P-51D Mustang Hasegawa Eggplane

[ScanmanDan]

I have been building the Tiger Models Cute series of character/cartoon planes of late and in looking around to see what's available I found the whole range of Hasegawa Eggplanes.  While I like almost all of the jets in the range I'm not too enamoured with the prop series as they are way too miss-shapened to my liking.  The sole exception is the P-51D Mustang, this one I like very much and as the local toy store had it for the princely sum of $17 Oz I just had to take the punt.

 

On opening the box I noticed straight away that while not as detailed or complete as the Tiger Models series they do fit very well and quickly make into a finished model. What I didn't like is that the cockpit detail consisted of a blank plate onto which is mounted an anime pilots head.  So out with the plastic card & shapes and some lead wire to make do. 

 

Here's what I came up with;

 

Instrument panel ( Please be aware that I'm just havin' a laugh and this is meant to be at best a cartoon.)

 

 

 

 

A bit tight in there - ah the fun of cartoon physics!  Anvils anyone?

 

 

 

 

Not much of a view once the fuselage is all closed up but better than the anime pilot I think, and a lot of fun to build and paint

 

 

The rest of the kits pretty basic.  I'm just going around and tidying up panel lines, deepening the exhausts and generally just cleaning up the details.  I do want to sling some 1/72 scale 500lbers under the wings instead of the drop tanks provided and make one of my silly little bases but should be doing the basic paint soon.

 

I love these little critters to bits and I'm having more fun now than I have had in ages.

 

I hope you like.  Thanks for looking in.

 

Dan

Edited September 25, 2016 by ScanmanDan

[Pete in Lincs]

Fun, That's the key word.

Nice cockpit BTW.

 

[CedB]

Very very nice internals there Dan Can I ask what you used for the oxygen pipe? It looks very realistic...

[ScanmanDan]

Pete - Thanks!  These little kits have renewed my love of building kits after getting very burned out building 1/32 scale planes for too long.

 

CedB - Glad you like my bashing.  The hose is just a length of 0.10 thick lead wire wrapped around a length of 0.20 thick lead wire then bent into shape and painted.  I bought my lead wire from an online fishing supply shop.  IHTH  Dan

[alxzinbox]

for a moment I though that the cockpit was part of the kit. Great work on the scratch building and painting! Looking forward to your progress.

 

~Alex

[ScanmanDan]

Back at this one.  Finished a base for her to sit on;

 

Just though some concrete would make for a change.

 

 

 

Here is the unfinished Corsair standing in for the Mustang as she hasn't got any legs yet .

 

 

I've prepared another base for my Me-109G6 conversion so we'll see how that comes out.

 

Thanks for stopping by for a look see.

 

Dan 

[alxzinbox]

Love the base! The corsair is pretty sweet too.

[ScanmanDan]

Felt like some eggs today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the limits I put on myself when I started making these little critters was to only use rattle cans ( Tamiya ) for the major painting and brush paint as many of the details to keep it simple.  While not the cheapest way to paint stuff those Tamiya rattle cans work pretty darn well.  I did muck up the masking on the canopy ( I even check it twice!!! )but I should be able to touch it in with a brush and not have it look too bad.  I will let her rest until tomorrow when I will try out the decals. ( I HATE decals  ) and see if I can stuff it all up.  I have painted the exhaust shrouds all blue and I'm in two minds about trying to mask that angled line.  I think I might just stick with all blue and be less happy but more sane.

 

I was wondering if I should over spray the lot with Tamiya clear to seal all the decals in.  How will does that work and will the clear lift the silver?  Anybody have any thoughts?

 

Thanks for looking in on my little critters.

 

Dan

[ScanmanDan]

Progress;

 

( Errrrr, on looking over these pics I got the feeling that something wasn't quite right… But couldn't figure out what it was until it hit me.  Maybe the right shoe was on the left foot?  Rushed out to the bungalow and swapped them round before the glue fully set. )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least the decals are on, which is quite a relief for me.  Now all that;s left is some little touch up painting and a tiny bet of weathering and a final clean and nameplate.  She came out much brighter than I thought she would but I do wish that Tiger models would come out with there characterisation of the Mustang just to see what it would look like.

 

 I hope you guys try out one of these little kits just for the sheer fun of it.

 

Dan

Edited January 3, 2017 by ScanmanDan

[CedB]

Great fun but also a great finish to the model Dan - good job.