Israeli Mustang from the Airfix 1/72 kit

[Giorgio N]

First of all an admission: I'm not really a Mustang enthusiast! I sure appreciate the importance of this type and actually I rate the Mustang very high as a combat aircraft, so much that I would even consider the Mustang design superior to my beloved Spitfire (here's the engineer talking). At the same time it's not a type for which I have the same intetest that I have for other types, I don't even have any book on the Mustang !

At the same time though the Mustang is a type that I've built in model form a few times before and I have several in the stash, including some lesser used variants like the P-51H and the Twin Mustang. As I took part in the previous two Mustang STGBs here on BM, it's only right that I also try to build a model for this third STGB dedicated to North American's pride. The subject I've chosen this time is a P-51D serving in Israel's Heil Ha Avir (or whatever it's spelled in Hebrew) during the 1956 conflict that led to the well known Suez invasion from Anglo-French forces. As such my Mustang will wear black/yellow stripes over the unusual dark blue/brown camo scheme used by the Israelis on this and other types.

As with most of my models, this will be built in 1/72 scale and I've decided to start from the Airfix new tool kit, in particular the F-51D box

 

 

The reason for using this kit is that it includes the correct propeller style. It's also a nice kit, although I've noticed how my copy seems to be quite badly moulded, with flash in some areas and a couple of defects on the parts. More about this later...

I've not uploaded sprue shots as I guess that anyone here is familiar with this kit, so let's go straight to the build ! First step was to prepare the cockpit parts and tart painting them. The cockpit on this kit is quite nice, the only thing missing IMHO is a proper instrument panel with instruments moulded as raised details. I tried to use a resin copy of the Revell P-51B, however this would not fit and differs from the D panel, so I'll have to use the decal supplied by Airfix. Speaking of cockpit, I managed to break the control column while trying to remove it from the sprue gates... the same happened on my previous Airfix P-51 build, I wonder how many modellers have succeeded in removing this part without breaking it !

A coat of humbrol paint as primer and then some work with a few Vallejo bottles led to this:

 

 

I don't know if the colours are right for an Israeli Mustang, in any case I decided to go with interior green cockpit, black painted wooden floor (with some dark brown showing through), dark grey fuselage tanks and black bits on top. This should be the standard for late war Mustangs

[stevehnz]

I think everyone has issues with the control column & Airfix's biscuity plastic, I broke my first one like you, the next I got off the sprue in one piece, pleased as heck, then broke it trying to place it. I think its a non optional extra. I'll be keen to follow this, there is an IDF one in my future. 

Steve

[TEMPESTMK5]

30 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

I think everyone has issues with the control column & Airfix's biscuity plastic, I broke my first one like you, the next I got off the sprue in one piece, pleased as heck, then broke it trying to place it. I think its a non optional extra. I'll be keen to follow this, there is an IDF one in my future. 

Steve

Hi Steve

 I find it strange that no aftermarket company has offered a replacement part for the Airfix ''hard to get off the sprue without breaking it'' control column ... I also have problems getting off the sprue the antenna mast ..

 

Patrice

Edited December 13, 2016 by TEMPESTMK5

[JimmyZ]

Hi Giorgio, I'm looking forward to seeing you build this one.

 

Seconded about the control stick, I've broken as many of then as I have Airfix Mustangs on my shelf (2).

 

Cheers

Jimmy

[Bedders]

+1 on Airfix control column. I thought I'd got my last one off the sprue in one piece, and then it fell apart in my fingers. Never again - next time I'll just nip handle and boot off the Airfix part and add them to a piece of stretched sprue. Looking forward to seeing this build take shape Giorgio.

 

Justin

[Giorgio N]

Glad in a sense to see that I'm not the only one to have problems with the control stick. I agree that some enterprising manufacturer should come with a set of such parts to replace the Airfix ones !

Unfortunately I've had almost no time to work on this model, work first and some deserved holiday across new year's day meant that I didn't really progress much.

The interior was first completed with a scratchbuilt control stick, some improvements to the seat and a set of seat belts made from lead foil

 

 

At that point I could close the fuselage

 

 

Fit was not great, particularly on the undersides but I'm sure I can sort with some filler

 

 

More annoying is the presence of a weird bulge on the right fuselage half, just above the perforated panel

 

 

I don't think this bulge was on the Mustang, looks more like a moulding defect to me. In any case now this has been sanded flat with the fuselage sides. In little time I had what looks like an almost complete Mustang airframe

 

 

Fit of the wings was pretty good. However I didn't like the way the machine guns looked like, so I cut the MG barrels and drilled holes in the fairings. The barrels will be reproduced using brass tubing. This should improve the look of this area.