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Missouri Armada P-51D Mustang: documents and partial scratch from the Tamiya 1/48 kit


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When I had scratchbuilt the half circle behind the battery, I had not seen that this part was provided in the Eduard set for Airfix (part 40). As I was not totally happy with my result, I have removed it completely and used the Eduard part, after cutting it (too long). Notice the round hole in that part for the bended fuel filling hose. 

Cemented too the part 45, and redone the tiny rivets, with an improved technique, using a shaving blade (ordered and got yesterday) to cut the stretched plastic instead of my triangular blade on X Acto. JMV shows precisely this technique with the shaving blade in the DVD, I thought I would get the same results with a triangular blade, but the master knew what he did leaving this one for a classic shaving blade...

 

3lsKdp.jpg

 

2trJxx.jpg

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Thanks a lot dear Harvey! I will try to do my best, but did not expect a so difficult challenge. Me who just wanted to do a kind of break after the 806 saga... :lol:

But, even if I go on very slowly and have to redo several times many things to be glad of my work, I have a lot of fun with this cockpit.

I will go on keeping an eye (and even 2 ;)) on your thread that I recommend to anyone: you do there a full scratch of the Fiat 806, using mainly metal parts. Amazing!

 

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I am gonna work on the seat support now, there are contradictory infos, this pic (nice!) shows the support coming under the seat:

 

NbRcne.png

 

while this one shows a straight arm up to the floor:

 

S0DKiU.jpg

 

In the lack of certainty, I will (try to) represent this last version. That said, I admit this "return" under the seat wouldn't be visible at all once the cockpit closed..

Notice the support double arm and the wooden floor, protected by a sheet. Pity, Eduard doesn't provide this double arm. I will have to scratchbuild it. I hope I will succeed on the first try, for once :lol:!

 

P.S: for the wooden floor, JMV (I recall for the ones who did not read all the thread that JMV designates Juan Manuel Villalba, who dedicated a great DVD to the Missouri Armada John England P 51D) suggests to use the ref. 1016 (decal wood grain) from Uschi. I ordered it, not yet received. 

 

 

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Yet more good references, I think I would go with the photos for the seat supports. Going back to the beam with the holes, what about using a sharply pointed blade used in half circles on the tops or bottoms of the holes ( where appropriate ) to try to make the line straighter, I've done that in the past.

 

Cheers

 

John

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Sorry John, I am not sure I understood well your suggestion (my english is not so good). Do you mean using the triangular blade to cut the circles?

A little drawing could help...

I was wondering if I would use the 0,2 mm thick yellow acetate as JMV or a metal sheet (I have got a 0,1 mm thick brass sheet that would be more difficult to work but could give a good result too)

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Waiting for a decision to scratch the arms supporting the seat, another little topic, about the little arm under the headrest. 2 options: 

1) little arm present, like we can see on this pic, fe:

 

1bnrgS.png

 

2) little arm missing, like we can see on these 2 ones:

 

CuaOKx.png

 

3c6jdU.jpg

 

JMV used the first option, I will use the second one, because Eduard provides a convincing part (53 in the set for Airfix ). I have first to remove with care the relief on the Tamiya A15 part, using the side of a small flat file:

 

DhDfGa.jpg

 

P.S: notice the folds on the headrest on the BW pic. Usually, there are not folds, but here, yes. I could decide to represent them, for more realism...

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Olivier,

EXEMPLARY attention to detail is highly commendable and your workmanship is SUPERB.

 

I LOVE Mustang so this build has gotten ME all excited and salivating to see the end result.

 

you can't have too many Mustangs. :wub:

 

keep up the EXCELLENT  work. 

 

:mike:

 

Edited by HOUSTON
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Many thanks dear Houston! Me too, I love this aircraft! And I try to follow the example of my master JMV, who considers each part of a kit as a whole build by itself. But you will have to be very patient, because pity, I have few time for my favorite hobby, and as things go, it should take a whole year!!

All the best and thanks again for your encouragements, much appreciated. ;)

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Here is (allegedly) helpful hints .. scroll down the article  to read more ...  May be useful or not....  :tmi:

 

As if you need helpful hints.

 

you are doing an AWESOME job and I never tire of Mustangs.. graceful  Warbirds.

 

357th Fighter Group Profile
http://www.cebudanderson.com/357profilemissiouriarmada.htm

Edited by HOUSTON
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Waaooh! many thanks Houston! I had some of these photos (thanks to JMV) but the link to home at the end of the page opens very interesting docs, especially a doc about Bud Anderson that looks great. I have to go now for a family event (80th birthday of my mother in law) but I will see that as soon as possible!

All the best

Olivier

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Just a small note, if the plane was in Europe it's likely that the antenna cable through the canopy wasn't installed. There was small patch of plexiglass fitted where the canopy hole was in this case.

 

Otherwise keep up the good work! I went for the same type of seat with the slotted plate behind.

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4 hours ago, Olivier de St Raph said:

Sorry John, I am not sure I understood well your suggestion (my english is not so good). Do you mean using the triangular blade to cut the circles?

A little drawing could help...

 

I'm afraid that I am not very good at drawings so I will try to explain it another way. If I need to make a hole of 3mm diameter and my largest micro drill bit is 1.5mm I would use my longest pointed  scalpel blade ( in a handle  )  inserted into the hole and turned like a drill to enlarge the hole. What I'm suggesting is that you could do this but in semi-circles on the side of the hole which is out of line. If you have a round needle file that should work also.

 

Hope this helps.

 

John

 

PS  I think that it would make even less sense if I tried to translate it into French.

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Sorry for distressing but just for a bit of "time out". :hourglass:

 

In one video C.E.Bud Anderson briefly  talks about Capt. ENGLAND.

 "Warbirds In Review: C.E. Bud Anderson" on YouTube

 

 

 

 

Watch "Warbirds in Review 2016: C.E. Bud Anderson" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/suF10NNJ2sU

 

Edited by HOUSTON
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Dear Olivier , a small recommendation for drilling regular holes : If you buy plastic rivets by  czech-masters ( 03  buttom-head rivets calibre 0,8 mm for instance )

there is a small brass-sheet pattern included which is very helpful for drilling holes of 0, 5 mm . ( different distances ) A drill is also included  in this set and the rivets are cheap .

( about 5 Euros for 60 rivets ) You can use this pattern for drilling regular holes . Like Biggles 87 said these holes now can get widened by using bigger drills .  Inserting rivets in 0,5 mm holes is not so easy , but there´s a trick : I use the end of a 0,8 mm 

drill , add a drop of my spit and let the small rivet hang on this drop and this way it can  slide in place . Glue on the backside ! This method not only works for Spitfires !:D

Many greetings !   Hannes

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First of all, I want to share with you the Fiat 806 photo I got from JMV. He made kindly the processing for this first one. I allowed me little corrections on it, because it was a bit too light imho. Here it is (sorry again for posting it while there is no relation with the P 51D, except that I love both...):

5IygCT.jpg

 

Now, I want to thank all of you, who follow this thread. Thanks again to Houston for the last posts. I had no time to look at the docs, but I look forward...

Dear Squibby, do you mean this?

 

TN2ydq.jpg

 

Dear John, thank you, no need for more explanation, it is very clear and I ever used this technique with the triangular blade, fe to create hollows in exhaust pipes (following JMV tuto).

 

Dear Hannes, thanks too. I will go and see this ref. from czech masters with this pattern... That said, my scratch part shown above is ever glued in place, and I think it is acceptable considering the scale. But you know me, I say that and sometimes, finally, I can't help modifying for a better result...

 

All the best to all, and thanks for your encouragements, help, docs and hints!

 

Olivier

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12 hours ago, Olivier de St Raph said:

Another very interesting diagram, showing all the radio and antenna system:

 

EJphQ3.png

 

and this photo, complementary, nice view of the antenna relation with the backseat:

 

DKrKzQ.jpg

Olivier,

 

I'm following your excellent build with much interest. On the question of radio antennae, it's worth noting that from what I've learnt, the 8th Air Force did not use the wire running from headrest to fin. The 9th did however. But for a 357th FG aircraft, which transferred from 9th to 8th quite early on, I think I'm right in saying that the wire should not be present. Which should be a relief - it means I don't have to worry about it in 1/72 scale...

 

Justin

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Dear Justin,

thanks for your kind compliments and for your contribution. I am not sure I understand well: do you mean there would not be antenna wire at all?

I have to admit that, with your post and Squibby's one, for me, things are not yet clear regarding this question. Anyway, I am far from being there, and I suppose we will get reliable infos on it soon...

To be complete, I also saw this on some pics of the canopy:

 

qf7PlK.jpg

 

I don't know if this pilot was a member of the 357th F.G... and don't know if this "thing" on top of the canopy is in relation with the radio system... 

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Hannes, I come-back on your suggestion, having found the 0,8 mm rivets you mentioned. The problem here is that I am not sure the template provided in this set will match with my specifications: the width of the part is about 12,5 mm, the holes should be about 1 mm diameter and we should get 8 holes regularly disposed in these 12,5 mm:

 

W3wRET.jpg

 

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