elger

It looks good but I don't have any experience with it so I don't know how well it fits - or the quality of the actual casting. Vector's reputation is pretty good though, and I used their correction set for the 1/48 ICM Dornier 215 which was fine.

Painting continues - added the yellow nose and the olive drab anti glare panel. Next up: decals.

It looks like the Tamiya wheel bay has nicer detail than Airfix, but are you going to address the issue of the rear wall? Tamiya rather infamously has the rear wall of the wheel bay follow the outline of the wheel bays (diagonally) whereas the rear wall is the main spar forming actually a straight line. This creates a hollow area at the back. Airfix does this correctly. Aires has a replacement wheel bay that shows what the shape should be: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev8/7401-7500/rev7487-Aires-4613/00.shtm

For what it's worth, last year I took some photos of the wheel bay of the P-51K in the collection of the Dutch museum of military history at Soesterberg. The aircraft (44-12525) was rebuilt in 1966 using parts of 2 P-51Ds and even a P-51B (the museum site unfortunately does not give any details which aircraft these were and what components were used). The wheel bay of 44-12525 in its current condition does come across as unrestored and I think gives a good impression of what @John Terrell is explaining.

@tonyot great build as usual but let me tell you about a remarkable coincidence that happened just now this morning. I went to my local hobby shop to buy some paint and model supplies. When I entered there was an older gentleman there asking the owner if he knew if the Trumpeter 1/24 FW-190A was ever going to be released. I was minding my own business, looking at some kits on the shelves when I heard the gentleman and the store owner come over. He asked if he could see the new big Hobby Boss 1/18 FW-190. The owner couldn't find it immediately but as I had just seen it as I had been browsing I pointed to the area in one of the top shelves where I'd just seen it. The older gentleman informs the store owner he'd like to buy it, and they go to the register to pay, and I continue minding my own business. I do notice that the gentleman is very talkative, and he starts talking about that he grew up near Valkenburg where these B-25s were stationed. Mentions the B-25s and Catalinas and Fireflies too. Earlier this morning I had seen your finished build so I started listening to the conversation. Then he starts telling an anecdote that he introduces by saying that having a broken bike chain saved his life once. Apparently, he was biking near the air field and the chain broke, bringing him to a halt. He turned his bike upside down to fix it, which he did, and as he goes to bike on he suddenly hears an aircraft (a B-25), and he said, "the moment I heard it coming it was there". It flew right past him - where he would have been if his bike hadn't broken down - and crashed into a barn. The gentleman pays for this kit and remembers he left his glasses near where I was so he comes over. I'm shocked to see the terror in his eyes. "Did you hear what I just said", he asks me, "it flew right over my head and crashed right near me, the folks flying it were only kids and it could have killed me!" He apologetically tells store owner that he's sorry he's talking so much - who says it's fine. I had already realized that he wasn't entirely with it earlier but talking about the event must have really shook him up - and must have left him traumatized somehow that it's still such a vivid memory that he felt compelled to talk about with strangers.

looks fine to me (especially the wing closest to the camera - the one in the background looks a bit darker).

thanks all! yes it was a bit of work getting rid of the panel lines on the wings but it just feels right

Thanks! About the Xtreme Metal paints, I really like them. They look very convincing and are relatively durable. They withstand masking quite well but are prone to damage from scratching. - Elger

Thanks for all the comments! The last two weeks I've been able to close the fuselage and finish assembly. This weekend I got a lot of painting done. One of the things that was still left was the gun sight: What I actually started the whole build with was the wheel wells. I added some additional wiring to the Airfix parts: Assembled. I'm not a huge fan of the surface detail and besides, the wings of the Mustang were pretty smooth so I spent quite a lot of time filling and sanding the wings smooth. Lost the rear edges of the wing tips in the process, but replaced them by sculpting some Evergreen styrene into shape. Primed black: Painted with various shades of AK Interactive: Vroooooom Thanks for looking Comments and feedback is always appreciated. - Elger

Really great work. Makes me want to build a Stirling.

pretty good! you could also try to thin your paints a bit, applying them in several (2-3) thinner coats (let them dry in between). Don't forget to add yellow tips to the propellers and you can use masking tape to get straight lines next time!

I think it's one or the other but I'm not 100% sure; I do know that the 1/48 Monogram H-22 kit came with both. But if you look at photos of the H-20 at the RAF museum it only has the side panel.

This is a most enjoyable and inspirational build. Please keep it up

Later models of the 111 (H-16 and onward) had a different canopy with less framing. The instrument panel, which on P-models and early H-variants is on the ceiling of the canopy in this later variant was changed into the squarish side panel that I think you are describing.

It's either completely removable without a hinge (which is my best guess) or if it does have a hinge it would move away from the middle towards the side. If you model it open like that it obscures quite a bit of detail. These photos of RS712 show it removable and stored on the rear deck where the radios are normally located (3rd row photos): http://www.mossie.org/Phil_Broad/PB_RS712_det_int_cockpit.htm