Zephyr91

As a break from cutting, filling, filing, sanding etc.. it was a welcome change to spray some primer .....includes small bits as well as main internal areas of fuse and wheel wells. I've only added PE parts where they were better than the kit parts. I hurried on and got some colour added The seat is a slightly odd angle but only blu-tacked at this stage because I hadn't put in the head armour with attached camera shelf. Need that in so that the seat can be properly aligned. As you can see, I opted to go with the plastic version rather than the PE because the latter was a bit wide and also the frame above and behind the seat was too 2D. I suppose this is just my preference, but the PE seat does look quite fine and wouldn't look amiss if someone chose to use it. I DID use the PE seat belts as they are quite nice. Due to the clarity of the canopy part I felt the need to "busy" up the area behind the seat. I was pleased to find that the camera is included as a small (albeit rudimentary) part in the kit, so didn't have to totally scratch that. The shelf needed extending with some plasticard back into the fuselage in order to hold a larger (than the camera) black box, which could be a battery (made from scrap). Certainly large wires (or small cables) are visibly attached to it in a couple of photos in the Wingleader book, so I made something like them from 5 amp fuse wire. Adding in a couple of PE "boxes" added to the busy-ness, and I was happily lost in that for an hour or 2 even though it can't all be seen. From a distance, it all doesn't look too bad I think. Seat still not stuck in as I wasn't quite happy with the height relative to the fuselage side. BUT I did get the fuse halves together! It was all going too smoothly. Those with good observation skills will notice the total lack of anything that even vaguely looks like the IP. That's because, in my haste to stick the fuse together, I entirely forgot about it! I think the translation reads somethig like "Oh, bother! One just can't get the staff these days!" I then managed to mess up the PE IP, so resorted to the plastic version here Very dark grey (faded black?) with dry-brushed silver to get the dials to stand out. Couple of dabs of colour for interest on what might be switches, then wrangled into position and all hidden away under the coaming and gun sight - so not really visible either. At least I know it has the IP included now Now I had been trying not to notice this, but I took a photo to try and show-off the wiring on the camera shelf. Didn't really show it properly, but what it did do was confirm what I'd suspected (and Graham @Graham Boak had mentioned) but I was trying to ignore and that was that the upper line of the fuselage in front of the windscreen was too sloped or not flat enough. It seemed to be close to the plans, but looking at all the photos it needed to be flatter. So I've done that with a fairly coarse file, but don't have a photo yet. I think it looks very close now to what I was after. I had to fill a resulting gap between the newly profiled front fuse and the windscreen, but that's also done. I now need to get to grips with all the re-scribing that's needed. Not my favourite job. Hopefully the major shape modifications and sanding bits are done now. Because I tend to get distracted easily from the re-scribing it may be a few days before the next update. Thanks for looking, and keep smiling Rob

OK. I shouldn't have mentioned it, but the tailwheel saga continues!! Quite nicely moulded but the top bulky bit and the lower wheel bulky bit are joined by the slenderest piece of plastic - which duly fractured under my (not so) tender ministratations to try and remove flash and mould lines. So that is now in the repair shop! At least I know where it is! Meanwhile, looking again at the cockpit internal side panels .... ....it's easy enough to trim the lower edges of the panels to allow the cockpit floor to be placed. The bit of detail lost was never going to be seen anyway. However, the fore/aft locating point was not entirely obvious. There was a small vertical edge marked on the fuse side that looked like it should serve the purpose. But trying that, it seemed that the seat would be far too far aft of where it should be. And there was nothing on the other side wall to indicate where that should be either. [Now, I checked this over several times but could't see that I missed something, but am happy to be shown what the clue was!] Hmmph. Plans not much help as they are external views. After a bit of searching I found this photograph https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p51-raf/type-f24-camera-mustang-i-63-squadron/ It confirmed to me that the seat back and armour plate are in line with the cockpit framing so maybe I could use that as a reference on the model. So taping the fuse halves to gether and dry-fitting the canopy I got this I'd been warned earlier by @Planebuilder62 that there was a potential canopy top-edge fit issue, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that (with almost no fettling) it went in very well. Lucky me! 😁 Of course that's without any glue, so it's bound to go down hill when adhesive is applied. So I marked on the fuse where the canopy frame was and was then, after disassembly again, was able to line up the internal panels. They have a notch for the behind-seat head armour which was ideal for this (armour is the small bit on the right in the photo with camera shelf attached at right-angles). Further use of blu-tac and tape seemed to confirm things lining up so I've gone with this approach. Now there's still a lot of filling, filing and sanding to do, but I need to get the fuse halves together to do that effectively, which means I have to do the cockpit. Wow! Actually getting around to doing a "normal" bit of assembly, hopefully! Calm down! it's only a little at this stage ..... Thanks for looking. Rob

disaster build - I don't think you need to cross out the first word! It's going far too smoothly so far .......... Enjoy. Rob

That's a very attractive scheme and wonderfully rendered. Rob

It's my fault for setting my mind a certain way to do this modification. As I said before there are some good bits such that I'm probably not going to use all the PE in the set for the cockpit, and keep with the plastic where I can. The basic shape isn't too bad. It's just that I felt the need to try something ......... Having said that, I think I need a nice modern kit to just assemble next time (Airfix Hurricane perhaps?) and work on my "finishing". Whatever transpires my immediate concern (whilst waiting for things to set/dry) was looking at the smaller bits in prep for later. That tail wheel (about which you might remember I have "form") looks a vulnerable to my hamfistedness and the Carpet Monster cheers Rob

Thanks chaps for the confidence. But it could all still end up that I create a pig's ear out of a sow's. I still feel very much like James' @81-er signature panel .........

I seem to be putting in the work without much visible progress. Here're some pics to illustrate I decided that the potentially heavy sanding and handling of the fuselage would damage any cockpit interior, so decided to PVA the halves together temporarily. Essential if I was to get the 2 parts to match in any way. Note that laundry drying has been sacrificed to support the more noble cause of model building . Whilst that was drying (and the laundry wasn't ) I made a start on the wing root shaping. Can't see the root shaping very well, but it is coming along. However, I can't finalise it until the fuse and wing are properly joined. I also removed the offending weaponry and filled the landing light cavities with sprue goo. The masking tape is to prevent removal of too much panel line detail. Then back to the fuselage .... The PVA is holding remarkably well. The long cut line I've filled with PPP. It's a bit easier to leave "clean" than sprue goo, but I did have a bit of shringkage so had to repeat it. The front vertical cut was sprued. The lower nose profile is beginning to be aligned with the front part of the wing root. Still quite a bit to go, but I'm pleased with it so far. But it could still all "crash and burn" ...... Once I'm happy with the fuse shape I'll separate the halves and start on the cockpit internals. But I noticed something I had't originally thought about ... (what do you mean, forethought and planning? ) The cockpit internal side walls, with some nice detail, are supplied as separate parts and stuck to each fuselage side. And of course, they overlap the part where I made the horizontal cut along the fuse.!!! OK. More trimming and filing 🙄 Better check what else is affected - cockpit floor, seat height, tailwheel mounting ................ Thanks for looking. More anon. Rob

Well, there are worse things to be distracted by. Keep going Rob

Well, the saw has been wielded (weld? ). I hadn't realised that I'd been holding my breath for long periods until the wife asked whether there was anything amiss because she kept hearing long and loud exhales from the kit-bashing room! Obviously I must have been a bit tense! Anyway ..... One side done, the other poised when I suddenly remembered to gather evidence . Then .. Both complete without too much drama in the end. Sanded and tidied edges and lots of dry-fitting and comparing with plans. Still a lot to do, but it occurred to me that it might be easier to stick the parts back together if I made some plasticard tabs to help keep things together, and so that's when this photo was taken. I've since stuck the parts together and put them aside to set properly. Now this kit is a bit hit and miss, I'm beginning to find out. Some parts have excellent looking detail and fine edges, others not so much. But all parts seem to need tidying up; either seam marks or flash or sometimes very noticeable cyclinders which are from the moulding process I assume. Maybe it's just the copy I have, I don't know. But looking at the wing I was pleased to see that it appears to have the earlier (and hence correct for my needs) standard of leading edge root shape in planform, not the bigger "lerx" (for want of a better description) applicable to the C/D I think. But it doesn't have the subtle gulling seen on many photos of the real thing, so that will have to be addressed. I was tidying the lower wing piece when I noticed a particularly big bit of flash where one of the undercarriage legs would be. Expecting to just flick it away with my trusty blade, I was surpriseed to meet resistance Turning it over I found it wasn't flash, but a big blodge (key technical term ). Looks more like a slight moulding problem to me. Intrigued, I got out my other copy of this kit and it is on there too! Not personally encountered that sort of thing before, but not a problem. Good excuse to try the new(ish) micro-chisels received from Santa. I really like these. Can get at tough but tiny shape issues that would otherwise defeat me. Bit of over-kill for this but a couple of gouges ( careful!!) later and a bit of more traditional sanding had it on track again. Now to get the root gulling will require removal of plastic, and previous builders have noted that it would be prudent to backfill the area to help in case of breaking through. So I stuck the wing together, duly packed with Humbrol filler in the areas to be sanded...... [pic is actually dry-fit before including undercarriage bay and filler etc] ........then got totally distracted by the shape of the guns that are integrally moulded with the upper wing pieces.!!! Given that they are a key feature of the Mk Ia they just don't "look" good. Compared to photos, the bits from which the barrels emanate look too tapered, and the barrels and end caps just look a bit cruder than I would like. I don't think I could improve them "as is" by sanding/filling etc without a lot of patience and jeopardy/breath holding again! Hmmm. As already noted the resin replacements are the wrong type (external recoil springs) and, looking again at them, they look too tapered as well. A quick look on t'interweb didn't reveal any potential suppliers of replacements. I might just have to live with what's here. Then I looked harder at this photo [Apologies, I can't remember where I got this so can't acknowledge properly, but will take it down if requested. Meanwhile it's for discussion only] This isn't taken exactly underneath (totally inconsiderate of the photographer ) but it's as near a plan view as makes no odds. To me, the guns here look closer together than on the model. A check with the plans tends to agree with that view. After as much cross checking and other photo viewing as I was able, I came to the conclusions that - the model gun shrouds/fairings(?) are not the correct shape - the model guns are too far apart spanwise - the inboard gun is near enough (for me) correctly placed - the outer gun AND the leading edge landing lights (?) also are too far outboard OK. So the guns will have to be replaced and landing lights relocated. More filling, filing and re-scribing for the "To Do" list. Certainly getting practice in these techniques ....... I'll cogitate on this and go and have a go at gulling the wings......(that is legal isn't it?) More soon. Thanks for looking. Rob

I think my reaction would be

Cute post. And the cat looks good as well! Sorry. Had to be done. Sorry that you've been under the weather, but glad for your recovery. I can sympathise. Went to Dublin last week for a few days, including meeting up with daughter no. 3 who lives in Limerick. Got laid low with a very bad cough and missed some of the outings. Although mostly gone, it still lingers a little. But that's better than if I'd been near your cutie cat. Although I like cats I'm highly allergic to them ...... Enjoying the Spare Parts story. cheers Rob

Thanks Mark. Your confidence in the outcome is somewhat higher than mine at the moment. But we might have a laugh on the way - there's a very vulnerable looking tailwheel in there and given what I've managed previously ..... If all else fails, I'll just use the second copy of the kit and build it OOB and practise my airbrushing ....... cheers Rob

Nice collection. The general consensus seems to be that there might be some small issues . I wouldn't let Enzo see these otherwise there might be a bit of pressure applied to build them all. When are you doing them btw? I'd never intended to do a P-51 so soon (since my return to the hobby last year) but I've been "hooked" by these GB's so that my alleged main interest of (things 1940) has taken a back seat of late. If I had a collection like that I think I'd be tempted to do more .... Thanks for sharing Rob

Yes, I'm beginning to realise that now! Never mind, the fun will be in the trying. cheers Rob

Thanks for the responses so far. The initial updates will be fairly speedy as they are mostly "scene setting" and as I've been mulling this for a while I have some aspects almost set out in advance. I've broken them down into smaller posts to "aid digestion" I forgot to note that I invested in the Brengun PE set and replacment 20mm guns. Also a canopy masking set - my experiences on the recently built Mosquito and Bf 110D suggested that this might be a good investment. Only when I opened the package and examined the guns did I realise that they represent the earlier fit with externally visible recoil springs. As I wish to do an RAF version these are not the right type. More Spares box fodder OK. Digression away from the kit and into a small history break. Please feel free to look away now if such items are not your beverage of choice, but I find it a motivation to have a specific aim in place. So .... With a view to this project, the Wingleader book on the Allison engined Mustang (https://wingleader.co.uk/books/wpa22mustang/) was bought at Telford November 2023 and was inspiring. I’d always liked the look of the Mk Ia – fast, heavily armed, decent combat radius, ideal for going out and causing mayhem! And now I had some decent photos in hand with some helpful modelling biased commentary rather than just on-line resources. It's also D-Day 80th anniv this year, so ..... After a bit of digging I’ve decided to try and model FD476 “B” of 268 Squadron as shown in a profile and photo in the Wingleader book pgs 64 and 65. Looking at the Squadron ORB for June 1944 it is in one of the first 3 pairs sent off by 268 from Gatwick to conduct naval gunnery spotting on the 6th. They took off at 05:00 and returned 07:35 to Lee-on-Solent from where 268 conducted operations for the rest of the long(est) day . [It's a while since I saw that film but have a copy somewhere ...] Although this aircraft wasn’t used again until 19:40 (back 20:55), the pilot F/O BFN Rachinger was off again at 08:25 in FD546 (back 10:10) after a break of only 50 minutes! After a bit of further analysis for the 6th June, my figures show 20 aircraft mentioned and 22 pilots. They conducted 36 flights. Several pilots like Rachinger doing 2. Several aircraft were used twice and 3 were used 3 times! Unfortunately, during that day, one pilot and his aircraft was lost (F/L ED Woodward FD477). I have read somewhere that 268 and other AC/Tac R squadrons were allowed to paint their invasion stripes on the undersides only for D Day and afterwards – long before the wider adoption of such after June/July. This was apparently so as not to compromise camouflage as they were entirely doing low-level missions. Sounds entirely logical. However, the photo in Wingleader, captioned as taken 20th June 1944, clearly shows this aircraft with full stripeyness on sides and upper surfaces - so that is how I will try and complete it. But that's just a little way off at the moment. End of history digression. Now where were we? Ah yes. Comparing kit with plans and deciding where to slice and dice I decided to use the plans created by Junpei Temma https://soyuyo.main.jp/p51a/p51ae-1.html To my mind the hardest thing to do is reduce the vertical distance between the wing upper edge and cockpit sill by 3". Looking at the printed out plan (blue line is my addition to help size the plan for printing) I was able to figure out that I could do a horizontal cut passing just above the wing root from the tail to the vertical panel line that was in front of the wing but aft of the exhausts. My long stiff razor saw is about 0.7mm thick. So if I could make the cut with that, do some careful sanding, then re-stick it having taken out just over a mm of plastic I reckon I'd be almost there. I also decided to do the vertical cut at the front as described but use a thinner razor saw so as not to remove much material - I don't want to shift anything forward accidentally. Using this line I get enough of the fairing into the wing leading edge moving up relative to the forward nose line such that I then have a target for sanding the nose profile back to. Probably not described that very well but I know what I mean. At the lower part of the photo I have started marking where the cut should be. I have used Dymo tape over masking tape to give me a bit of an edge for the saw to work against and keep straight, whilst protecting the kit surface from excess damage. The lower black marking is Sharpie pen. I used a thin pice of masking tape to create a straight line then after removing the tape I could then position the Dymo tape a smidge over 1mm above it so giving a visual indication of the material I wish to remove. Well it might all work THEN I'll have to do it all again for the other side - what fun. Enough for now. Thanks for looking. cheers Rob

Thanks Toby, yes I did see it. Notes taken and hopefully assimilated. I was aware of the possible undercarriage issue in my "Would also check" list above but not the canopy. Now I read TheRealMrEd's post and have ummed and ahhed a bit about the points raised. I think I will take a slightly different approach. We'll see. cheers Rob

Hi. Bit of a late entry here, but I think there's still time. I've been mulling this over for a few days because, depending upon one's world view, it is either very ambitious (for me) or totally stupid. Guess which the wife thinks it is ....... I was gifted 2 of the Brengun kits a while back but at that time I'd never heard of them, being mostly familiar with the "bigger" kit names and they've been in the stash for a while. But the time has come ..... So we start from here There is a resin intake included, which looks an improvemnet on the plastic version. The decals look a bit bright to me, but no matter. The kit offers these schemes shown for completeness, but I will be doing a different finish - if we get that far. I've also been doing a bit of reading around BM and t'interweb. It appears that there are no current 1:72nd scale P-51a/Mk1 Allison engined kits which truly reflect the “emaciated” fuselage lines displayed when compared with the later Merlin versions. [Having said that, one will probably emerge now! ] The consensus seems to be that most kits are too deep in the fuselage and don’t reflect the 3” lower vertical distance between wing and cockpit sill than the Merlin engine variants. There’s also the wing root leading edge droop on the earlier versions (pre 51C) that is not represented often either. Britmodeller discussions are several on this. For my purposes the best collated notes are the builds by @opus999 - link here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235088418-when-adequate-has-to-be-good-enough-condor-172-a-36/ I'm not doing a kit review, merely establishing a starting point, but a specific comment about the Brengun kit was "The Brengun kit was a no-go for me, as the sprue shots I've seen appeared to have an AZ P-51B fuselage smoothed into an Allison-esque shape at the front rather than being shallower along the full length of the fuselage. " That's encouraging ..... So we have a challenge - but that's the fun of this hobby I think. Keeps the old mind working, discovering new things, and hopefully extending skills. OK, we have to do a bit of work. Whilst some kits appear better than others, they'll all need something doing to get a better "look" to the model, and I have what I have. Now, I'm not an absolute stickler for detail. My skills and patience will not allow me to create a totally accurate replica and I'm prepared to compromise. I'm happy if the overall "look" is ok but having said that, I like to know what it "should" be like so that I can adopt a standard of "informed inaccuracy" **. So if I do perpetrate an error or need to extend my knowledge, then please do shout up and we can talk it through. [** - I think this came up in a discussion with ME @ModelingEdmontonian, but I could be wrong] The fuselage depth thing seems to me the most challenging. BUT 3" is only a shade over 1mm in 72nd scale, so is it worth it? I think so, yes Thinking about this and looking at all the info in the threads and photos around, it might be possible to take out a sliver on the kit along the line from the spinner to the beginning of the rear fuselage after the upcurve from the intake. Then · fill and sand/file the nose profile · fill and sand the rear upslope from the intake · flatten the panel in the side walls in the region of the exhausts · re-scribe panels and access hole flap/covers Taking it further, for the wing inboard leading edge · backfill the root region to allow sanding · sand as per Opus999 to create marked “droop” on upper surface Would also want to check · spinner profile and fit with “new” nose · undercarriage and doors · guns · prop · radio mast Other things to consider · wheels · cockpit interior, IP etc · exhausts So, "Simples" as a well known Meerkat is wont to say (Sorry that's a UK advertising reference). Thanks for looking. I've outlined what for me is a complicated kit-bash plan but hope you will stay along for the entertainment. The next instalment will look at the intended subject aircraft as well as marking out where the cuts need to be for the plastic surgery cheers Rob

Fascinating subject. A chap in our local model club built one recently. Came out superbly but I think all those propellers and all that engine support strutery gave him a headache or eye strain or both! Good luck. Watching with interest Rob

I've started doing this as well, but they don't come out as well as these. Mine are neither as clear or as smooth. Maybe I just don't have the patience, but any hints welcome. Sorry for the intrusion @Seb.Ace but this will probably be my next build and I'm picking up tips too. Keep going with your good start and don't hesitate to ask questions. I've found people hereabouts very helpful. Rob

Mosquito FB XVIII 248 sqn O / NT225 Portreath, Cornwall June 1944. Airfix 1:72 Mosquito Mk II/VI/XVIII box dated 1982, moulds dated 1972. Had a few tribulations of my own making, but finally got this over the line. Build thread is here Thanks again to the facilitators for a great GB. And also thanks to everyone who looked, liked and commented as I muddled my way through. Cheers Rob

Very generous comments Charlie. Thanks. But I only got the camo "right" because of the freely given and aired discussion by you, and my finish is not as neat as yours. So maybe honours almost even - I think I might claim 8.5 to your 10! - and still think that was very kind to me. But overall, despite some frustrations, I've learnt a lot and had fun. I saw what you said about that. I suspect if you took the cover off, a more "usual" reflector gunsight shape lurked underneath. So I think mine is that "un-covered" version of the same one .... And for my next trick ....... I hinted at it in my PS above. And like you, I rather like the stripeyness of the June 1944 markings. So a bit of mayhem may well ensue. I'm just trying to compose my first post into the P-51 GB (but don't hold your breath, it might be a while). cheers Rob

Thanks James. You're going to laugh your socks off when you hear what I'm going to try for that one. You're signature panel is absolutely spot on ......... More anon. Keep smiling. Rob

(Apologies I'm only just catching up, so late comment I'm afraid). Good stuff and interesting view. A chap in our local IPMS branch uses models of different scales like this to try and create a display/image as if a perspective in-air shot, so the bigger one is "flying" above the smaller one and closer to the camera. Not a new idea I think, but have you thought of trying it ME? cheers Rob

Special thanks to you too MM. You've been super supportive. Have a cheers Rob

OK, so I'm calling this finished. I received a pair of vac-form canopies in the post and proceeded to hack one but managed the second with only a few blemishes! After adding other little bits and the props I have got some initial photos. Will get some better ones (hopefully) for the gallery later. The broken canopy from the test flight is shown below. It cracked along the front of the windscreen and up the right hadn side - I've just bent it out a bit to emphasise where the damage occurred. Can just about see the gun and what all the fuss was about And a couple of more general views Just as I was aplying PVA to the canopy I noticed I hadn't put a gunsight on. I have no idea what it should look like but stole one from a Spitfire kit in the stash, quickly painted it and stiuck it in. If one is close enough you can actually see it because the canopy is so clear compared to the kit version. Having said that, I had my usual issue with cleaning off blutac residue from inside the canopy where I'd used it to attach a stick to help with holding whilst painting. I always seem to miss a bit when cleaning up; not the tac itself but the slightly oily residue it leaves behind and which only seems to show up after photos!! It's ok I suppose but not the crystal clear I'd like it to be. More stuff to learn ...... But it's finished. I'm actually quite pleased with how it looks here on the window ledge. Thanks again to everyone who has looked in and commented and helped me through some of the trials and tribulations. Mostly of my own making I have to admit, but I do actually enjoy this great hobby of ours. Thanks again to @81-er, @vppelt68 and @Enzo the Magnificent for this excellent GB. Cheers Rob PS. I believe there's a P/F-51/Mustang GB ........ only ever built one decades ago (old 1:72 Revell - NMF with lots of red I think). Now I have in mind to try something really ambitious (or as the wife tells me, completely stupid) for me at least. R.