Tamiya 1/32 P-51D - Passion Wagon (brush painted)

[andyramone]

Right, finally time to start this WIP. Been working on this over the Easter Weekend and finally have something to show you guys.

First, a couple of disclaimers:

Accuarcy - I do not care a jot for it, and do very little towards acheiving it. I'm happy to go with what's in the box, and add scratch detail, or aftermark only in the interest of adding visual interest, or to enhance my pleasure in building the model. So any comments on accuracy will likely be ignored.

Painting - I brush paint, and am proud of it. I like to think my techniques achieve a decent finish, and can finally do justice to models like this. I occasionaly spraycan tricky colors (yellow,white etc...) and always spray the final Matt coat from a rattle can.

So, onto the build.

I'm building this one as 'Passion Wagon.' Most likely without the invasion stripes for my own sanity.



Not going to go into too much detail about this kit, you all know the score, it's a beauty, and falls together. Plenty of detail, and plenty of scope to add something here and there if you fancy it.

I've started on the engine and cockpit, and am slowly building up the the bits a pieces. Here's everything I've got so far dry fitted.





Here are the parts broken down:



The cockpit floor. I've used the wooden floor decal from the HGW belts, and painted it over black. I then scratched away with a needle to achieve the desired worn look. Really pleased with how this came out.



The seat has been made up, and paint chips added with some silver paint and a fine brush



decided to paint the oil tank Zinc Chormate yellow for a bit of visual interest



The radio is the Barracuda cockpit upgrade resin parts. Allows a nice amount of detail and fitted like a glove.



The engine has been painted matt black and dry brush with Gunze Metal Color 'Black Iron.' This gives an awesome dark metallic look that is a great base for further weathering. May also add some plumbing at a later stage to busy it up.

Have also been using the Barracuda cockpit and stencil placards, which really add to the overall look. Although they are tricky little buggers to use, it's well worth the effort.

I tried to get a pic of the dasboard but my camera's macro was being a PITA. I opted for the technique Roy Sutherland does in the 'Building the...' book where you thin the back of the Dash, and use acetate to put the reverse decal on.

So that's it so far. Up next is an oil based pin wash, matt coat, weaterhing with pastels and a final filter wash to tie it all together.

Stay tuned for more updates. It's gonna be a long build!

[louiex2]

Nice build so far. I enjoy the fact that you are not building for the rivet counters, contest judges or anyone other than yourself and your pure enjoyment of building an already outstanding kit. I look forward to following the build. To paraphrase Admiral Farragut "Damn the airbrushes; Full speed ahead,"

[Iain Ogilvie]

Nice build so far. I enjoy the fact that you are not building for the rivet counters, contest judges or anyone other than yourself and your pure enjoyment of building an already outstanding kit.

Well said - and seconded - we're in danger of missing the point with this hobby - fun and relaxation.

Nobody should feel pressured into using specific techniques, corrections, or 'tweaks' in their modelling - and yet I think there is a 'peer pressure' that can be to the detriment of the hobby!

Andy - that's a stonking start - I'm really looking forward to seeing this come together - am sure you'll thoroughly enjoy it!

Iain

[KLP]

Looks great so far! I will be following this one.

Kenneth

[viper-30]

nice build,always fancied one of theses.brush painting well ive done it for years..enjoy , i will enjoy watching this

terry

[Sidders]

And so you should be proud of brush painting. Looks superb!

[Mozzy19]

You can't really tell the difference between your brush painting and someone who's airbrushed it. Looking good so far.

[j_jza80]

This looks superb so far. Your cockpit weathering looks lifelike. The effect you've achieved on the bulkhead behind the oil tank is outstanding.

[andyramone]

Time for an update

Finshed the 'Pod Racer' cockpit. Weathered with oils, Mig wash/filter, pastels and a Matt Coat.

Looking pretty good to me. Obviously the fit is remarkable.

Heres a few closer pics

Took me ages to work out how to thread the HGW belts, due to piddle poor instructions, but I got there in the end:

So, onto the cockpit sidewalls next

[Troffa]

Cracking stuff! Great technique and super paint work. I will be keeping an eye on this one!

[andyramone]

Plenty of progress to show from the last few days.

Got the engine bearers painted up. Went for Yellow Chromate purely for asethtic reasons. Metal is MR Metal Color again, which is the best metal paint for brush painting. Srubbed on with a brush and buffed lightly with a soft cloth.

Cockpit sidewalls finished. Added some wiring for visual interest, based on pics of the Barracuda resin sidewalls. The Barracuda cockpit decals make all the difference here. Highly reccomend them.

Extra bits added to the engine bearers ready for mating the fuselage halves

Adding some basic wiring to the Merlin, and did a bit more weathering just to keep things interesting. Still not sure if I'll display any of the cowlings off.

Then everything got bought together. The ift is excellent, and clicks together, but you need plenty of clamps and pressume to fix it all together. You can see on the underside I struggled and resorted to CA Glue to force it together. WIll take a bit of sanding to smooth it out, but should be OK.

Here you can see the amazing fit of all the extra panels that fix to the fuselage. They all just slot into place and look like they are part of the fuselage.

Let me know what you chaps think.

[gingerbob]

Before I get too far behind, LOVE the worn floor areas! I also endorse the choice of subjects- the warbird was the first Mustang I ever got to get really up close and personal with, and it also happens to be a very attractive... umm... colour scheme.

bob

[Paramedic]

Wow, this is a great thread - your brush-painted Mustang looks stunning! Keep up the good work, from one brush-painter to another..

[perdu]

As a very late convert to airbrushing "everything in sight" I'm a fan of properly done paintbrushing

And I love the scuffed cockpit floor and well buggered seat paint too

This is amazing work, I think I'm about to be a very jealous bunny at your skills

watching til the end

ta

bill

[Chuck540Z3]

Amazing brush work! A couple of suggestions if I may.

For the panels behind the cockpit that you have noted fit very well, they will look even better if you use some Extra Thin Tamiya cement to close the small gap between them. Let capillary action of the seam pull the cement into the gap and then just let it dry.

For the very front of the engine where those two pins attach to the front assembly that holds the glycol tank, spend extra time making sure to dry fit everything so that the pins slide in easily and the fit is very tight. This will likely involve removing all paint and sanding down the pins slightly so that there is no gap between the base of the pin and the front assembly. If you get this fit wrong, the side pieces won't fit properly and then all cowlings won't either, so it is a very important step to get right.

Keep up the great work!

Edited April 9, 2013 by Chuck540Z3

[andyramone]

Amazing brush work! A couple of suggestions if I may.

For the panels behind the cockpit that you have noted fit very well, they will look even better if you use some Extra Thin Tamiya cement to close the small gap between them. Let capillary action of the seam pull the cement into the gap and then just let it dry.

For the very front of the engine where those two pins attach to the front assembly that holds the glycol tank, spend extra time making sure to dry fit everything so that the pins slide in easily and the fit is very tight. This will likely involve removing all paint and sanding down the pins slightly so that there is no gap between the base of the pin and the front assembly. If you get this fit wrong, the side pieces won't fit properly and then all cowlings won't either, so it is a very important step to get right.

Keep up the great work!

Hey Chuck, I'm way ahead of you thanks to your awesome WIP build on ARC!

I'm glad I picked up your point about the engine/glycol tank assembly. I made sure to test it before I glued it as you advised. I then dry fitted the thin cowlings and they all fit like a charm. Success!

I'll have another photo update tonight.

[trickyrich]

what a great job!!!

It's so nice to see someone who still paints by brush! For some of us older modellers that was the only way when we started, air brushes now are a bit too easy!

Look forward to seeing the completed beast, keep up the great work....and the paint brushing! Plus it's the enjoyment of building the model and not the accuracy that gives us the most pleasure!

We salute you!

[louiex2]

Amazing work- keep it going.

[snapper_city]

Nice build so far. The pit looks great.

[HOUSTON]

Whoa!

Really Amazing work so far.

I do not think there are many aircrafts out there with such a variety of nose art and schemes as a Mustang.

I never tire if this elegant effulgent aircraft.

Keep it coming ...

[lipkicker]

Love it

[mrchud]

Great job so far I will be following with interest. Your painting skills look great, I think we all get hung up on thinking we have to use an airbrush. I have one and do use it but it hold me up as I don't like using it and the compressor when the kids are in bed. In fact I think you have convinced me to try brush painting my cockpits again. Thanks for sharing and the inspiration.

[andyramone]

Hi chaps

Thanks for all the kind comments. Glad I can provide some inspiration for anyone who might drop by.

So, progress:

Got all the engine bearers on and painted. This area is now essentially done, may add a few more bits of weathering depending on which colings I decide to have open.

Speaking of the cowlings, I added the small photoetch parts to test the fit with the magnets. It's pretty much spot on, just some minor fiddling to get it exact.

And added the stabilisers, again, a great fit, just some minor clean up needed.

And on to the wheel well. I had two problems heading into this.

1. The sheer amount of wiring required to do it properly. I love adding wiring to wheel wells and cokpits, but I didn't fancy doing the mass of complex wires on the inside of the centre spine.

2. The Landing gezr covers. Beacuse of the whole "swap parts for flying and grounded" engineering, the landing gear covers are molded open integrally to the centre spine. Didn't fancy trying to paint those, especially with white identifiying stripes running a cross them.

So, I carelly sawed off the open covers, and sliced up the 'landing gear up' wheel well covers, and will pose them covers closed whilst the landing gear was down (which I understand was the standard way of doing it when the aircraft was grounded anyway.)

Here's how it will look with the wheel well:

This will make it easier to paint, and cover the area that I don't fnacy wiring. Problem solved.

I've added the wiring as follows, based on Chuck's thread on Arc forum, just the stuff that lays across the main part of the well.

Followed by Yellow Zinc Chromate (my own mix)

And a weathering wash.

There's a bit more weathering to come, plus a flat coat, and then this bit is finished.

[andyramone]

It's starting to look like a Mustang now. The wings are, but before I could do that, I had to finish the wheel well, which I think came out pretty well:

And did the whole gun bay on the Starboard side in one evening.

The wing to fuselage joint was damn near pefect of course. Just a minor step to sand out.

And another look at the engine, just because it looks so cool. I've glued down the lower cowling, and will mix and match the upper and mid cowlings when displaying

[Navy Bird]

I'll be following this one - I have this same plane waiting for me in 1:72 scale. Superb work so far, excellent hand brushing technique!

Cheers,

Bill