TeeELL Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Oops, I had completely forgotten where this Group Build was and the revised Web Site had left me scratching my head a bit. Anyway, having removed the splinters, I thought I had better report something. My model is the Airfix F-51 1/72 model which, fortuitously, includes the correct propeller for FAR 400. Thus far I have completed the interior buttoned up the fuselage and added the wings. As I write this, a few coats of primer/filler have been applied to the nose in order to allow me to 'remove' the seam line. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 In between building a Bristol Bulldog I have managed to do work on the Mustang; principally filling various minor gaps and rubbing down the several coats of filler applied along the seam of the nose - all is looking well and, possibly, the first coat of primer could be applied. I am gaining some better understanding of Alclad and feel much more confident over the way to put the final coats onto the F-51. Mind you, we are a week or so away from reaching that point - Oh, no we aren't, I don't have to thread miles of rigging as I've been doing with the Siskin and about to do with the bulldog :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 20, 2016 Author Share Posted October 20, 2016 Completely forgot that I had planned to attach the rocket mounts so the wings have been cemented together without the holes being drilled - not the end of the world and I'm not going to try and be clever. The Mustang has been primed but I forgot to attach part 29A at the front of the fuselage scoop! That is now in place and I shall apply some primer/filler to just that area before it is out with the micromesh again. I might get the gloss black undercoat on the fuselage today??. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZ Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Superb work so far! The interior looks great. Cheers Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 20, 2016 Author Share Posted October 20, 2016 With the primer/filler smoothed with micromesh, the Mustang has been masked and the fuselage sprayed with the gloss black. Possibly tomorrow, but certainly next week the black will be micromesh'd with 8000 then 12000 before the final finish. I have left some parts in grey to see if that will cause variations in the finish. The wings will be sprayed separately using a less shiny Alclad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Well, I am supposed to be preparing the practical wind tunnel lesson guides for the aerodynamics course I am teaching this weekend - but that is boring!! The Mustang is undressed and ready for the gloss black to be rubbed back with micromesh. There are certainly some very fine imperfections in how the paint settled. It is quite difficult to see any in this photo though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 Today I masked and sprayed the wings of the Mustang. I was a bit disappointed with the finish initially but once it had dried the rather patchy appearance worked for me and created the slightly tired look I think these surplus aircraft might have had. I shall let the finish dry thoroughly and then mask up the wings so that I can spray the fuselage. I must remember to do the bits that also need the different finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 The fuselage is looking good but the masking tape has removed most of the Alclad on the wings came off with it :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 The fuselage is looking good but the masking tape has removed most of the Alclad on the wings :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 With very crossed fingers, I masked up the fuselage ready for another attempt on the wings. This time I used 'Dull Aluminium' and it seems to have gone on very well, removing the masking tape didn't cause any issues so it looks, for now, as though I am still on track. This is a comparison with the F-51 I built whilst on my canal boat during the summer: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Since my last post I have used another, different Alclad aluminium on the ailerons and elevators 'Dull Aluminium', not a great difference in the photo but more so in the flesh. I've started applying the decals now, rather than waiting until the gear, U/C doors etc etc are attached and therefore vulnerable. The antiglare panel has been sprayed with Tamiya acrylic - There now, lesson learnt from the T-33 build and using Humbrol enamels over Alclad. That said, it was difficult to get the airbrush to deliver the paint correctly and it took 3 goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 is it me? On the previous site, one used to get responses to posts, but now - nothing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow113 Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Good work going on here. Cuban subjects are cool and also seem to disappear in forums and on show tables , pity , really. Just ask Che' : 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 Ha, ha! That's excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 11 hours ago, TeeELL said: is it me? On the previous site, one used to get responses to posts, but now - nothing!!! Well I'm quietly drooling, and also kicking myself that I embarked on a trio of P-51s without knowing that the GB was about to start. They're well past the 25% point now, so I'm looking at your D and asking mself whether to start another one... Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 I have mentioned the paucity of references for Cuban F-51's in some ways a blessing and in more a curse. There is but one photo of FAR400 'dressed' in her final livery - this is what I am trying to copy. http://www.urrib2000.narod.ru/EqMustang-e.html Whilst it is impossible to say for sure, there are a couple of photos of a Mustang with 'uncuffed' propeller, which I am choosing to assume are '400 as seen in the definite image in the above reference. I have noted that there appear to be no tail wheel doors on '400, although they are fitted to '401. References indicate the tail wheel doors were removed on some aircraft to ease the maintenance burden. In photograph, the fuselage stripe is finished as Black?/NMF/Red possibly, although logic would suggest Blue/NMF/Red. Colour profiles show either combination, one even has the Red leading! The museum aircraft, FAR 401, has Black as the leading colour. I have elected to go for Black and initially used clear decal paper for the stripe but the density of the Red was insufficient and it was rather dull: I removed that stripe later - came off in one, to my delight (and surprise). I decided to replace it with a stripe on white decal paper and accept that, whilst I would gain the Red, I would lose the NMF. Here is that option: (I would prefer the NMF but my laser printer cannot lay down sufficient toner to achieve the necessary density). As you will see, the aircraft has had some of the additional Airfix 'stencil' decals applied along with the 'eyes'. The flaps, rudder and prop are all temporarily fitted - the flaps are finished in the same Alclad as the fuselage - but on the grey primer rather than the gloss black - so another different finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 A couple more photographs: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joss Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Looking very nice! Can't say I've ever seen a Cuban mustang but the markings sure are attractive! Joss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 She`s looking good nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 Joss, I've not seen one 'in the flesh' as the museum where FAR 401 resides is no longer open. FAR 400 disappeared although remains of a Mustang have been found near Guantanamo - could be 400 but there is also a rumour that a third F-51 was acquired. They were never used in anger as Batista capitulated the day the 2 (3?) Mustangs were finally serviceable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joss Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 43 minutes ago, TeeELL said: Joss, I've not seen one 'in the flesh' as the museum where FAR 401 resides is no longer open. FAR 400 disappeared although remains of a Mustang have been found near Guantanamo - could be 400 but there is also a rumour that a third F-51 was acquired. They were never used in anger as Batista capitulated the day the 2 (3?) Mustangs were finally serviceable. That's interesting to know, I thought it was a case of there being quite a few off them! Cheers Joss 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 The build continues - I would say 'at a pace' but that wouldn't be true - were it so to be, I would have finished the Mustang today. As it is, the seams on the main wheels has been removed and the tyres re-painted, the canopy and wind screen have been painted, the aerial wire made provision for (hole drilled in the fin and the rear of the canopy. One of the decals on the prop fell off - no idea when or where but the remainder have now had a dollop of Future coated over them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 GOSH some how I've completely missed this build!! Very nicely done, I'm glad to see a "Stang" ( Les) in something different than the usual USAAF/RAF colour schemes. I do like the finish you got with the wings even if it wasn't intentional, looks great. Well done, now you have plenty of time to build another! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted November 3, 2016 Author Share Posted November 3, 2016 The build is complete!! Pictures posted in the Gallery. Here are a couple more: The 'through canopy' radio aerial (definitely fitted to FAR 400, unfortunately) has been replicated - and it works, or it would if the canopy wasn't PVA's into position. In fact the canopy was positioned right by the fin when I was tensioning the filament, had to apply the PVA to the canopy, rotate it and slide it forward into position! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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