Mach Turtle Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Greetings, everyone. I'm going to try to model the P-51D of Ray Wetmore as it was when deployed as part of the 370th Fighter Squadron at RAF East Wretham in late 1944. Wetmore's aircraft (44-14733) was designated "Daddy's Girl" and remains flying today, after postwar service in a couple of South American air forces. Here she is: I've made a start with the Merlin. The Z-M kit is great because it attempts to mimic the real manufacturing process, and for that reason is highly modular. Mini Merlin: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Looking forward to seeing this one come together,engine looking good already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 nice!! have wanted to see a build of one of these! I recently built the Ta-152-H1, nice model but I wasn't really happy with the way a lot of the parts fitted, they had to be perfectly aligned else you had major dramas. Plus I won't talk about the PE extras I bought. Am looking forward to following this build!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz23 Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 I've always loved the 359th FG schemes, looking forward to seeing this come together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 Thanks, guys. I have made some progress and should be able to get pictures up this weekend. Plus, my Fundekals decals arrived. Happy times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 (edited) Coming right along. I've supplemented the basic kit with the Zoukei-Mura phototoetch for the cockpit and various other areas. I also have the turned gun barrels, resin weighted tires, and cast landing gear struts for later. The instrument panel and center console: Right side cockpit panel, with map. Apparently, they're ready for a diversion to a tropical island: The engine, with mounts and oil tank in place: Thanks for watching. I'm learning a lot from everyone else, as usual. Edited December 3, 2016 by Mach Turtle 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 I wanted to show some progress. Here's the cockpit as it stands now. The instrument panel, rudder pedals, and right side panel are ready to be put in place soon. This is with Z-M's "Super Wing Extras" cockpit photoetch set. Thanks for looking. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 nice! 1/32 is somthing else!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 I'm running out of time, aren't I? In any case, I had some time to work on this today, and made some progress. The interior is further detailed, with a couple of subassemblies stuck together: Plus, the empennage (except for the rudder, which I will paint before adding) is done... ...and I've done four of the six gun assemblies, with turned barrels from the Z-M updetail kit: Thanks for looking. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Ooohkay, the wing is coming together, with fuel cells and guns in place: Guns, as yet unloaded, close-up: You can see daylight through the cooling jacket holes, which is nice. Some more detailing on the guts: And, press-fit together, it's starting to look like an airplane: I'm thinking about leaving some of the panels off so we can see the innards -- otherwise all of this detail will be invisible after this. Maybe I can do a half-and-half model, skinned and unskinned? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted December 27, 2016 Author Share Posted December 27, 2016 You know, a lot of you are leaving off the gun camera actuation linkages from your models (that's the silver thing near the leading edge, inboard of the main gear). I just thought I'd remind you about them. Here's my right wing: Here's the right main gear (cast metal, with resin tyre, still needing a brake line): It may be that this kit is meant for grown-ups. Sorry for the photo quality. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 Okay, some updates. There are a gazillion parts in this kit. The oil and coolant radiators: The ram air scoop and duct: The whole of the innards as they are now: The wing. I am going for a partially cut-away effect to show the internal detail: Tentatively assembled, less the empennage: Thanks for looking. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Great modell your are building here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Wow what a ride! Good work so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 5, 2017 Author Share Posted January 5, 2017 Thanks guys. One of the great things about this kit is that you learn about how the P-51 was manufactured and how it all fits together. You also gain an appreciation for how it worked in combat. Here, for example, is the Mustang's Achilles heel: Those are oil and coolant lines, taking fluids between the engine and the radiators (oil cooler is the oval one in front, the water cooler is the big rectangular one in back). They are not protected by armor. If any of those get cut, you'll be visiting France very soon. Also, as I understand it, the big scoop underneath made a successful belly landing much harder. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Making progress. I have decided to leave one half of the engine cowlings off to show detail. I'm not done with that yet, but the two sides fit together better than I thought (the frames and covers are an either/or system -- you don't put the covers on top of the frames). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Getting close to completion here... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 Just a few more details to go: While we're here, let's spare a thought for the people who went to war in these things. While the P-51 may have been the greatest piston-powered fighter ever (debatable, I know), it was still basically a wing, an engine, and six guns with a guy strapped in place to control them. Those pilots were brave people, and lots of them didn't return from their sorties. Credit where credit is due. The pilot of "Daddy's Girl," Ray Wetmore, survived the war with more than 21 kills to his credit. He went on to die in an apparent loss-of-control accident in an F-86 on approach to Otis AFB, Massachusetts, in 1951. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 Okay, she's done: Gallery entry here. This is a wonderfully detailed kit that taught me a lot about the P-51. Thank you, Zoukei-Mura. Thank you all for watching my build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 definitely something to look at! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Stunning stuff - well done. Edited January 13, 2017 by Tim Moff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Great work on a stunning kit. I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach Turtle Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 That really turned out beautifully! Great job! Well done. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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