Black Knight Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 I really expected that someone else would have entered this one by now I bought this one just the other day specifically to fill the gap If I remember correctly after all so many years this is possibly the first Matchbox kit I built when Matchbox first got plastic models into the shops Back then I built it as Dooleybiird and I wanted to do it again, and I shall but not with the kit decals. A previous owner has cut the decal sheet, some Dooleybird decals are missing and although this sheet looks fine in the picture some of the markings have micro sized cracks through them I can save a few of the decals with LDF, but I'll buy the Model Alliance decal sheet which has Dooleybird on it; https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ML72113 Some of the Matchbox parts are poor in design so I'll replace them with better parts from my parts files. The parts to change include the wheels and drop tanks [although I may leave those off and alter the wings to build it 'clean'] Back later; I have some Hawker Tempests, Sepecat Jaguars and a couple of other Matchbox kits to do yet 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 So good to see ‘Dooleybird’ making a presence here. Roy Huxley’s superb artwork would have to be one of Matchbox’s most iconic box art designs. I would think that many of us that are this kits vintage would certainly have had one of these kits during Matchbox’s heyday. Now this may sound silly - however I would buy this kit again just for the box art alone, for it brings back so many happy memories. I hope that when Airfix release their 1/48 Mustang IV kit, they use their artistic licence to depict this aircraft in similar flying configuration. Well done Black Knight for treating us with so many exciting builds. You're gonna have a busy 6-8 weeks ahead of you. The GB Build list will be updated after I get out of bed! Cheers.. Dave 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 (edited) The one I've been waiting for! Great to see this kit taking it's rightfull place' I'm with Dave on this one there are some kits who's box art takes you back to happy day's when the biggest decision you had to make was which kit you were going to spend your pocket money on next,looking forward to this one,hope you don't mind a photo of my Tamiya 1/48 kit which I had tobuild in this scheme, Edited December 16, 2017 by stevej60 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A6Intruder Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Dear Steve, really nice build, but afaik, wrong blue colour around the Cockpit, and missing anti-glare olive between the blue stripes on top the cowling, wrong Propeller and wrong underside of the engine . You did a P-51D, as far I can see it on you picture, but Dooleybird was a Mustang MK IV with a different Propeller and cooling stripes on the side of engine cowling. I did this Bird, out of an Matchbox Kit some days ago: @Black Knight: You should use, as I did, the superb conversation kit from Frightdog: https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/freightdog-1-72-n-a-mustang-mk-iva-conversion.html Best Regards Stefan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Stefan,you are quite correct I did not make the changes to the prop or add the grills to the cowling as I tend not to go for 100% accuracy, I did look into the argument's which still rage over the scheme on this aircraft and the concencus seemed to go with the blue as only one photograph exists and most agreed that from said photograph that the shade on the upper cowling matched the chequer board colour behind the prop,one thing that also struck me was (as the link explain's) Arthur Doley was aware of the kit strange he did'nt mention the wrong scheme to Matchbox,anyway your's certainly is a great build so we'll agree to diagree over the colour and enjoy Black knight's build. All the best Steve. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/dooleybird-mustang-pilots-logbook-donation/ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 Thank you Steve for that reply We'll not have any arguments on here I intend to go blue on the canopy surround. I'll change the prop to an uncuffed one from an Airfix D/K kit as the Matchbox cuffed prop is a bit odd looking and the spinner is too blunt for my liking. Altho I said I'll not start this, I have. I've started by cutting open the carb intake under the prop. Next will be the rear wheel well and the radiator cooler opening and flap. On the wings I've shaved off the bumps meant to be the bomb/tank shackles - I'll use ones from an Italeri kit as it can be seen in one photo Dooleybird had them. The Matchbox fuselage needs the MkIV grills - I'll do these using micro-strip 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 10 hours ago, Black Knight said: The Matchbox fuselage needs the MkIV grills - I'll do these using micro-strip For the Matchbox Dooleybird that I started (and finished, then stripped the paint from and started again, and haven't finished) for the recent P-51 GB, I used a set of Red Roo louvres (on the second paint). They weren't expensive and they look pretty darn good to me. https://www.redroomodels.com/red-roo-resin-172/p-51-air-intake-louvre-cover-172-scale/ I can't post a photo as I don't have one and I'm away from home, but if you would like to see them in situ and can wait for a couple of days, I'll do so when I'm back home. Edit. Note that to be a little more accurate (only a little, it IS a Matchbox kit after all) you really need the needle bladed Aeroproducts propellor on the front. I'm not sure what the Airfix kit has, but if it's either of the Hamilton Standard versions it won't look right. I used the Red Roo set and stuck them to the Matchbox hub. https://www.redroomodels.com/red-roo-resin-172/p-51k-aeroproducts-prop-blades-172/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A6Intruder Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 Maybe this Photo is useful to check the different colours at this Bird. Best regards Stefan 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 Thanks for posting this image Stefan, I have not seen this before. So are we trying to compare the fuselage and canopy band to the nose checks or outer ring of the fuselage roundel? I’m fully aware of the issues trying to decipher B&W photos however I cannot see any difference between the band and ‘known’ medium blue nose checks. Therefore (to my eye) I’d go for Medium blue over yellow. Cheers and thanks.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 Great photo Stefan,I certainly would'nt stick my neck out and give a definitive colour! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 and FWIW Hobbyboss do it in yellow, Hasegawa have it in blue.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted December 19, 2017 Author Share Posted December 19, 2017 OK; enough already I'm going with blue on the cowling/canopy stripe I'm making the Mk.IV grill with micro-strip I'll be using an Airfix K prop; altho it needs altered and Airfix spinner [I've done these alterations before] I'll be using resin wheels and a white-metal tail wheel unit I'll be using Italeri bomb shackles and I'll be using plastic card and anything else which comes to mind later 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 oh, and Jon freeman in the 'On Target' series illustrates it in yellow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted December 24, 2017 Author Share Posted December 24, 2017 On 12/19/2017 at 00:47, Black Knight said: OK; enough already I'm going with blue on the cowling/canopy stripe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 Now that my F-16 is finished I can concentrate on this. A bit of a change of plan of where the spares come from Main wheels are spares from another kit, the tail wheel is from a metal u/c set A replacement seat is from another kit. I built up the battery and radio with thick plastic card On the left, the cheese wedge kit exhaust stubs, on the right spares from another kit I bought a set of resin props to get one which is correct for Dooleybird Parts of the fuselage have been cut away; for the radiator flap and tail wheel well 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Nice start! This'll look a bit different to other Matchbox Mustangs I've seen. Regards Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Added scissors links to the main u/c legs. They need shortened by a few mm as well Added bulkheads inside the fuselage After a day of glueing and filling I have something which resembles a P51 I've also added the pitot, the bomb/tank shackles, the main air intake mouth has also come from an Italeri kit, and I've drilled three divots for the under-wing lights After these were taken all the sanded areas got a brushing of thinned Green Stuff for a fine surface filler. That'll be rubbed down tomorrow and then the main painting begins. I'll not be using those spare exhausts, they're the wrong type, I'll have to go back into my spares and dig out the right sort Don't always trust a/m resin bits; the prop spinner I choose to use from the set was lop-sided. I've had to sand it to get it closer to right. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Over the last few days; matt black over all for primer/undercoat, then a few coats of Revell acrylic Aluminium, undercart on, gloss varnished, masked up and wing leading-edges painted yellow, Blue cowling stripe and olive-drab anti-glare painted and white around the nose for the blue check decals The prop is assembled and painted, just needs the decals put on the blades. Canopy is painted and ready. Exhausts are ready to fit. At the last I've decided to put a pilot in, so he needs painted up All being well this may well be finished later today 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 All done As this is the Matchbox Dooleybird I used the Matchbox Dooleybird decal and the numbers. National markings. the blue checks on the nose and QV-V came from the Model Alliance sheet 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude_gan_ainm Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Classy looking Mustang Black Knight,very well done. Jimbob. .. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Great result BK.. I like the way you've made the corrections to make a true Mustang IV and just between you and I (IMO) 'Dooleybird' with the blue stripe looks so much better than any other interpretation of KM272. That's another one chalked up for this GB, I've lost count how many you've committed too. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 Thanks chaps. I think I have 12 committed. Thats 4 done now. With 1 very close to being finished and 1 not far off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I like that. Dooleybird is one aircraft I've steered clear of because of the discussion re her colour scheme but having seen that BK, I think you might have won me over. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 What a great little Mustang,great job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre B Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Agree with stevehnz. You might have won me over as well. I have some Mustang's in the stash and with the ongoing P-51 stgb maybe its time to build the Dooleybird again. Think it was over 40 years ago I've built it the last time... Cheers / André 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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