Airfix 1/48 P-51D “Cheesecake Chassie”

[Kahunaminor]

I have been working on the new Airfix P51 D for our clubs “Airfix Cup” to be held at the NSW Scale Model Show on the last weekend in April. This is a quick overview of the build as I am fairly advanced on the build. AM consists of Ultracast seat, Eduard wheels and HS standard cuffed prop. Paints are MM or Colourcoats enamels, AKI Extreme Metals and varnishes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As this was my first NMF scheme, I primed the build with AKI black base. I then obtained a set of homemade masks from. A mate of mine with a silhouette cutter and placed these prior to the AKI 479 Aluminium:

 

 

 

 

 

The results are not too bad:

 

 

 

 

 

The sub assemblies are also being done:

 

 

This is the current state of play as I am away for 10 days:

 

 

Regards,

 

 

[antonio argudo]

looking bloody good mate!!!

cheers

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Excellent work on your Mustang 

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

Rested from holidays, it was time to get back to the bench. I masked the flying surfaces and a couple of upper fuselage panels and sprayed them with AKI Extreme Metal Polished Aluminium. I then masked the anti glare panel with MM Olive Drab enamel:

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is the masking for the US insignia and tail serials.

 

Regards,

 

[Kahunaminor]

Well the US insignia are on. My first attempt at multi part masking so I wasn’t expecting perfect but happy with the result:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

[tank152]

Looking good Kent, you'll never want to go back to using decals again now.

[Kahunaminor]

I am not putting the decals away totally yet! Masking and touch ups of the US insignia. I had also sustained some minor paint damage near the tail from a careless flick of a solvent laden paint brush. These were touched up with relevant AKI metallics. The spinner was masked as the lower section will be black which I will do when I touch up the black markings later. This includes the port fuselage lightning bolt which I wiped over with what I thought was a clean cotton bud had a trace of cleaner! Prop boss drilled out using the nifty doodad that Eduard give yo to ensure the correct angle for the prop blades, which have been painted white in preparation for yellow tips:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking a bit better:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[amblypygid]

Looking great, Kent.

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks for the comments,

 

To those of you that celebrate Easter, may it have been full of peace for you and yours. I have touched up the overspray and missed areas so the airframe and components are ready for gloss coating. I mottled some Aeromaster Warbirds Faded Olive Drab on the anti glare panel and M10 launchers:

 

 

 

 

 

I have also completed painting and assembling the prop components:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

[tank152]

I must say that your nmf finish is very convincing,  great work on that, and the rest of the build.

I'm a big lover of Eduard's Brassin props my self, I was hoping they'd release one for the Sea Fury.

Tim.

 

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks matey, I wish I could take all the credit but it is the AKI Extreme Metal doing all the work.

 

I dry fit the prop and spinner last night and was well pleased with the result:

 

 

 

 

This morning I spent on the gloss coat. I started with AKI gloss varnish on some of the smaller pieces such as the drop tanks but couldn’t really get a satisfactory result, so I went back to my old standby of MM Gloss Varnish Lacquer via AB. The result has started to tie the colours in nicely ready for decals and some weathering:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up decals and first wash.

 

Regards,

 

[tank152]

2 hours ago, Kahunaminor said:

Thanks matey, I wish I could take all the credit but it is the AKI Extreme Metal doing all the work.

 

I dry fit the prop and spinner last night and was well pleased with the result:

 

 

Anyone can pour paint into the airbrush but not everyone can get the same results, that is where the skill and experience comes into play.

Ah yes, the all important first look see with the prop on! 

Looking good Kent.

[Kahunaminor]

Well she finally bears her name! I finished the first round of decals with the main markings from the book, which performed flawlessly (I think they are Cartograph?) and the kit prop decals went on as well:

 

 

 

 

 

The “!” marks look a bit off due to wonky measuring but they are in the correct place and aligned with the serial number:

 

 

 

And a couple with the prop in situation:

 

 

 

More stencils to go in the next session.

 

Regards,

 

[Kahunaminor]

The stencils are done. They performed very well with Micro Set/Sol and I don’t expect any silvering issues:

 

 

 

The “to do list” is on the top of the cutting mat. I find it helpful to list the final bits as I sometimes forget them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

 

[antonio argudo]

Realy nice build, I love the markings, I found 2 pics of this Mustang, hope it helps

cheers

 

[Kahunaminor]

7 hours ago, antonio argudo said:

Realy nice build, I love the markings, I found 2 pics of this Mustang, hope it helps

cheers

 

Thanks mate,

I appreciate you posting those.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Why is it the closer to the end you get, the more frustrating the build becomes? In the past 48 hours I think I have spent more time on repairing than building. The resin tail wheel snapped so after valiant attempts to use the resin, I went with a re shaped staple. I spent about an hour preparing, attaching, re attaching and when it finally looked the goods, I dropped the build as I was turning it over in the jig. Now I had the tail wheel, one of the main wheels, wheel cover, antenna mast to repair. Took a deep breath and start again. Once that was done peeled off the canopy masks and found a tide mark so out with the Pledge (Future) and a micro brush. Anyway here she sits:

No antenna wire as although the profile shows one, the period photos of this and other unit aircraft do not so one less task. I left the aircraft in it’s gloss finish and flat coated the anti glare panel, prop and spinner, M10 launchers, wheels, drop tanks and inner gear doors just to add some variance. I am not sure if I should have made it all uniform but it is now getting to the point where I just want it finished. 

Regards,

 

[tank152]

Stick at it Kent, these things are sent to try us, I know it's annoying when stuff like that happens but it'll be worth the extra aggro when shes done.