1/72 Hasecademy Frankenstangs

[Cookenbacher]

This build started after I read a post by Procopius about mating the Academy 1/72 P-51B wing to the Hasegawa fuselage in order to fix a few shape issues with each. On a whim, I thought I'd give it a try, and here are the results.

 

 

The Academy wing fits the Hasegawa fuselage with very little modification, and I'm pretty happy with the result - no funny Hasegawa wing leading edge, and no funny Academy canopy or nose air scoop. And, best of all, it was easy. The build thread is here.

Both models depict Mustang III's of 315 Sqn using decals/transfers from Techmod and AJ Press' Polish Mustang Units.

 

 

The striped Mustang is that of Sqn Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, PK-G, FB382, in the summer of 1944. It is the aircraft he used on a successful sweep over Norway, where 315 Sqn ambushed a number of unsuspecting Bf 109's.

 

 

The metal finish on the other Frankenstang is made from Uschi pigments weathered with white ink.

 

 

All in all, a very enjoyable experiment.

[-Neu-]

Fantastic Cooken. I've always wanted to try the wing switch change, but I'm too cheap and I'd feel bad if I had some extra fuselages and wings lying around with nothing to do. But your outcome looks superb... especially the NMF version.

Well done!

[CedB]

Educational and entertaining WiP and a great result - they look gorgeous.

Thanks for sharing Cookie!

[JimHead23]

Really 1st class and the metal finish is outstanding.

[giemme]

Great build thread (I'll second CedB comment on that), great outcome! :clap:

I love'em both, and I certainly don't mind they don't have props (probably because I really like the Mustang line )

Ciao

[MikeR]

Very nice indeed, the NMF one looks fab!

Mike.

[sean]

Nice one Cookie, great result on both,

Sean

[Tomoshenko]

Great builds. Convincing effects on the NMF one, nice panel variations and weathering. I usually prefer a Mustang in NMF, as like the Lightning, for me, I'm used to the iconic image of them in gleaming NMF. That said, the camo really stands out on the stripy one. I'm much taken by it.

[06/24]

Loved the WIP, love the RFI. Top work that man!

[rob85]

You know my feelings on these through your brilliant wip.... but for the RFI community these are beautiful. ... just beautiful

Rob

[batcode]

great looking pair, 2 very nice schemes and great nmf!!!! nice job on the finishes and display

[Beard]

They're outstanding.

Your WiP on these two inspired me to get a cheap Hasegawa to do the same. If my attempt comes out anywhere as good as your's has, I'll be a very happy boy indeed.

[Knight_Flyer]

Excellent builds. I didn't know it required little modification to fit the wings. Already have a Hasegawa P-51B so all I need is the Academy kit.

[Work In Progress]

Very neat work.

Have you seen the new AZ kit yet? If so what's your impression?

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone!

-Neu-, I managed to find an exceptionally inexpensive Hasegawa double boxing that made it possible (the Academy kits are already cheap - at least in the states anyway). I think the Academy fuselage parts will eventually be put to good use, but I have no idea what to do with the Hasegawa wings.

WIP - I haven't gotten a hold of the new AZ/KP kit yet, but I there is a lengthy debate/discussion on the kit here if you haven't read it already. My take away is that it's not perfect, but I plan on buying a couple and building them as opposed to another 'Frankenstang' effort. Maybe replace the tails with the extra Academy ones? Uh oh, here we go again.

[Wolwe82]

nicely finished Cooken, great work i like the invasion stripes, !
As for the kits, i like the hasegawa B mustangs, though they have some shape issues.. Revell kit would be amazing if it was not for the canopy terrible fit.. and as for the new KP kit.. well.. in my eyes they missed big chance.. mainly i hate how they made wheel wells as separate part, yet they made it wrong (the back wall should be narrow and not following the opening hole in the wing... ).. + the missing extras to load under wing (no fuel tanks, no bombs, no rockets, no racks even...) - it is such a BIG shame, because otherwise the kit looks quite nice (maybe it does not look like that, but i m not rivet counter so i m not hunting mm all around the kits.. )

but back to your mustangs Cooken, i like them a lot maybe you could try some "rotating/blurry effect" propellers next time, but thats not so important

[PlaStix]

They both look excellent! Well done. Great painting and finish.

With regards the props - I did some experimenting for my Typhoon build last year. I ended up using the metal Prop Blurs.

Like Wolwe said: yours look fine with out them - but just a thought for the future.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks Wolwe and Stix! I was mostly done with the builds when I decided to go wheels up with them (since the flaps were fixed up) and it was sort of an expedient and experiment to see what they looked like with no props at all. For my next wheels up prop build, I'm definitely going to experiment with prop blur. Thanks for the link Stix, I somehow missed the part where you experimented with different methods.