"Sea Dart" - CAC navalised Mustang

[Ed Russell]

This piece of fantasy is based on the Red Roo 1/72 Dart-powered Mustang and was done in response to a request for 'something different'. I hope you will agree that it is different.

There is nothing completely outlandish about the idea. The Dart powered Mustang existed and although it never flew its Cavalier and Piper Enforcer brethren did fly successfully without any adverse reports on them. It would still have been a handful though. The Mustang was tested for carrier service in WW2 and performed quite successfully in the hands of an experienced naval pilot.

The scheme is obviously based on the RAN's Sea Furies and is coded Q for HMAS Vengeance. The arrestor hook and pitot are heavy duty as are the navaids as these are the bits likely to be called into question in real life. The pilot has got away with his WW2 kills painted up!

There is a build thread here with some hints if you are building an Academy Mustang. (If we had known about the Airfix one a year or so ago, that would have been the base of the kit.)

http://www.britmodel...topic=234923759

It looks more or less normal here

and here

But it's all about the nose and the tanks

and the exhaust pipe. The yellow is a nod to the original.

That hook will do the job. Q is for HMAS Vengeance. R.A. N. in Sea Fury style. RAAF Mustangs were A68, so....

No precedent for underwing markings so had to make it up

Thanks for looking. Who is going to be next with a 1/72 one of these or first with the 1/48 (teasing, it's not released yet)

Edited October 1, 2012 by Ed Russell

[David Womby]

Wow, Ed. That looks great. The new engine make it look really mean! I love the idea of navalizing it.

Probably pure hell trying to see over that nose when you taxi it on a small aircraft carrier deck though!

David

[jimbuna]

Very nice indeed.

[HOUSTON]

Ed,

WOW! That looks pristine and is a FANTABULOUS , SPLENDID build.

Something different is actually VERY IMPRESSIVE .

I LOVED it..

KUDOS