me if it changes brother.

PJ,

Way to persevere, it's looking good though. watching your wows, I'm going to keep the panels off on my Monogram so I don't run into the same issues,

I haven't worked on anything this weekend. We are going to list the house on the first, so I've been painting and repairing all weekend. I did receive the Verlinden Cockpit set yesterday, wow! in 1/32, it's really detailed. I do wish I had some instrument decals to place in the IP though. Any ideas?

Steve. Try Mike Grant Decals. Individual guage decals available

I might be doing a P-51B as well Tamiya 1:48, I actually started the A-36 and B at the same time.

Sounds cool! ^

May be starting the funny car soon.  Trying to finish a KVII diorama first.  Just a 1/72 but its taking longer than initially thought.  :/

ww2psycho

I might be doing a P-51B as well Tamiya 1:48, I actually started the A-36 and B at the same time.

I'll put you down for the Tam B if you want Psycho, may as well since you started them at the same time.

Cody,

Can't wait brother, I love funny cars.

tempestjohnny,

Thanks for the info, I'll check into them. I was looking at some Airscale on eBay, but they come from England and didn't want to wait that long. I may have to wait for the first of March to pay for them anyway.

So I've managed a bit of progress over the weekend at my standard snail's pace.  I also realized I couldn't decide between Miss Dallas and Ill Wind, so I figure I'll just do both.  They were in the same squadron so why not a wingman?

Look Mom, twins!

I plan to mount both flying in formation, I'm still not sure whether to use the 1/2 inch acrylic rods I've got, or just cut up a wire coat hanger.  I'd like the look of acrylic, but I don't want to cut a 1/2 inch hole in the bottom of the aircraft, and other mounting options seem difficult. To mount them in-flight I used some sheet styrene to blank off the aft landing gear well after removing the molded-on doors.

-2 is a little bit behind, but both are coming along nicely.  Best part of the Tamiya is zero wing-root sanding.  I plan to experiment with Alclad for the first time on the fuel tanks tomorrow if time allows.  I accidentally sanded off most of the rear tank opening on one, but it'll be under the wing and shouldn't be too visible.

Hopefully I can finish closing these up soon and get some primer on them.

Has anyone used Prop-Blurs?  I'm debating it, but I'm not sold on them.  Thoughts anyone?

Thanks for looking!

Edit: Sorry, I filed the pictures in my photobucket library.  Please let me know if they still aren't showing up!

Groot

Groot

Your coming right along there. That's going to be awesome to put them in formation.
I dont much care for prop blurs myself, but others do. Here is a website explaining a different way.

http://fillnsand.blogspot.com/2011/06/prop-blur-discs.html

or

http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/13623#.VOKyftFCLIW

Hope that helps.

Yes sir, absolutely.

Yea I unintentionally stated the B. The girl I've been seeing wanted to try building a model so I let her have a corsair and I started the B a long side her. I think she'll be a car builder though. She doesn't understand airplane parts just like I don't understand cars. Either way it's started :-P

Groot

Don't know what happened to your pictures but they are not there. As a mounting setup, how about using a thin metal rod attached to the bottom of the Mustang then drilling the clear rod to accept the small section of the metal rod? This method will do away with opening a huge hole on the bottom of the Mustang.

I'm toying around with the idea of an in-flight display since I have several of the Airfix clear bases.

Plasticjunkie, the photos should be fixed, thanks for the head's up!  

I like the idea of a metal rod in the acrylic, but haven't worked with acrylic before.  I read online that CA will craze it like a canopy and plastic cement won't stick to it.  Do you know if epoxy would work?  Maybe plumber's cement?

Groot

Epoxy is fine

There may be hope after all. I shot the Mustang with Mr. Surfacer 1000 and found a couple of spots that needed more work then shot some more Mr. Surfacer and it looks ok. I used a 3200 pad to sand the model down.

One thing though. I used a brand new Badger 155 Anthem with a medium tip and the first time it worked fine. The second time the AB was pulsating. Have cleaned it and checked it for proper tip fit and is till pulsating. I have 2 other Badgers and I cleaned this one as I always clean my other two. One of them is over 30 years old. The needle bearing may be the problem but this is a brand new ab. I wonder if the Mr. Surfacer did something to it?

It looks really good PJ.

You are a master painter so I'm sure you will overcome and make it look great. It seems everyone runs into that trouble build every once in a while, and I guess your number came up.

Your almost at the finish line. Keep plugin, one of those badges will look great in your GIF.

PJ,

 What cleaner did you use to clean the AB?  It could also be your air source, if it does it when pushing just air or air and thinner through, try swapping it with a different brush and see if the issue goes away (worth checking if it's a quick easy check).  I've heard if they actually get back to you, the folks at Badger are pretty good with customer service.  If you have the time you might give them a call.

Regardless of past struggles, what you have now looks solid!

Groot

Guys I need to paint my 1/48 Tam F-51d (later a 1/32 F-51) but usually use alclad Airframe alluminium om my jets.

I see some folk use (specifically on the mustprang) Dura alluminium.

Is this a less shiny alclad? Does it go over black aswell to give the tone difference and "depth" aswell?

Thanx

Theuns

For the same cost, I would go with option 2. It seems like less work as well.

Theuns

I see some folk use (specifically on the mustprang) Dura alluminium.

Is this a less shiny alclad? Does it go over black aswell to give the tone difference and "depth" aswell?

Check out this site for more info.

alclad2

Steve

I've actually already got an A-36. Was just factoring in the price for a replacement. If I do, I'll probably pony up for the Italeri boxing. I know its a bit pricey, but the decals sheet is pretty sweet with 4 different options.

Groot

Thanks for your input. I always use LT to clean all my ab's but I think Mr. Surfacer may have damaged the teflon bearing causing the pulsating. I called Badger yesterday and their main repair guy was out so I will call later today. Just trying to trouble shoot it otherwise it goes back to Badger for a free repair, I just pay the shipping which is $8 each way.

Steve has given a very good rundown on the Alclad combinations. Just remember guys that the NMF Mustangs were not all NMF. The wings were puttied sanded smooth and painted in aluminum lacquer. The flaps and ailerons remained in NMF. This was done in order to reduce drag and improve the aerodynamic properties of the pony.

www.ipmsstockholm.org/.../stuff_eng_detail_p51d_02.htm

Thanx for the

I want to have a sight weatherd look to it, I think that the Stangs based in Japan were already hard worked by then and would have shown it.

As for the wings, I believe they were puttied and painted in the factory to maitain the crytical laminar flow airfoil to achieve the very long range needed, but by late war and Korea they might have been back to NMF??

I have used airframe allu alclad over just pollished plastic for a MiG 15 and it gave a much lighter look to the paint than over black as I usually do.

I was just wondering of the dura alluminium was a "lighter" paint than the airframe I use.

I have had good results with Airframe allu over black, I don't use different alclads for the tone differences, I shoot the alclad till it looks "dark" (about 3 coats) then mask off and shoot more till it lightens the other pannels.

Here is my 104 I did that way , but obviously the Stang needs to be much duller ...

Theuns