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P-51D Mustang 'My Achin' Back' - Airfix 1/72


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Beautiful kit... very nicely done. However, I doubt if this particular bird was ever painted as depicted but, that certainly doesn't take away for the incredible job you've done with it.

Here is a picture of the same bird in service with the 358th FS of the 355th FG. If it was painted as you have it depicted then a LOT of the things painted on it would have to of had to be removed when transferred to another unit. IN this case the 358th... the rudder does appear to be red and the trim around the cowling is also red. However, the red on the wing tips, the red trim around the cowling and the wing and horizontal stabilizer stripes would have to have been removed. We would see that in this photo but, we don't... so its is what it is...

The red trim probably went back only as far as the exhaust on the nose and the wing tips remained polished aluminum. The tail number was further back and the only thing they probably ended up removing and/or changing was the spinner to white and removing the wing and tail stripes.

Actually, judging from photos this model does depict how the aircraft likely looked.

There is a very sharp colour Kodachrome image of this particular aircraft, and it clearly shows the latter style of 4th Fighter Group marking sweeping under the cowl in precisely the manner that Sean portrayed here. In fact he absolutely nailed where the "MY" and the loop of the "A" of Achin' crossed from the red nose to the natural metal panels. Moving the serial number forward onto the vertical stab was a common practice in the 4th and shows in many photos. Unfortunately the photo I have in front of me (in the book The Debden Warbirds by Speer, Schiffer Military History Publications, pg. 215) doesn't show enough of the aircraft to confirm that or the red wingtips. I will look at home to see if any other reference has a better shot. There also seems to be some confusion about what the serial number was, so perhaps "OLE-III" was not the same aircraft? I don't have all my references to hand, so I might do some digging tonight at home.

Regardless, Sean's model is an absolutely stunning build. He's taken an excellent kit and built something that is perfectly finished and weathered. Amazing job!

Richard

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GORGEOUS..

Be still MY BEATING HEART...

Just a very STUNNING Looking Mustang.

Last night I watched a program on Tuskegee airmen in their red tails ...Mustangs, and your build reminds ME

of it...the red nose and tail compliments the overall finish..

WOW,

Edited by HOUSTON
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Actually, judging from photos this model does depict how the aircraft likely looked.

There is a very sharp colour Kodachrome image of this particular aircraft, and it clearly shows the latter style of 4th Fighter Group marking sweeping under the cowl in precisely the manner that Sean portrayed here. In fact he absolutely nailed where the "MY" and the loop of the "A" of Achin' crossed from the red nose to the natural metal panels. Moving the serial number forward onto the vertical stab was a common practice in the 4th and shows in many photos. Unfortunately the photo I have in front of me (in the book The Debden Warbirds by Speer, Schiffer Military History Publications, pg. 215) doesn't show enough of the aircraft to confirm that or the red wingtips. I will look at home to see if any other reference has a better shot. There also seems to be some confusion about what the serial number was, so perhaps "OLE-III" was not the same aircraft? I don't have all my references to hand, so I might do some digging tonight at home.

Regardless, Sean's model is an absolutely stunning build. He's taken an excellent kit and built something that is perfectly finished and weathered. Amazing job!

Richard

Same aircraft...

44-73155 P-51D 334 QP-D My Achin' Back

44-73155 P-51D 358 YF-L Hovde, Maj. William J. "Billy" Ole VII

44-73155 P-51D 38 CG-A My Achin' Back(Artwork retained)

I agree the above doesn't take anything away for the build... damn fine work Sundown. :)

I will say this I have tons of pics of the 4th FG at Debden... for my build purposes... and it appears that aircraft with very close serials to 44-73155 don't display wing or tails stripes although the earlier 51's do. It appears that when they elongated the red trim on the nose that the wing and tail stripes went away or remained, if on earlier aircraft.

Regards,

Hurry

Edited by Hurry
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What paints did you use?

I used Alclad for the overall colour. The other colours were Gunze and Tamiya acrylics except for the red which was Mr Color lacquer, it covers better than the acrylics. Details were picked out with Vallejo Model Colours.

Thanks again for all the really positive comments,

Sean

Edited by Sundown
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Airfix really are back in the game with kits like these. The panel line argument will go on ad nauseum but for what's essentially still Pocket money prices these are lovely kits. This Mustang is a prime example. Superb. Thanks for sharing.

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Airfix really are back in the game with kits like these. The panel line argument will go on ad nauseum but for what's essentially still Pocket money prices these are lovely kits.

This has to have been the best £5.99 I have spent in a while. You get a lot of bang for your buck so to speak and better yet you get 2 of these for the price of the Tamiya one!

Nice result!

Thanks Martin.

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  • 1 month later...

I am a little late but I will add to what some of the others have said,your Mustang is stunning! You did a great job.I just picked the kit up today from my local model shop,he just got it in yesterday.For a fraction of the price of a Tamiya Mustang I would say the Airfic kit is equal if not better.

Regards

Mark

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Wow,.......this is a little stunner! Your sliding cockpit canopy looks so much better than mine does, did you thin it down at all as no matter what I did mine still looks really thick and it didn`t match the plastic framework section very well either?

Beautifully build and finished, in all you`ve made a cracking modelling there,

Cheers for sharing,

Tony O

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Sean - fantastic model, really beautiful. I've just started one too.

Can I ask, how do you do your panel lines?

I'm trying out a clay wash at the moment but I'm finding that unless I have a perfect gloss coat it will adhere in patches that I don't necessarily want it to.

Cheers

Patt

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  • 3 months later...

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