BlueNosers352nd

Been a busy couple days. This is my first Eduard kit and I was a little concerned with how the wings attached..........and I was surprised. Pretty easy if ask me..........just some minor tweaks as the glue setup. Got one little clear piece to put in the port wing and she is ready. Even took the time to redo the fuel tank by adding the spine on. Will work on the filler cap tomorrow.

Thank you! Although I really don't like OD Mustangs, they are kinda boring looking compared to the Natural Metal counter parts............but it does make me want to build another one of the many AM kits I have in the stash. That first pic of mine really makes the urge pop up again.

Thanks for the kind words. Don't look to close to the open canopy.........it's a little rough. Wasn't sure what to do with the upper side. At this point I am just glad to be done. Learned some new things..........good and bad. Wow, the link thing was easy. THANKS!

Now that both the P-51B and Apache A-36 are off the bench, it's time to start the Hellcat. In between the final details drying on the Stangs, I got the cockpit all done on the Hellcat. Not sure this pretty white background will stay up or not, but I figured I'd snap pics while it's setup. Right now my photo setup is in my wood shop. It has the best lighting and most space. Custom mixed Tamiya paints for the Interior Green. Eduard did such a nice job on the Instrument Panel, it's a shame they didn't do much on the side panels. Oh well, not much seen when button up.

Here is my second late attempt for the P-51 STGB that recently ended. The Accurate Miniatures 1/48 A-36, which is actually isn't too bad of a kit. Blemishes not as bad on this one, but their are a few easy ones to see. Just glad to be done.......but now to get better as we progress on future builds. Build Thread Kit: 1/48 Accurate Miniatures A-36A Aftermarket: Ultracast Seat, Quickboost Gun Barrels, True Details Wheels, Moskit Metal Exhausts Decals: SuperScale Paints: Various Tamiya's Weathering: Various washes from AK and Mig, some stains/streaks from Winsor Newton oil mixes Original Model version

Thank you Peter! Well, are we not our own worst critiques? Their is one glaring issue on the starboard wing that isn't shown. It's like the paint dried and crack, right along the white on the wing root side. One decal issue on the underside star and bar that's hard to see. Horrible issues getting the masks off, leading to touch-ups rather than redoing. Quite a few other little blemishes and what not. Need to work on a cleaner (sans blemishes) finish. Probably being to harsh on myself.

Calling her done! I didn't make it in time to post with all the other superb builds in the P-51 STGB that recently finished. It's been many years since I finished a model, but every once and a while I'll get the bug to build a model, get part way through and never finish. Lots of issues along the way to the point that many times I thought of just being done, selling everything and never touching a model again. Which is odd, cause I quite like the building process.............right up until it's time to paint and then usually they come to a screeching halt. I lost about 2.5 weeks on this build because of vacations............not that I would trade those vacations for anything. Plus after getting back from my second vacation I just didn't want to build for the first week, so really more like 3.5 weeks lost. Don't look close, this thing has issues. But then again, it's been a while so I'm chalking it up to being rusty. I'll give myself a C+ on this one and stay back 6 feet. It looks best from there! Build Thread On to the Details............let's see if I got this right. Kit: 1/48 Tamiya P-51B Aftermarket: Aires Interior, Ultracast Seat, Block Wheels, Exhaust and corrected flaps, resin propeller blades (not sure whose though) Decals: Eaglestrike, Custom printed "The Flying Scot II" based off Eaglestrike's and I think Superscale Stars/Bars (think the 3rd attempt on these) Paints: Fuselage - Alclad Duraluminum, Flaps/Aileron/Rudder - Alclad White Aluminum, Blue Nose - Custom mix starting with Floquil's German Imperial Infantry Blue, Various Tamiya's throughout the rest Weathering: Various washes from AK and Mig, some stains/streaks from Winsor Newton oil mixes Original Model version

I have that one, just haven't installed it yet. Was referring to the one under the wing like the B's have. I'm assuming not, since I don't have one in the box, nor see it in my D&S/Walkaround books.

The Blue Nosed B****** is on it's feet. Another 6'............don't look too close. Missing canopy pieces are getting redone. One big glaring blemish that I really don't feel like fixing. Been years since I completed a model, so it is what it is at this point.

Interesting subject and nicely done. Never heard of such a thing.

She is up on her legs. One of the canopy pieces is being repainted, then I can wrap up the fiddly bits and be done finally. Gonna be a 6' model.........looks decent from 6' away. Some blemishes I didn't feel like addressing...............just want to be done with it. Once it's in the cabinet, nobody will see it. SIDE QUESTION: Did the A-36 have a under wing Pitot Probe? Kit has one, but did the A-36 have one? If so, where? D&S or Walk Around kinda leaves me guessing.

Nicely done!!!!

I'm not sure on my thinning ratio, I just mix and go. An educated guess on my mixing ratio is 1:2. If it's too thin, I add a touch of paint. If it's too thick, I add some more thinner. I try to spray in the 15psi range. With Tamiya paints, all I use is Mr Leveling Thinner and clean up the airbrush with regular lacquer thinner. I have a small glass bottle of X-20A and have never used it. What airbrush you using? I had nothing but issues with my H&S so I sold it. Fought it and fought it. Sold it and got another Iwata........never looked back.

Got another one on order, and a nozzle. But I am having the darndest time getting the slight bend outta this needle. Tried the rolling on cardboard technique on saw on YouTube. Tried rolling it on glass like I've done in the past. The .3mm needle of the HP-C Plus just doesn't wanna budge. Thoughts? Only have to wait a few more days for the new one. Just dumbfounding.

Well, this is my attempt. Since my in-progress thread is in the STGB, not sure where to post this. Haven't tried and not sure if we are allowed to continue those threads until done. But wanted to share the results. Not to shabby for a first run. Maybe could of been a little smoother. Might go back after the clear coat dries and add a little and blend it......but we'll see. Also gotta say, I tried some of the Vallejo 100% Acrylic Resin Matte.............color me impressed, well clear me impressed. Maybe I got the wrong kinda turpentine. I only have Turpenoid or the thinners that come with AK/Mig stuff. But with Model Master is ended up curdling. What I end up using was regular old Winsor Newton oils (a brownish and black) thinned, applied and let to dry a bit then blended, brushed, blended, more added, etc.

I wanna add this detail on the Mustang. Actually doing this aircraft. Was for the P-51STGB but I couldn't make it. How would you all tackle it? I tried yesterday with some oils, but hands are not as steady as they once were. Fortunately that is easy to wipe off. Heard in the past taking a shot of liquor can help calm that unsteadiness down. Thought about using the airbrush, but then my question is what to use as an under coat and as a paint......that if I don't like it I can wipe it off. Right now it's coat with Tamiya Flat (Not sure why they call it that). I have mostly Tamiya, Gunze, some Model Master. Not really much in the line Vallejo. Got tire black in both Mig and Aeromaster Aircraft Colors. For clear coats, besides Tamiya, I have Gunze flat base, Vallejo 100% Acrylic Resin in both Matte and Satin. Alclad Aqua Gloss and Klear Kote Matte. I have Windsor Netwon in both acrylic and oil. Have some Mig (or is it AK) panel line washes and the Engine, Kerosene stuff. Not like I am in a hurry to finish this and I'm not really going any where anytime soon (thank you Corona). So I guess if I needed to I could try and order some stuff. Thoughts? Thanks! Stay Safe!

That is a good question......I was just assuming. My F6F References are not that good. This is the one I am doing, but I really don't know any details other than one picture I've found and it only shows the pilot in the cockpit and the nose art. I believe it is VF-38

I know this can be like opening a can of worms, but in the Tamiya or Mr Color (not Aqueous) lines, has anyone seen a good Interior Green, either in a available color or a mixing ratio? At this point, it would be for a F6F-3. I do see a recommendation to mix of XF-3 (Yellow) and XF-5 (Green). Or, as I have been out of the loop for quite a few years..........any good conversion charts for Tamiya or Gunze Mr Color (not Aqueous) No Vallejo or Mission Models recommendations please, I wanna burn down my house every time I try those. Thanks!

Since this STGB is winding down to an end, I thought I'd share a progress pic or two. Finally got the stars/bars to go down. Part of my problem is patience after applying decals. The last star/bar that was giving me fits, I finally as a last straw just hit it with Solvaset and walked away. Came back something like 18 hrs later and wow......other that one little wrinkle/bubbleit was pretty good. It was the underside one, so I just sanded it lightly and touched it up. The Ultracast wheels for this one just blows the True Detail wheels being used on the A-36A outta the water! Like the A-36A, this will be one of them 3 footers! Looks pretty good from 3 feet away.

Since this STGB is just about to come to a close, I thought I'd share a pic of where the A-36A stands. Although these replacement stars/bars didn't give me any fits, I'm not sure if the carrier film will ever disappear. I believe they were from an older Superscale sheet.

And the hits keep on coming..... Whole thing clear coated after decaling prior to my Spain trip, so be sitting there for what.....almost 2 weeks. Attempted oil dot filters and let that dry before clear coating. Nothing affected by that. Now spray a coat of clear on to do some more stuff and bam! Only spot that did this! Clear after decals would of been Tamiya Gloss thinned with Mr Leveling Thinner. This coat was Tamiya Semi Gloss with Mr Leveling Thinner. I'm guessing it's a reaction from the thinner. Maybe too heavy. After the initial coat I came back about 45 mins later and did another coat over the decals as the edges weren't hiding for diddly. Like I said, guessing to heavy of an additional coat and the thinner is reacting some how. Not sure I can get this off easily. Hmmmm......what to do.

You guys are gonna have to wait to see this one finished in the regular completed builds section of the forum.....not going to make it. Probably could get this done if I didn't want any weathering, but that is not what I want. Week in Spain killed my momentum. Struggling with stars/bars on the P-51B build almost makes me want to take everything out in the yard and light it on fire. The 3 models I've built since trying to come back to the hobby have been very frustrating in one form or another.........with a lot of it revolving around decals.

You'll have to watch for this completion some other time in the regular finished model section..........not going to make it. Tried my buddy's cricket cut stencils for the stars/bars. Apparently I am too stupid to use those too. So I went back to decals, apparently I am to stupid to use those also. Think I can live with 3 of the 4 stars/bars. Fourth one, the under wing one, will be replaced for the 4th time. Guess the first round doesn't count as I switched the sizes and put them in the wrong spots. It's dumbfounding that I rolled them out with a cotton bud several times, they looked good. Then you start putting down Micro Sol to get them to settle (cause Micro Set didn't do it one bit) and you get air bubbles. I am also worried that the canopy masks and the neo liquid mask won't come off right, or the canopy will break off when trying to get the masks off. If that happens this kit may get smashed. Hopefully it's just me overthinking everything per usual. Signed, Super Frustrated Guy wondering why he even bothers.

Nice looking Catfish! What kit is it? Hobbyboss? I bought the Cutting Edge conversion many many moons ago with the intention of doing one..........but haven't done it yet.

I'm trying............didn't even mess with stars/bars last night. Got the Hamilton decals on the propeller blades. Attempted to mask and put DDay stuff on the flaps. Pulled masking off and it stripped a bunch of paint off. Stripped both those down again, they were off anyway. So sprayed them with enamel primer this time. Maybe it will bite better. One I didn't repaint originally and the other I did because it peeled so I don't know which one peeled this time. Only time this whole build that tape peeled Alcad.........the Alclad over the resin.