Jump to content

Missouri Armada P-51D Mustang: documents and partial scratch from the Tamiya 1/48 kit


Recommended Posts

The  Eduard PE sliding canopy rail is much too thin. 2 more docs showing that and some other details:

Doc. 89: 

1- As I said above, the Eduard PE must be thickened

2- This black joint is missing on some of the docs I saw (6, 18 and 90 below), while it seems to be present on other ones (24, 33). I wonder if it must be represented...

hQmh6F.jpg

 

Doc. 90:

1- we can see rivets (on the doc. 89 too..) here, to add.

2- In the hollows of the rail, the color is IG, the rest is to paint, as I said above, alu mat.

 

DnNnYd.png

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In photo 89 number 1 would be the canopy rail and number 2 looks like some sort of weather seal. I would say that this aircraft is a restored warbird as the starboard wall is non standard and the stick grip looks like it came from an early jet.

 

John

Edited by Biggles87
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks a lot, Antonio for your docs.

Indeed, on this doc, we can read "no step" and there seems to be a thin joint (rubber?). 

7AnuM5.jpg

 

But I must admit I still wonder what I should represent:  indeed, in some pics, there seems to be nothing:

635Z8v.jpg

 

 while there seems to be a metal squarre shape sliding rail on other ones:

 

HcrkKN.jpg

 

 

 

... and a rubber rounded shape on other ones, especially the John England Missouri Armada:

 

Q87Bun.jpg

 

lgmRnX.jpg

 

In front of such contradictory docs, and because I am building the Missouri Armada, I will choose the weather seal option.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

RPzuGP.jpg

 

1- The Tamiya part doesn’t take in consideration the cut for the K14 as we can see on the 5th Antonio doc above. I made this cut.

2- The same doc, and other ones, shows rivets here. I have added them.

3- Added too, the thin weather seal, black grey. 

4- I have glued in place the scratch part (pic 78) with the small holes. I have painted it alu but on the doc 24D with England, it seems to be rather dark grey, as on the doc 92. I will change that...

 

P.S: the more I look at this canopy rail, the more I think the Eduard holes (on the outside) are much too small. I wonder if I should not redo them completely by scratch...

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just ordered on ebay the ref. 8203 from Evergreen: 0,56 mm x 0,84 mm rectangular strip, with the idea to replace my canopy rail, not very satisfying as I just said above. I won't get it before at least 3 weeks. Meanwhile, I will work on other elements, unless I am not patient enough to wait...

Let's focus on this rail with an enlargement of the great doc 92, to understand what is the problem with the Eduard rail:

 

jP0h2e.jpg

 

The Eduard goes from this level (1), too low. Its shape would be OK but there should be posts (3) so that the rail begins higher. Notice that there is a gap through which we can see the pilot's beige dress (2).The construction should take that in consideration, what is of course uneasy at 1/48... I should have chosen a 1/32 kit! ;)

We can see these posts and gaps on the doc 89a below, as on other ones, like fe 18b, 44, 53, 55 etc.

4V3g2Q.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my reflection, I have remembered that the Eduard PE canopy rail for Airfix, not fitting well on the Tamiya kit, was looking very good:

Kd3o9m.jpg

 

A real task however to do that double bending (!)... Personally, I did it for the left side unsuccessfully. I will try to use a portion (outside at least) of this excellent but fragile PE part, completing with scratch... 

 

1 hour later:

I have tried to separate the outside portion but it is very fragile and has broken while I was cutting. So, I will probaly just inspire myself of this part and will try to do a 100% scratch...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks John! I will need faith and courage indeed not only because of this challenge to represent correctly this rail but also because in the many handles above, I have damaged a bit some scratch parts I had done on the left Inside panel! (I highly recommend to do first the canopy rail before working on the left - and right - panels.)

This build will turn me mad... :mental:

 

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks a lot Dennis and Garry. Your kind comments arrive at the best moment, while I am fighting against big challenges (see above). I have decided to order again (Hannants) the Eduard set for Tamiya. Why? just because I know I will never be able to get this by myself:

yMPmhW.png

 

... considering that the total lenght of this rail is about 16 mm!

I will have to be very careful to separate without damaging the rail... I still don't know if I will keep the top part, that is more easy to represent (see my post #281). If I want to keep it, I have to find a way to do the double bend as the Eduard instructions suggests:

 

IPoTXD.jpg

 

 

I think it is a better idea to keep only the outside part, with round and oval holes...

 

54 minutes ago, Garry c said:

Post #279, photo #5, patch on rear canopy where antenna cable was removed.

Yes, Garry, this pic is the only one I know showing this patch. I am of course very concerned by this pic, as the Missouri Armada had such a patch, slightly visible on the doc 20...

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's a wise decision to go for the Eduard canopy rails, you could seriously damage your eyesight ( and sanity ) trying to scratch build them at that size

I have the canopy rail etch as part of a 1/32 Mustang set and I intend to glue some plastic strips on to the insides as the holes/slots don't go all the way through as can be seen from your doc 89a.

 

John

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Waiting for the ordered parts, I go on with other parts of my build. A little topic about the 108 gallon paper drop tank (I ignored such paper tanks were used, they were used for a single mission, their sealing being provided for only 12h). I have chosen this option rather than the 75 gallon steel drop tank also provided in the Tamiya kit because it is the one we can see on the Missouri Armada pics (doc. 20 and 23). 

n0Jwqm.jpg

 

mO1X5h.jpg

 

N.B: imho these tanks show red lines and no relief there, while the doc 20 suggests a relief (like the kit) at this level and the same color:

fN59cb.png

 

I suppose the red lines were just marks for the mechanics and the relief were kinds of support...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the canopy rails you Could just use thin strips of aluminium tape with the detail embossed into it like I did, not quite as crisp as PE but it's quite easy to do.

 

Use a measurement guide for rivets (I think I used 1mm spacings) with a needle for the holes then used a 1mm micro chisel about a mm across for the slots.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Squibby for this hint. It is indeed a good option and I will follow it if my next try with PE is again unsuccessful (I hope it won't!)

 

I have assembled and prepared the very nice Tamiya 108 gallon paper tanks. Here, the challenge is to make disappear the cement joint without removing fine details and reliefs (I am averagely satisfied of what I got, despite a patient work). Then I have drilled a small hole inside the fixing hollow and put into it a piece of stretched plastic, to handle easily the parts.

I have then applied with a cotton swab the excellent AK 455 alu True Metal, polished after a while:

M8qXiR.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was not very happy with my 108 gallon drop tanks, especially about the cementing joint. I have decided to use liquid cyano as a filler in these joints and to sand without taking care of removing the 2 central reliefs (they were even almost removed), as I intended to use alu BMF to rebuild them. Other little improvements and new application of alu True Metal on the tank with a flat brush, slightly thinned with Tamiya X20 . Now I am quite glad, but it was a long and patient job to get the result... I love the very natural True metal look, a great product.

 

dguI4O.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if I am not sure at all I will buy them, it is to mention that Eduard Brassin offers in after market these 108 gallon paper drop tanks. If you don't want to lose time in filling and sanding the joints on the Tamiya parts, these items may be a good choice...

 

ATIxQm.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that some of the paper tanks had red stripes painted around them to help align them with the metal straps when hung on the aircraft. This would account for the appearance of a border around the mounting straps seen on some photos. Unfortunately I cannot get to my references at the moment otherwise I would look through them.

 

John

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes John, that's what I meant in my post #291. And from this point of view, let's admit that the Eduard Brassin tanks are very convincing, with their metal mounting straps independent from the tanks... Of course, it is possible to represent that with scratch but...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have finally decided to order the Eduard Brassin paper tanks. I will compare with mine and chose the best... but as John suggested, the Eduard product has something going for.

Furthermore, I have asked JMV about the challenge of double bending the very fragile Eduard parts 25 (left side) and 26 (right side) from the set for Airfix, to get outside and top part of the rail (see above). He very cleverly suggested me to use a ruler. But a ruler is too thick, the top part (distance between the 2 up bendings) is about only 0,3 mm! That is why I should use a 0,25 mm thickness brass sheet from Albion Alloys in combination with my Master Tools (L) PE Bender. I will do a small tuto (if it works...) when I will get it and do it... 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just seen in Blu ray DVD the great Christopher Nolan film « Dunkerque » (Dunkirk) that I had missed. A masterwork, a necessary film that shows the extraordinary British fighting spirit, while all went so wrong. My next aircraft should be a Spitfire, definitely, at 1/48 or 1/32.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I have to wait to get ordered parts, especially the Eduard set for Airfix, meanwhile, I go on preparing the parts for the next steps. For example, the exhausts, that need to be hollowed. I did that with first 0,4 mm drill and then 0,5 mm, taking care of the axis (manually, of course). I finished that task by using sparingly the Tamiya liquid thin cement.

 

fYvVnI.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...