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

[Totally Mad Olivier]

I have added several details, hose, cables, using the different documents at my disposal:

 

 

Still one or 2 details maybe, and I will leave this radio compartment to work on the cockpit one (I just began to work on the left side panel).

In the same time, I have scratch built from 0,25 mm thickness Evergreen and painted (black) the 2 structures of the seat armor:

 

 

Was I right to paint black and not IG these parts? I don't know, in none of our docs (war time photo or restored aircraft) I could see them. As everything behind the seat is black (including the seat support, the beam and the radio rack), I supposed they were black too. Of course, any pic bringing a confirmation (or not) will be welcome... 

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

For the dashboard, I used the Eduard PE set for Tamiya, very good (not using the A clear part, whose interest was not obvious at all) Some details were added, such as the yellow line, done with 70953 Vallejo acrylic and the great Series 7 Miniature n°0 Winsor & Newton paintbrush.

Drops of X 22 Tamiya clear varnish were placed on the dials to get a glass effect. After drying, a second coat will be applied, unless I use Microscale Micro Kristal Klear... Indeed, because of the several metal sheets of the Eduard PE, the dials are recessed instead of being flat, requiring a clear material to get them so (hope it sounds clear...).

Another option would be to use a clear fine sheet in which I would cut small rounds with Punch and die... I will do a test.

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

I finally chose the 0,13 mm clear Evergreen option. After trials, the best size for the big dials (10) was 1,3 mm and for the small ones (6) was 0,9 mm. Of course, it is a patient work but the result is nice (on this photo not so much, the best look is got with a 3/4 view, allowing to see the "glass" on the dials).

 

[Crimea River]

Impressive devotion to accuracy. I would have resorted to adding a drop of clear parts cement for the glass but your method will result in a more realistic finish.

 

Andy

[Squibby]

Dials look great,

 

I may use that method myself. How did you stick the clear covers down?

 

[Biggles87]

Very impressive

 

Johm

[Totally Mad Olivier]

7 hours ago, Squibby said:

How did you stick the clear covers down?

Most of the time, I even did not stick them. By using the good size (I had to do trials before finding the good ones), they are well fitted and hold by friction. For some others, because there was a relief in the dial, it was necessary to glue them. I used in this case the Tam X22 clear varnish. When it dries, it acts like a glue. It is something I learnt from JMV. Look how difficult it is sometimes to open an acrylic Gunze task not used for a while... (I take care now to close them gently!) 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

The seat support and the armor have been mounted. The armor had to enclose in the lower (and larger) hole the hose, quite delicate to manage.

 

 

The next steps should be the scratch of the hose base going through the floor (see the enlargement on the pic below) and the top of this ventilation hose (rectangular), extending its round portion and arriving on top of both sides of the beam.

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

I have got today the HGW/ Eduard seat belts. Pity, there is no cushion, contrarly to what JMV said to me. So I will have no choice, reworking on mine. 

This is the set:

 

 

It allows to make the belts for 2 seats what is a good thing, a safety in case of problems...

I precise that JMV, in the DVD, used only the PE parts (the buckles), using 0,15 mm tin sheet for the seat belts. I will try to use the ones provided in the set, but I have no experience of this material, called microplastic. The belts are white, I will have to paint them light grey or sand, and I wonder if I should paint them first or after assembly. I suppose the Vallejo paints are appropriate to paint them...

[antonio argudo]

Nice Olivier, that cockpit is getting busy, fantastic job man!!  I found some diagrams of the cockpit floor and ventilation system hope it helps! cheers

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Whaooh!! Antonio, where the Devil did you find these amazing docs?

I come back from the cinema, where I saw the film "Santa and Cie", a comedy in which Santa Claus must go on earth to find vitamines for his ill elves, and I find that. You are my Santa Claus, bringing me the docs I need to get close from the original.

In this case, I must say, to be honest, that I had ever finished the hose step (I finished it ironically just before going to the cinema!). 

But I am sure they will concern many modelers, and I am glad if especially thanks to you, my thread is full of great pics and diagrams like these ones...

 

All the best

 

Olivier

 

P.S: as the HGW set does not include a cushion, your seat at 1/32 will be my reference. Thanks for that too, Santa Claus! 

 

Hole in the floor: 1 mm diameter drill 

Rectangular part: Evergreen 143 (1,5 mm x 1 mm)

Spouts made from rectangles of 2,5 x 1,4 mm cut in 0,1 mm thickness brass sheet. The bending was done with the great Master Tools bending machine, much better than bending pliers...

 

 

 

 

[antonio argudo]

Hi Olivier and  thanks for your kind words, had a big laugh with the santa thing, guess you've been a good boy this year!

I gather many good info from the P51 Mustang SIG forum, not too busy lately and many pics have gone since the Photobucket issue but still great threads there, become  a member:  http://p51sig.com/

keep the good mate, cheers

Antonio

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks a lot Antonio, I have just done the necessary to share very soon on this thread that should be great, indeed!

P.S: yes, I tried to be a good boy this year 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Cream color of the seat belt on this WWII pic, probably close from truth:

 

Confirmation with this 2nd pic:

 

On this third one, they look more light grey, while it is the same seat than just above:

[antonio argudo]

yes Olivier, cream or grey-green  were the two types of colors used in ww2 usaf aircraft, not sure if cream was most used and the green was on late models, the last two pics are from a swiss mustang, hope someone can give us some light on this point!

cheers

Edited December 20, 2017 by antonio argudo

[delis]

Impressive research and modelling skills

can't wait to see how this will progress.

[Biggles87]

You continue to collect some excellent references for us Olivier. The  diagrams and photos of the heating and ventilation system will be particularly useful for me when I re-start my Dragon P51D.

 

keep up the good work

 

John

[Totally Mad Olivier]

If you have been following this thread, you know that I had a problem to represent correctly the folds on my cushion. 

Yesterday, I have got (finally!) the very nice Woodgrain decals (item 1016) ordered on Uschi site, that I will use for the floor (and a bit under the fuel tank, see above).

I had an idea: why not try to use these decals (different shades) to represent the cushion folds? The decal is very good quality and not too fragile, so it will be possible to create little plications with care using fine pliers. The Mr Mark Softer will complete the job, applied generously on the decal once in place.

I made a trial on my second seat yesterday night and here is the result this morning:

 

 

I am quite happy with the result, the folds are natural (don't consider the shade and no more the brightness but just the folds). So, I will use this method for my cushion, choosing another shade (the one to the right) and applying first a new coat of 874 Vallejo, because the decal is quite translucent and so does not cover completely the paint under.

A tip: when you use this technique, consider that the rectangle you cut must be slightly longer and wider than the seat dimensions, because of the folds you will create...

More soon...

 

P.S: contrarly to the trial cushion, I will apply before the decal step a fine coat of gloss varnish. It is probably not absolutely necessary but it is a precaution, the decal will slide more easily...

[Totally Mad Olivier]

I will be far from my workbench for 4 days (family trip). Before leaving, I could do the cushion decal job on my seat and add some details on the seat support and the cockpit  left rack. But not time for photos, I will do them when I am back home.

I will take advantage of these holidays to improve my skills with Lightroom 6 (I bought a book on this matter) and to study docs and builds, particularly Squibby ´s one and JMV’s one (DVD).

All the best to all and many season greetings!

 

Olivier

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

On 20/12/2017 at 19:18, antonio argudo said:

I gather many good info from the P51 Mustang SIG forum, not too busy lately and many pics have gone since the Photobucket issue but still great threads there, become  a member:  http://p51sig.com/

Dear Antonio,

I don't understand, I sent a mail to the administrator in order to consult this thread, but no reply up to now. Well, it was just 3 days ago, I hope he was just busy...

I look forward to look at this P 51 SIG forum. With the amazing docs you brought us, I worked up an appetite!  

 

P.S: I took advantage of these few days far from my workbench to number my assembly pics (in yellow) and my main docs (in black). The interest of such a numbering is that it allows to mention easily the pic to which we refer. It is Robin Lous, in our Fiat research and scratch thread, who gave me the idea, but I forgot to do it first...

The different versions of a same doc will be numbered with a letter (fe 24a).

The only issue with this is that I can't edit and number the docs brought by any of you...

 

P.S2: Good new, I just could finally login on the p51sig.com!

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

I am back home, here is my seat with its cushion:

 

 

 

 I have begun working on the HGW seat belts, they are great but very delicate and you need patience to get a good result...

 

 

 

Imho, the sewings are too visible (see the docs 38 and 39 above. Furthermore, I think the low seat belts should be a bit more dark than the up ones. My next step will be painting to decrease the sewings look and apply a darker color on the low seat belts. I have finally applied a wash made of matt black and brown Humbrol thinned a lot with X 20 Tamiya (JMV technique). Here is what I get (this is a dry fit assembly, the seat will be fixed later):

 

 

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

This first pic, doc. 41, is important especially regarding the location of the hole in the floor. On the kit, there is no hole but just a mark. If you drill there, the hole will be hidden by the seat, while the pilot had to be able to have a look at the dial inside (fuel level, I think). The hole must be closer from the left panel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just above a selection of views of the left side panel, necessary to improve the kit with PE and scratch parts. Notice that some differences exist from an aircraft to another: fe, the handle is full red on 43 and 44, while it is red only at the bottom on 42. The same for the floor, made of wood on 42 and 44 while it is black on 41. Difficult to know with certainty what was right on the Missouri Armada, so aesthetic considerations will sometimes be chosen. My floor will be made of wood, using the wood decals from Uschi and inspired by JMV's very nice floor (Squibby's one is great too).

The handle mentioned above is very poorly represented by Eduard PE (the problem with PE is that they are flat, even with 2 sheets). The doc 43 will be very helpful to scratch it.

Edited December 31, 2017 by Olivier de St Raph

[Totally Mad Olivier]

After the total silence on Britmodeller (impossible to open the thread for 3 or 4 days), I still feel quite alone. Houston, do we have a problem? 

I suppose you are all very busy in this end of year...

[antonio argudo]

hi olivier, you are not alone    the landing gear control handel was painted in black as the North American Aviation  video shows as well as in the manual, I'm having some problem uploading the pictures at the moment!

 

[antonio argudo]