Thanks Tony, your 108 is coming along nicely. Anyways, here's some pics of my latest attempt. Tamiya's 1/72 P-51 in Israel's Big Wing Squadron Markings.
Proof of start pic.
pics of the attempt at using Eduard's photoetch. This would ultimately be a failure as the two pieces that act as canopy rails would eventually come off. One was almost a sacrifice to the parts monster under the work table, the other lodged itself in the cockpit and couldn't be removed without destruction.
At this point, I had errands to run and a MINI club Christmas party to get to. I'm thinking, it's a Tamiya shake and bake, I've built at least five of these. I've got plenty of time, what can go wrong? I got back from the party, spent some more time at the table, and went to bed with something that looked like a P-51. Overnight, the bit of putty needed dried. When I awoke, I got up and sanded the putty and 36 hours into the build, she looked like this.
Having built both the 1/72 and that other scale (they call it 1/48 I think, weird), I like what Tamiya did with the fuselage top on the 1/48. Being a separate piece, you don't lose the roundness of the fuselage top. On it's little brother, you have to be careful with the sandpaper. Back to the pics.
By now, either the final coat of primer is on, or I've just shot the bottom with Light Ghost Gray, can't really tell at the moment.
And now, the intermediate blue.
And time has run out. The dark earth and decals have been applied. Landing gear and wheels have been painted. Prop and spinner are assembeled and painted.
This is how she looks now. I wasn't too keen on the paint scheme at first, but the more I've looked at it, I find it to be rather attractive. At this point, all that is left to be painted are the exhaust stack shrouds (natural metal), the canopy frame under the bubble (natural metal), and the landing gear actuator arms. She should be on her mains tomorrow. Now, what to build for this coming weekend? Off to the stash.