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RNZAF Mustangs


Magua87

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Last update before I go away. Aerials on. Had to make my own main aerial as the kit one was unusable. Decals on the prop! 

 

bZZYy6Ql.jpg

 

Haven't been able to get to the kit today. It'll have to wait until I come back from the Coromandel on the 4th-ish. Happy new year everyone! 


 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back to it! 

 

Mustang no. 2 has its wings on and is getting ready for its HSS wings and moving surfaces. 

 

v9Xr3vAl.jpg

 

Mustang no. 1 is getting dangerously close. Might be finished tomorrow. 

 

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Question for the alcladders out there, which bottle to use for the NM mustang? The spinner is looking pretty good on NZ2413, but I think it might create too much of a contrast against the HSS if I was to finish the fuselage in it. 

 

There doesn't appear to be much of a contrast here on NZ2423. Source. Maybe a Alclad Aluminium.

 

4or93dRl.png

 

However, look at this picture of NZ2419 and compare the rudder to the fuselage. Source. Maybe an Alclad Airframe Aluminium as I used on the spinner of the aircraft above. 

 

cxJa2Gsl.png

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Magua87
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Wow, tough to say. That fuselage does look really glossy, though. Maybe prime the fuselage in gloss black and the rudder in white? Should give the body a shine and leave the rudder rather duller even if you spray a single colour.

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I'm having holiday withdrawals. 

 

XUBM371l.jpg

 

My Mustangs are keeping me sane. First aircraft completed and can be seen in the gallery. Pretty happy with how this turned out.

 

YPkdnsyl.jpg

 

As you can see I decided to go with the uncuffed propeller. I've seen images of NZ2413 with both types of prop and decided I preferred the look of the uncuffed blades. 

 

I should have some HSS on NZ2425 by Sunday evening. Taking my compressor to the GF's parents' place to keep the lacquer fumes out of the apartment! 

 

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48 minutes ago, Magua87 said:

Taking my compressor to the GF's parents' place to keep the lacquer fumes out of the apartment! 

 

That should make you quite popular with them. 

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9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

That's a very nice looking NZ2413 & a very nice looking bit of Kiwi coastline. Apart from up north, where is it if you don't mind me asking, its got a Northlandish look to it?

Steve.

 

 

5 hours ago, Plasto said:

Coromandel I'm betting...

 

 

 

 

Yep. Looking east from Fletcher's Bay. My first time in that part of the Coro. My Girlfriend's family had a tradition of visiting Port Jackson which we might pick up in years to come. 

 

Anyone here have any experience with polishing canopies? I attempted to remove some scratch marks from a canopy with some toothpaste and I've created some new ones. It's minor and I'll forge ahead, but might give it a dip in some clear. 

 

 

Edited by Magua87
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On 1/6/2017 at 2:03 AM, Procopius said:

Wow, tough to say. That fuselage does look really glossy, though. Maybe prime the fuselage in gloss black and the rudder in white? Should give the body a shine and leave the rudder rather duller even if you spray a single colour.

 

Comparing the spinner and the body of NZ2425 the spinner looks polished and the fuselage looks dull. Maybe if I was to give the fuselage a coat of clear for decals and finish it in a semi-gloss clear I might be able to create some contrast. 

 

e5mIBVel.png

 

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Also, does anyone know what that is leaking out from that hole in the side of the lower engine cowling? Presumably oil? Above the wing, forward by 30cm or so. NZ2419 (further up the page) has the same stains on the fuselage. 

 

Both of these images show the leak from the starboard side. Is there something similar on the port side of the fuselage? 

Edited by Magua87
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2 hours ago, Magua87 said:

 

 

Anyone here have any experience with polishing canopies? I attempted to remove some scratch marks from a canopy with some toothpaste and I've created some new ones. It's minor and I'll forge ahead, but might give it a dip in some clear. 

 

 

 

Yes, as a matter of fact! I don't do it often, because I'm incredibly ham-fisted, though. Did you lead off with the toothpaste, or did you micro-mesh first? My usual method is to start with I think Micro-Mesh 3600 or 4000, confining my efforts to the immediate area needing attention, and then work my way up through 8000 and 12000. Then out comes the toothpaste as a final step (my wife once walked in on me doing this with a toothbrush and just turned around and walked out). Then I dip it in Future (other clear coats available). I've only done it to remove mold seams, though, never scratches -- I'm not confident how good it is at smoothing out a divot as opposed to a raised seam.

 

2 hours ago, Magua87 said:

Also, does anyone know what that is leaking out from that hole in the side of the lower engine cowling? Presumably oil? Above the wing, forward by 30cm or so. NZ2419 (further up the page) has the same stains on the fuselage. 

 

Both of these images show the leak from the starboard side. Is there something similar on the port side of the fuselage? 

 

think that's the hole for the hand-crank starter, so maybe only on that side? Modern aircraft at least don't seem to have it on the port side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I would micromesh the scratches out.

 

Model Air sell a starter pack of micromesh sheets from 3200 to 12000 if you use em in sequence and wet polish everything then they work very well.  They are not cheap however but last for ages if cared for.

 

If you're in there get some of the Tamiya polishing compounds they are also very good with canopies.

 

I personally don't bother with Klear it's hard to get in godzone the stuff from Bunnings isn't as good and the humbrol stuff never seems to work any better than polishing.

 

HTH

 

Plasto..

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If you can't find/haven't got micromesh, try one of the nail buffing sticks you buy in a pharmacy, sort of soft & rubbery with three different grades of very fine abrasive, the finest really does give a glass clear finish. Something like this though there are variations, some more like a block with 4 faces. Thanks for IDing the beauty spot, Coromandel is one corner of the country I don't know, still on my to visit list. That looks very nice, pretty much the end of the road according to my road map book.

Steve.

 

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12 hours ago, stevehnz said:

If you can't find/haven't got micromesh, try one of the nail buffing sticks you buy in a pharmacy, sort of soft & rubbery with three different grades of very fine abrasive, the finest really does give a glass clear finish. Something like this though there are variations, some more like a block with 4 faces. Thanks for IDing the beauty spot, Coromandel is one corner of the country I don't know, still on my to visit list. That looks very nice, pretty much the end of the road according to my road map book.

Steve.

 

 

I want to head to Karamea on the West Coast for the same reason. End of the road! Good starting point for explorations.

 

So this is what Tamiya AS-12 looks like when you don't botch up the primer coat (no primer this time around). I'm less concerned about the contrast with the Airframe Aluminium now. 

 

rX68xtal.jpg

 

TJFvl6Ol.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wasn't able to get this one across the finishing line before the 15th, but we're nearly at the next stage of painting. 

 

YSO3JTbl.jpg

 

I slipped and put a knife through my last vac-formed canopy. I ordered two more and I'm making good progress on this. 

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Tempting, Patrice. Btw, can we keep using these threads until we've finished or does this need to move to the WIP area? 

 

Decided to take another crack at the HSS. There are some fine scratch marks on the wing in the direction of the airflow. I'm happy with those, but I wasn't happy with the few running perpendicular. 

 

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Both wings done, top and bottom. Harder to correct any issue with the underside due to the rocket stubs. But also harder for anyone to see the flaws!

 

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Canopy's finished. I've also built the little bar that runs from one side of the canopy to the other behind the pilot.

 

NZuY4XGl.jpg

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

I'm back!

 

Reapplied the lacquer to the wings and got a result I was happy with.

 

Had a bit of a disaster with the Humbrol gloss black (disaster modelling, a theme?). I managed to sand back a failed coat and polish up a less than perfect coat with a cloth into something reasonable. Applied some Alclad Polished Aluminium tonight and have just removed the masking tape. 

 

Looking pretty good! Will touch up the lacquer by hand in a few places tomorrow, then I think I'll apply a coat of future over the whole airframe. I'm not worried about losing some of the shine in the Alclad, in fact I need to tone it down a bit before I start weathering. 

 

mZnkTtFl.jpg

 

2Tlakkal.jpg

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After a bit of head scratching I decided the sheen looked too great for my chosen Auckland squadron aircraft. 

 

NZ2419 seemed an obvious choice, especially given the high sheen in the image below. My dad's side of the family is from Wellington, so that works out well with one aircraft from Auckland and one from Wellington. 

 

cxJa2Gsl.png

 

Another coat of future tomorrow to seal in the decals. I realised that I don't have enough roundels to finish the kit, so I've ordered some more from Ventura for the underside of the wings. The Ventura decals have been great, but I'm not enamored with the Airfix stencils. The data panel is the only decal to silver or stand out from the natural metal. I'm hoping it blends in a bit with tomorrow's coat of future. 

 

Once the Future's dry I'll add the different shade around the exhaust and paint the matte anti-glare panel.

 

0PZslP4l.jpg

 

Ozpe53Fl.jpg

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