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The other Tim's Academy 1/72 Mustang III - 617 Sqn, Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire


Tim Moff

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Well I have taken a bit of a sabbatical  from group builds as the subjects were not my usual area of fast, noisy pointy things.

 

I however started on a 617 Sqn project, namely 3 x Lancs, with some other aircraft, including a Mustang III.

 

Had a quick scan in prep for the upcoming F16, F111 and F15 GBs and thought.....I could get this Mustang III done!

 

So, here it is, a bit out of my comfort zone, 1/72 and a prop powered a

 

 

In The De Havilland Mosquito and then in a ?Borrowed? P-51B Mustang III (P-51B) Leonard Cheshire had pioneered a new method of marking enemy targets, flying in at a very low level in the face of strong defences. In four years of fighting against the bitterest opposition he maintained a standard of outstanding personal achievement, his successful operations being the result of careful planning, brilliant execution and supreme contempt for danger - for example, on one occasion he flew his P-51 Mustang in slow figures of 8 above a target obscured by low cloud, to act as a bomb-aiming mark for his squadron. Cheshire displayed the courage and determination of an exceptional leader.

Group Captain Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO and Two Bars, DFC  (7 September 1917 ? 31 July 1992) was a highly decorated British RAF pilot during the Second World War. Among the honours Cheshire received as a bomber pilot is the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. After the war, he became a charity worker, setting up the Leonard Cheshire Disability as well as other philanthropic organisations. Cheshire was, in his day, both the youngest Group Captain in the service and, following his VC, the most decorated. His notable wartime record makes his subsequent career all the more remarkable.

 

Kit:

 

3624677F-CB02-4E52-85C1-64E01AADA211_zps

 

Decals:

 

F0F13140-DE4E-4B0B-81C6-A930689F6096_zps

 

References:

 

2F796202-E620-4D99-A1A8-62B0019A3F1F_zps

 

C63222C0-868C-42F5-B2BA-499CC78AC294_zps

 

 

Now any advice appreciated - what weapons should I mount, is the spinner sky or white?

Edited by Tim Moff
mistake
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The spinner looks pale, not as pale as the white in the Invasion stripes, I'd guess at Sky (I think that would be in-line with RAF markings at the time but I can't find my reference book).

 

As to weapons, he used the plane to mark targets so, I guess, target markers but what they would look like I can't say. 

 

It might be worth asking in the WW2 section as that's where the experts hang out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Happy Christmas to all,

 

Managed to make a start after a bit of work related delay. Bit of work on the cockpit and interior, brush pained on the humbrol and done some silver dry brushing. A pilot has been extracted from my main 617 Sqn Lanc builds to become Mr Cheshire.

 

A54256A5-1E29-4506-8B0E-14EFB4A6778F_zps

 

A0FB01DC-23A6-4EB5-9068-CB165687787E_zps

 

 

A62F34D9-10EA-4DB2-AF6B-56616B461158_zps

 

 

 

Removed the rear wheel doors, used a bit of blu tac to assist with rear wheel bay doors and glued  one in. 2 would not fit, so had to fill the gaps with PPP.

 

main gear doors too needed some PPP.

 

8B029784-C750-4B1F-8FBF-53FDA70B6538_zps

 

 

Vote was out on the spinner so I went for the sky. Props done (not shown). I think it may be good to get the side windows in before closing up, so need to mask em up first!

 

I think a quick wash in Floreys dark dirt and then close up. Not much more to do main build wise.

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Got some more done over the hols:

 

BC1BA49D-6F2A-412E-9E89-AE495CCD8638_zps

56B2C9E6-5099-42EC-8DA7-E7586F610D80_zps

 

 

CBD8F522-3ABD-42FC-9DDB-C3D2E288871F_zps

 

014899A9-2DDB-4A08-955C-357666E56459_zps

 

FD577C12-2B4E-4DB4-81B0-12BDBD4357FF_zps

 

 

Bit of filler but not too much needed tbh.

 

Next phase is to get the invasion stripes on. My plan is to white prime the ares and leading edge 'yellow' strip, paint the yellow on, mask the white stripes, then prime the rest in black. Bit cold in the garage at the moment, so warming up the paint!

 

 

 

 

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Got the white on, added some tape for the white stripe areas - I found a reference that states invasion stripes should be:

 

1/72

Single Engine 46cm = 6.39mm

Twin engine 61cm = 8.47mm

 

1/48

Single engine 46cm = 9.58mm

Twin engine 61cm = 12.7mm

 

So I took some 10mm tamiya and measured with a steel rule and cut. Done the best I could! On with the white primer, then some clear to seal in the edges.

 

08D2035C-9800-4A32-9D9C-55B0AA5E077A_zps

 

 

 

AE1D245B-8FD2-423C-B333-34A126765645_zps

 

Some areas to clear up, re glue with some extra thin and some pesky seams (I can never beat seams!)

 

Next up is the yellow on the leading wing edge, then mask, then apply Black primer all over.

 

The plan is to then mask the black invasion stripes and put the main colours on. 

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Got the black primer on and masked the black stripes, bit of clear to seal them from the main colours. Hopefully get the MSG on the lower surfaces tomorrow:

 

 

 

940C628B-5912-4403-A0E9-B1E709FC969E_zps

 

 

307B59CF-B3A3-4A8B-806E-CA537CC0EBB1_zps

 

 

 

655EE6EE-4DC8-4696-9199-7A3AC5DD2C96_zps

 

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Started with the MSG on the undersurfaces. 

 

I am trying Mr Paint paints for the first time, using a low PSI, I done a bit of mottling over the black base, added a drop of white in the mottling.

 

 

83D0E639-B654-4556-BEBE-C3360603318C_zps

 

I then sprayed a thin misting coat over the top:

 

 

F1495A40-6EC6-450D-BA07-9F6F1C357FD3_zps

 

 

This hopefully gives a bit of tonal variation!

 

Next will be a bit of masking and the Ocean Gray.

 

The Mr paint paints spray straight from the bottle and were lovely to use!

Edited by Tim Moff
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Interested to see how this turns out Tim as I was 'taught' to do a complete coat of the lighter colour, mask up and do the darker. This looks as though it might give some nice variation.

Also can't wait to see the stripes :) 

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3 hours ago, CedB said:

Interested to see how this turns out Tim as I was 'taught' to do a complete coat of the lighter colour, mask up and do the darker. This looks as though it might give some nice variation.

Also can't wait to see the stripes :) 

 

I had done the lighter MSG undersides first - then Ocean Grey before masking for the Dark Green. I think the DG is the darkest.

 

Hopefully the tonal variation will show through - its so easy to just mist over slightly too much, especially after the Gloss and Matt coats tone it down.

 

 

 

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Hi Tim - no criticism meant, I'm interested to see how it goes so I can use it myself.

My current (inherited) method is spray bottom, mask, lighter colour ALL OVER the top, mask pattern, spray darker. Your method seem to make more sense.

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The great moment when the masking comes off!

 

8B2EFDFF-FA57-4B55-B7DE-FDCF9535E2D1_zps

 

705811F1-70F5-46D4-A3BA-70FA774B6E37_zps

 

91A102BE-49D0-4E92-AFA9-766C261144F8_zps

 

8C2B3E0B-93D7-4FCB-984D-C48915AAC748_zps

 

C752F6E8-38FA-429C-A778-C397EE74D608_zps

 

Am quite happy with that. Not too much bleed, a bit of touching up to do, but I am sure the real deals were by no means perfect!

 

Need to sort the Stbd leading edge yellow out too. Otherwise happy enough!

 

Once done will be some small detail painting then the gloss coat prior to decals.

 

 

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1 minute ago, CedB said:

Hi Tim - no criticism meant, I'm interested to see how it goes so I can use it myself.

My current (inherited) method is spray bottom, mask, lighter colour ALL OVER the top, mask pattern, spray darker. Your method seem to make more sense.

 

None taken mate - just an explanation. Yes I like to use the primed area as the black base for adding a bit of tonal variation. Theres an explanation below. Hard to do at 1/72!

 

https://doogsmodels.com/2014/07/03/technique-black-basing/

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Sorted out the touch ups and yellow starboard leading edge. Gloss on ready for decals and final detail painting and parts. Up against the clock as deploying to Uganda on Sunday!

 

24322C98-1DC0-4F91-8BC3-E579CA07AD11_zps

 

 

C18EACAA-5BBD-435B-B3B0-89579D8F7229_zps

 

 

FC82ED52-E3B6-4985-9FD4-8442D358418A_zps

 

6FF9B80C-7E32-4457-A29B-31663F95457B_zps

 

 

 

Edited by Tim Moff
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Decals on.....The Academy decals are horrid, colours look wrong and the main roundels would not go on.

 

I had read this on a Britmodeller post of a similar build, so I was ready. I had picked up an Airfix BBMF set of decals (was looking for the Lanc stencils as the old Airfix Tool Lanc I have as part of my dambuster project has decals that look beyond use.

 

So as they were the correct type and size, I took the upper wing roundels from the Spitfire from that, the lower, fuselage and tail markings are from a Mossie sheet I bought for the upcoming Group Build, as the sizing is the same.

 

64D1B3B3-0B12-4CDF-BFA7-09B4781339CD_zps

 

 

The upper roundels went on nicely, with the Micro-Set working well over what I think is the flap actuators.

 

CB9574CA-8083-4E89-AD16-024F59858490_zps

 

 

 

305C837D-211C-4ACB-9AD3-DE56C705DBF8_zps

 

F3B8F36F-67D5-4773-A9DC-5A7D1C28B140_zps

 

7D2496D6-57A6-422B-9C3D-848BC16270FA_zps

 

 

Gloss coat on to seal them in after Micro-Set and a wipe over to clear any staining.

 

Next up detail painting and matt coat....final furlong!

Edited by Tim Moff
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Some detail painting done, lights, exhausts etc.

 

Bit of chipping and weathering, not too much as meant to be a relatively new airframe. Burnt umber oils mixed with black. Dark Dirt Floreys wash done and removed.

 

Hopefully get the matt varnish on later to dull it down. Canopy masks off then last construction, Ae's, light in leading edge and the prop. getting there!

 

0D6E1578-C2B2-4A60-9E85-1D7485666B8D_zps

 

 

087874CD-1A3D-470B-B0C6-EE963F773E6E_zps

 

7540FB52-06B2-4542-A18D-205F37D69D71_zps

 

686E6C52-F658-4FC9-A5EE-F0F23343972C_zps

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Tim Moff
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