Angus Tura

Hello. A long time since the last input to this: Not finishing other group builds is very time consuming. I got all of the cockpit sidewalls in: Even with the possibility of opening both the cockpits, the windscreen would be too narrow so I've made a little spacer for the front of the fuselage: Then the fit of the glazing is better, or at least less bad: The bottom of the fuselage and the fuselage spine still come together OK and I'm hoping the wing fit will not be changed by this. The floor is too narrow but then hopefully the rest of the cockpit will build up on that to fit: More later, Alan

Sorry. I look again and find I have already signed up at number 21. I think I must have seen the first edition's list also. Alan

Col, I'm another who thought he had signed up. Please sign me up. Probably something from Latin America, very likely a Mustang! Alan

Tidy Col.....but not quick. I haven't finished: The canopy fit issue did for this unfortunately. I'm disappointed not to finish but it should be finished shortly. I have learnt a lot about this kit and am looking forward to "Airfix Mustang OOTB 2.0", shortly to appear in the Sharkmouth GB. Alan

Christer, I was also planning to do a Dominican Mustang and have been heart-searching about which one. I think the one you have pictured is a two-seater because there is no obvious pilot's armour. According to the Hagedoorn book they weren't all two-seaters. The one with the yellow nose on the Aztec sheet (1900) was a two-seater according to that book. I was thinking about doing a single seater and just guess the nose colour. I'd like to do a blue or yellow one. Maybe some-one else on BM might have more info, I shouldn't let this problem put you off the build, Alan

So a week to go on this. I've used an extra canopy frame from a failed airfix mustang build to figure out where to reduce the cockpit sill to let the canopy sit correctly: I've cut the cross-brace in the canopy frame so as to let the sides of the frame overlap the sills. Then I used the frame as a guide to scratch the lower line of the canopy I'm aiming for: And then carved the sills back: The groove for the canopy doesn't have to go so far back in fact. I'll know in future. Any way, it worked pretty well. Here is another spare canopy: there has been more than one failed airfix mustang build around here!: Here it is against he light where I'm pretty happy with the fit: So, I can now get this finished. Whether I can get it finished for next Sunday is another thing... Alan

It clearly just needs try, try, try, try, (try, try, try, try, try) again. As Theresa May would say.

I could not agree more. I will finish a model hopefully. I won't have to worry about an Airfix Mustang for a whole three days! I'm delighted too that we're having two of these this year. I'm planning on trying this in a 24 hour slot: https://flic.kr/p/TBkqib That was a picture of the Brengun 1/72 Chelomey 16KhA, which is a sort of souped-up soviet V-1. Is there some new trick to get embedded images to display following the server move? Alan

Dennis, The photos I've seen suggest the canopy sits down in contact with the fuselage all the way round. I'd post a photo if I weren't so concerned about the copyright issues here! I don't want to get banned! I think I can get it sorted but painfully. I think it should be in touch with the fuselage all the way round if it is to contact the rails at the front and the back. Exdraken, you can. The fit closed is pretty perfect actually. But where would be the fun? Alan

Col, I missed your Mk.22. Very nice. I am impressed with the masochistic approach to the Mk.21 avoiding the Special Hobby kit! Alan

And it was all going so well! I got this to the point of assembling, and painted the inside of the windscreen, I used the Pmask vinyl masks for this and thought they were pretty good. They need a little adjustment to fit the frame which would contact the hood. I stuck it all together and took a lot of care to get the sills right: Then I was going to mask the sills and stick on the windscreen and get finished, or at least start putting on the finish when: THE HORROR! THE HORROR! You can have the back of the canopy fitting, or the front, but not both! I really should have anticipated this. I'm going to use the canopy stuck to the frame here to try carving the sills to fit properly on the next Airfix P-51 (for the "Sharkmouth" GB) and see where I need to cut this one to get it right. If only it weren't OOTB, I'd just get a vacformed canopy. THE HORROR...THE HORROR! Alan

I've got to cancel this one. I had hoped to build it on time for this GB as an OOTB build based on the other one I have here. That other build has just thrown up a whole new problem of the fit of the canopy open on this kit. Very frustrating. I'd never have time for this one. Therefore I'm going to make this one as an OOTB Dominican Mustang in the "Sharksmouth" GB coming up. I do love this scheme and I hope to do it in the Mustang GB coming your way in December. I'm not sure about the compatibility of fussiness and OOTB builds... Angus Tura achieves new level of bitterness! Alan

MJ, You are a bad and evil man, my wife would tell you. Alan

I'd be up for this Col. I'd be very happy just to endlessly repeat 1945-1960, to tell you the truth! I do have some pretty weird Syhart decals for various 90s things, Alan

MJ, Certainly still up for this. If I'm still mustang-obsessed this would fit a CMR P-51H in the stash. Otherwise, the possibilities are endless. Alan