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NA 51 B Mustang, 1/72, Monogram + ESCI


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Hi,

The third (and last for a while) of my models, which is a vintage since it is 40 years old and which I refreshed a bit during last week-end. it is P 51 B Mustang, done from a Monagram's racer set (in box besides P 51 there was also a F8F Bearcat). The plastic of model was bright red (!). The Bearcat went to people but P 51 stayed with me for 40 years, as I said already. The painting scheme is fameous Shangri-La of Don Gentile, 336th Sq, 8th Army USAAF, UK 1944. Decals by ESCI. The MGs are from needles for injection - this was my routine already in 1977...

During last week-end, after gently cleaning I replaced US Insignia which became very dark and refreshed white strips which were too gray-brown - like a collar on shirt after too long wearing :) Next was fresh cover of varnish... Below is result.

Comments welcome

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

p51B DSC01585p51B DSC01584p51b DSC01583p51B DSC01582

 

 

 

Edited by JWM
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In "WW2" section there's a recent talk about the Merlin-Mustang nose shape and I have to say, that Monogram has replicated this quite precisely.

Cheers

Michael

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Hi Jerzy!!

I liked a huge lot each build you have presented here, but dealing with certain kits or decals made me literally LOVE the build in itself as made me remember many many nice memories,some even very deep in the Death Archive of my Brain lost under many many things that are maybe more impiortant as are those of the Day by Day struggle to go ahead. I liked the way you presented here your nice Monogram original build with ESCI decals that were recent theme in the another mustang topic, and the way you have done it and rejuvenated to make her presentable to us.

I remember those cheap but nice looking and well done kits from the past century than even now have a lot of charm and justify a rebuild and/or a new build dealing with all the job to make a little more dressed than in those days... and as said Michael, the truth is that this venerable or maybe ancient kit compared with the recent lastest offerings, has more truth in its detail and outlines than those... :)

At the time I acquired mine, the original white box issue in 1981, the cost per box was here Q1.50=US$1.50...but this kit, the very first P 51 B I ever had, was a Saint Valentine Day's gift from a person I loved a lot, and I have a recovered her from a previous build dealing dilapidated in the OLE II originalbox version a huge lot of years,and seemed so war weary and bad cared that was nearly going to the "Spares Recovery" section of the scrap dump... BUT in de very deep of my heart I really don't wanted to depart this lovely kit from me... I have many more P51B kits ranging from the Hasegawa to Revell Germany ones, maybe better in some cases BUT this kit signifies many more things to me...

So when a friend of mine traded a Started but not painted Mustang in a very old blue box dating from some years previous to the white box issue, I was not so enthusiastic UNTIL I discovered that the little box have had included many spares to help get back to the fight the one I have...so I took it instantly and went home as have bought a very precious jewel and believe me, completed the one I had with BRAND NEW UNTOUCHED UNPAINTED new propeler, landing gear, wheels, wheel covers and other little things and parts...so now have just two. And the miracle was done by this lucky strike!!!...and as a bonus got an incomplete canopy missing Hobbycraft that resulted is a polish made kit that seem a Hasegawa mould copy boxed in Canada, but with a nice decals sheet that will grace many builds and now have the mission to look for a Squadron canopy to fit her.

Hope one day share something wonderful done with them.

Thank you very much for sharing!!!

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

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Thank Mike and Luis for your comments. Indeed - I think that Monogram kit reproduced very well shapes of P 51 B. It is a pitty that it has rised lines and lack of any details in wheels bay. Luis - if you need I have an Academy Malcolm hood part of canopy in spare box...

Cheers

J-W

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Hi Jerzy!!!

Thank you very much for your kind offer!!! My son told me last night when I told him about your nice plane that Academy kits have two parts for the central cockpit canopy and that have to look for the others. We will see. BTW have you found the Black Widow transparent parts you were looking for???

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

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Indeed - both Monogram and Academy P51 B/C have two canopies - original US one and Malcolm hood, in my Academy model of a 616 (Polish) Squadron RAF Mustang Mk III (P51C) I put Monogram part which I preserve in spare box for ca. 36 years (strange but true) - so I left now with spare Academy part...

BTW - i did not get transparents to Airfix P61, I posted it here some months ago with yellowish windows , the colour was due to aging of varnish I used to paint it over...

Best regards

J-W

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Yes, My Friend Jerzy!!!

You are right and that was Iwas thinking: Make with Acetate the rear portion, use the spare from Academy and look for how to make the windshield, and looking for the Mustang Canopy, another local modeler mentioned to me about some Black Widow spare parts his brother has, I asked him to watch as he will be sure what we are talking about. Just stay tuned. Other method youcantry is a little sanding with 3M type 1600-2000 or finer sandpaper and then polish or only polish with toothpaste to look if the clear varnish applied leave the part clear as it have to be.

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

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Indeed - both Monogram and Academy P51 B/C have two canopies - original US one and Malcolm hood, in my Academy model of a 616 (Polish) Squadron RAF Mustang Mk III (P51C) I put Monogram part which I preserve in spare box for ca. 36 years (strange but true) - so I left now with spare Academy part...

BTW - i did not get transparents to Airfix P61, I posted it here some months ago with yellowish windows , the colour was due to aging of varnish I used to paint it over...

Best regards

J-W

Little mistake here - this Polish Mustang Squadron within RAF was No.316.

No.616 was the one you have a Gloster Meteor of :)

Cheers

Michael

Edited by KRK4m
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Little mistake here - this Polish Mustang Squadron within RAF was No.316.

No.616 was the one you have a Gloster Meteor from :)

Thanks for correction. Of course you are right but it is even worse :) .Actually my Mk III is not from most popular Polish Mustangs Squadrons like 316 (code SZ) nor from 315 (code PK) but from 309 (code WC)...

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234990378-mustang-mk-iii-309-squadron-a-schwalbe-killer-academy-172/

Cheers

J-W

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Thanks for correction. Of course you are right but it is even worse :) .Actually my Mk III is not from most popular Polish Mustangs Squadrons like 316 (code SZ) nor from 315 (code PK) but from 309 (code WC)...

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234990378-mustang-mk-iii-309-squadron-a-schwalbe-killer-academy-172/

Cheers

J-W

It is like being there with you guys: A real nice talk!!!

Cheers,

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It is like being there with you guys: A real nice talk!!!

Cheers,

Anyway, Luis, we don't live in the same town for last few years.

Although the real distance is some 21 km (13 miles).

Cheers

Michael

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Anyway, Luis, we don't live in the same town for last few years.

Although the real distance is some 21 km (13 miles).

Cheers

Michael

Hi Michael:

But that I am in Guatemala at 10,163 Kms from the beautiful Krackow, Jerzy's City, and at 10,186 from yours, and have the chance to learn from your talk makes me feel wonderful well, :) , the only sad thing is that if I would like to invite both of you a coffee and a nice piece of cake to have a talk and the chance to learn many more, it won't be possible by this distance.. :( so, maybe one day it would be...

Cheers to you too Michael!!!

Luis Alfonso

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Luis - frankly speaking Mike is actually considering my current place of living, which is far suburbia of Krakow as another town, which is true from very formal point of view, but what I am not accepting due to my deep affection to the Krakow city :) :)

Very best regards

J-W

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Luis - frankly speaking Mike is actually considering my current place of living, which is far suburbia of Krakow as another town, which is true from very formal point of view, but what I am not accepting due to my deep affection to the Krakow city :) :)

Very best regards

J-W

Nice Explanation Jerzy, here I have had the same feeling when I got married and have been exiliated in a place 21 Kms outside Guatemala City... With the huge traffic trouble inrush hours, driving 21 Kms from a point to another is a real, true and very huge pain, so I think in a very big city as yours, what marvels you have to do to go from a point to another...

This bad feeling dissapeared only when I got back to my family home again 17 years later :).nice you have a lot deep affection to Krakow City!!!

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

Edited by Luis Alfonso
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  • 3 years later...

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