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SAAF 2 Squadron Korean War F-51 Mustang Tamiya 1/48


Keeto™

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Hey everyone, seeing that I'm South African and there is no South African Mustang yet, I'd like to contribute a 2 Squadron SAAF Korean War one. Not sure what scheme yet, because "Joy" 387 is not on my MAV decal sheet and that is the bird I wanted to build. So maybe going for another one but it won't be "Sherdanor" 395 or "Miss Maranouchi" 361...Probably do "Marie" 393 or "Bonnie-Pam" 385...looking forward to it. This will be my first ever GB and what a plane to loose my GB virginity to. :D  

 

Used with permission from Piet van Schalkwyk https://www.facebook.com/SAColours/

 

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SAAF%20Mustang%20Bonnie%20Pam.jpg

 

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<a href="http://s252.photobucket.com/user/keeto_photos/media/IMG_4834.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh37/keeto_photos/IMG_4834.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_4834.jpg"/></a>

 

Edited by Keeto™
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Thanks! I'm looking forward to it guys. MAVdecals makes them. www.mavdecals.co.za

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Got a couple of hours today to do some work, nothing earth shuddering. 

 

Gave the sprues a bath in some soap and luke warm water...the black stuff in the front is the Ducati parts that just came out of a "Purple Power" bath to remove all the chrome.

 

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Removed and cleaned all the parts. Everything gets compartmentalized...I know, I'm anal.

 

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Then worked on the "not red, but also not orange" spinner and inlet....I think I got it right. Mixed Model Master Enamels, Insignia Red and Yellow to get the weird colour...it's "looks good to me" ratio. I committed a sin and ordered a resin cockpit and some belt buckles for the 'stang so waiting for that to be delivered next week.

 

IMG_4839.jpg

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Resin pit arrived, so no more excuse to get on with it. 

Everything looks really good except the IP on the True Details resin doesn't look as good as I was expecting - any reason to use it or is the Tamiya one flawed so badly for some reason that it should not be used? This is my first try at a resin pit, so I don't know all the details about what is better and what's not....

Of course I order belt buckles and then the seat already has belts! Doh! :banghead: Anyway lots of other USAF kits still to build that they can be used for.

 

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Resin sidewalls are in, was a bit nervous to do this as this is my first attempt with a resin pit, seems to have come out okay. Tomorrow the rest of the pit and some painting. :D

 

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Got some work done....the idea was that the chromate green bleeds and scuffs through the black paint of these Korean mustangs - not sure if I was successful, but anyway.

 

Before Flory wash:

IMG_4924

 

After wash and buckles painted:

 

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Dry fitted...still needs some clean up around the buckles.

IMG_4933

 

Edited by Keeto™
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Great work on that cockpit painting.

I think you've been very successful in getting the right look.

Take a look at images 5, 6 and 7 here:

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196263/north-american-p-51d-mustang.aspx

 

I'm particularly impressed by your rendering of the black paint worn away on the plywood floor.

How did you achieve that appearance?

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Hey Rob thanks for the compliment! The wood grain is texture coming from the resin cockpit itself, but the color is very lightly dry brushed Tamiya Deck Tan. Then I applied a very light wash of Phil Flory's Concrete colored wash. My black paint is Zero Paints equivalent of Tamiya X-18. 

Edited by Keeto™
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Thanks for explaining that technique.

The more I look at that flooring, the more I like it, there's even a hint of cockpit green there, just as there is on the museum display aircraft. Well done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got my a*** handed to me by the flu bug this week, so didn't get too much done. Did a little bit of painting and weathering this morning. Waiting for all this stuff to dry and then it is time to close the fuselage.

 

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Edited by Keeto™
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Thanks guys!

Control stick added, not sure why this pic didn't upload earlier.

 

IMG_4852.jpg

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Got a little more done today.

 

The Achilles heel of the Tamiya P-51...saw this fix on another website and tried it out.

 

IMG_4856

 

 

Yes...like most other model builders I hate sanding, so I make the best attempt possible to not have to sand...especially if it's leading and trailing edges.... :)

 

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All the meticulous gluing paid off, so there are no real issues to fix. Went ahead and "Futurerized" the clear parts:

 

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Black nose on:

 

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I've also decided to call her: "Marie" :)  Coincidentally the name of my very first girlfriend....

 

Till next weekend!!

Edited by Keeto™
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exdraken - I"m not 100% sure but I think if you going to do it with gear down then the cooler door is always open. I think it falls into the hydraulic pressure category on the Mustangs - once the pressure bled off all the doors fell open...I've seen that mentioned a couple of times. On the other hand, you can build it with the cooler door closed, gear down, because maybe she just landed and there is enough pressure in the system still...:D At the end of the day I always read the all these things because they are of interest to me, but I build my models they way I want them to look...

Edited by Keeto™
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Had some time today to continue and decided to start the metal painting...

 

Replicated a "streak-flow" look over the wing by painting the primer in streaks and then coating with Dull Aluminium. Kinda got the effect I was looking for, but these Alclad Metalizers creates some interesting effect all by themselves!!

 

Here you can barely see anything...

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Turn the light slightly and you get this:

 

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Turn it another direction and you get this:

 

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Nearly nothing...again...

 

Interesting...:D

 

Next, the fuselage.

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