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1/18 P51C Mustang ‘Lopes Hope the 3rd’


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Howdy folks :)

 

..at the moment, it's all about getting ready for paint and getting details that need the model to be handled done, before I can flip it over and start mounting the gear, doors and finally start the tailwheel (been putting that off, don't know why...)

 

Radu Brinzan is kindly doing some masks, and Torben did the nose art font for me many moons ago so I am grateful to him too so I should get paint on next time I post..

 

...for now, I had to finish all the tailfeathers - mainly adding the tips to the stabilisers and fin and rivetting all the fillets. I did get some PE fasteners done for this, but there are about 60 to do and they are freakin tiny so I chose the lazy way out..

 

WIP1094_zpsq6qeukfn.jpg

 

..I cheated a bit as these are under paint and didn't do them in one piece, I used annealed metal for the fronts, but hte back of the tips where it is profiled to the stabiliser I just bent plain litho to keep the stiffness and maintain the shape..

 

WIP1095_zpsezbqg61h.jpg

 

..I also painted the prop blades & exhausts - Steve at Model Monkey scaled up his amazing hollow 1/24 set for me and all I did was add weld beads from PVA..

 

..the blades are not fixed yet, so excuse pitch or whatever please

 

WIP1093_zpsksa3bzix.jpg

 

WIP1097_zpsbdnfk77y.jpg

 

WIP1098_zps5vnhrag3.jpg

 

WIP1099_zpsf0iwlksv.jpg

 

..the last bit of airframe work was adding the MN20 loop fitting (I got some great help from the forums on identifying & getting drawings for this )

 

WIP1087_zpsabbfcn6e.jpg

 

..I started by laying down bare metal foil so I can work and things don't stick to the fuselage..

 

WIP1088_zpsr7rmnttv.jpg

 

..then I CA'd a disc of litho and the profile of the bottom mounting plate..

 

..some P38 filler built up the shape and the whole thing was popped off and cleaned up..  you can also see here a sheet of annealed litho 'hinged' off the fuselage so I can start covering the shape to make the mounting plinth..

 

WIP1090_zpsaxefs5pl.jpg

 

..done, rivetted and drilled to accept the loop mounting plate..

 

WIP1091_zpslmgpc5t5.jpg

 

..the loop fitting itself was made from profiles & filler and a 1mm brass rod bent around a 10mm punch..

 

WIP1092_zps4wlohrls.jpg

 

..I think it's bronze green, so I went with that - it's not fixed yet, and nor are the bolts that hold it in place added..

 

WIP1100_zpsra5bmmaq.jpg

 

..thats all for now

 

TTFN
Peter

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Yes I think your lazy is my trying extremely hard. I can’t think of the superlative needed to describe your work.

 

As for the painting I assume you’re in the process of making a scale working spray gun and finding a very small painter to do the work :) 

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evening boys & girls :)

 

the time finally arrived to add paint... I am not a fan of the process and find it difficult (which is why I like NMF birds..), but I can't get away with it anymore so after getting the custom masks from Radu I thought I would try the MRP paint range (I used enamels on the Spit).

 

I did some test runs to see how the paint adapts to going on unprimed aluminium and the results with the black for the tail was positive - it goes on really smooth and taked wire wooling without a problem so a start was made..

 

..not too many in progress pics, but here is one of the insignia on the wings...

 

WIP1103_zpsxwdm5ui8.jpg

 

..I put a different black on the lower tail as there are painted over serials here that can still be made out, the idea being I put one black down, then mask the numbers and then the main black for the tail so there is a subtle difference in colour - also set out the rear stripe by setting down equal bits of tape to follow the line with more flexible tamiya white tape..

 

WIP1104_zpssfmvuuoq.jpg

 

WIP1105_zpsdtmzbqft.jpg

 

..the MRP 'super matt black' is a wonderful colour and I am really happy with how it turned out - bit of a problem where some paintv lifted when lifting the serial masks, but I think I might leave it..

 

..wire wooling the surface gives a really realistic sheen and naturally fills panel lines & rivets with lighter dust which makes for a nice weathered effect..

 

WIP1106_zpsi0krxrtc.jpg

 

..the rest are just glamour shots - the fuselage insignia had to be stripped off as the white lifted when I removed the masks, so Radu is doing me another set and I will do these with enamels - I also scaled the nose art name incorrectly so that is being done again too

 

WIP1108_zpsoeynxnee.jpg

 

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WIP1111_zps6lhj4bs9.jpg

 

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stuff like the prop, the gear and the 'sit' are not right as it's just jerry rigged for the photo's, but the finish line is edging closer...

 

TTFN

Peter

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  • 2 months later...

well good evening everyone :)

 

it's been a while, but having got Xmas, a vacation in Thailand and a shoulder injury out of the way, I finally got back to the bench...

 

so where were we...

 

Tailwheel... for some reason I have been putting this off, but it is finally time to make myself do it. I expect it's because it's a complex bunch of assemblies - predominately this one - this is the main bracket the tailwheel fork goes into - here nicely rendered by someone in 3D (I did try that, but it would have taken less time to make it )..

 

WIP1115_zpsvbjes3ht.jpg

 

..there are no drawings of the fork actually holding the wheel, but there are these for this assembly so I scaled them and coloured the main features to help me start a replica..

 

WIP1114_zpsn0rz4bos.jpg

 

..I started with the two spigot parts from bits of tube and the 'Y' shaped bit in plastic card..

 

WIP1116_zpsssj70xhe.jpg

 

..this was then assembled and P40 filler added to block it out a bit..

 

WIP1117_zpshg0bwtvv.jpg

 

..some shaping ..

 

WIP1118_zpsbw1bp07z.jpg

 

..and a coat of primer - it's a long way from being right, but it's a start...

 

WIP1120_zpsc1atkydq.jpg

 

..also Tim Perry kindly prined the 3D wheel design I did..

 

WIP1119_zpsq0mygglb.jpg

 

..in other news, the model has a name now - I painted the nose art using a mask Radu Brinzan prepped for me..

 

WIP1121_zps4ucfy4qr.jpg

 

.and Don Lopez's name & kill markings added under the windshield..

 

WIP1122_zpsw3gd58yn.jpg

 

..and the fuselage stars n bars - this is the second attempt after the first peeled while unmasking..

 

WIP1123_zps66kd3n7x.jpg

 

..it is getting harder to work with on my increasingly messy bench...

 

WIP1124_zpsa5e5dgbx.jpg

 

..hope everyone is well :)

 

TTFN

Peter

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Me three. It's been a while since I've visited this forum and was relieved to see that I didn't miss anything much. I'd consider that tail wheel casing finished if it were my build but I know you'll take it to another level. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

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Me sixth, Peter.

I'm also using your posts both as a source of useful data & inspiration for my own Guillow’s Mustang which is coming along a bit slow at the moment but still coming along.  Your builds are incredible.  Thank you for sharing.

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thanks folks & good afternoon :)

 

I have been finishing the tailwheel - this shot is useful as it shows most of the assembly and it's orientation and notice too the doors have inner pressings with some odd shapes...

 

WIP1126_zpsgi1ej8pd.jpg

 

..I refined the main casting shape by adding more definition to some of the raised shapes and prepared a kit of parts for the gubbins that goes around the upper strut..

 

..the leg fork was a brass rod bent to shape and then ground away so it's a half-round - this was then soldered to the shaft making sure the angle was right...

 

WIP1125_zps7v82sxa2.jpg

 

..these were then painted as per the pics I have of Lopes Hope...

 

WIP1127_zpswrkvokjv.jpg

 

..then the bobbins were all assembled and some weathering done - especially as there is no protective canvas boot (as I don't know how to make one...)..

 

WIP1130_zpsimmugp1m.jpg

 

WIP1131_zpsrxpisazu.jpg

 

..the tailwheel was also completed with some additional bolts and a valve...

 

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..and the completed assembly..

 

WIP1133_zpsgmwk5a3j.jpg

 

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..the fork turned out ok...

 

WIP1135_zpsw1vsxdj9.jpg

 

..also made the doors - used a shaped bit of plastic the same as the main gear doors to shape the inner pressings, also the piano hinge bit is actually from some PE I prepared for the 1/18 Fairey Firefly I once started..

 

WIP1128_zpsfxzsx5mq.jpg

 

..the black stripe on the rear of the aircraft carries on across the doors.... I later found out I have oriented these wrongly and so the doors would be back to front... will need to redo them..

 

WIP1129_zpsntwntdy9.jpg

 

.. a long shaft was fitted into the wheel well so the assembly slides onto it and is strong enough to cope with the weight...

 

..this was when I realised the doors would be back to front, as the mountings for the struts that close them should be at the rear..

 

WIP1136_zps3ty6tq7x.jpg

 

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..next up I need to figure out how to deal with all the stencils all over the airframe - I have the decals made, but need to do some experiments on the best application that still allows handling / weathering (I can't varnish the natural metal - well I don't think I can...)

 

TTFN

 

Peter

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13 hours ago, Crimea River said:

"..the fork turned out ok..."

 

Understatement of the year so far. New adjectives needed!

Agreed, wholeheartedly! :) 

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  • 3 weeks later...

evening all :)

 

I find nearing the end of a build to be a tricky period - there are lots of little bits to do and the order of assembly is important as the model is quite large details can be added then damaged if appropriate planning is not done. I started to add some of the decals onto the airframe that cover all the little hatches etc and after a test, found the ones on the alclad wing went on with no visible film after setting solution so didn't bother with a gloss coat...

 

I think it will look fine when weathered..

 

WIP1145_zpsasspjgdt.jpg

 

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..added the gun camera - no idea how I missed that..

 

WIP1144_zpsmzqewzqg.jpg

 

..for the stencils on bare metal I have no choice - I can't varnish the aluminium as over time it will degrade as the ali oxidises, so it is straight decal & setting solution.. I have to just accept it as is..

 

...in most cases it's passable..

 

WIP1143_zpsdvmf8eiy.jpg

 

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...I decided to focuson getting as much on the top half done as possible, so there is less handling with all the gear & doors hanging out - the first part of this was finishing up the cockpit...

 

..I added the switch panel at the bottom right of the windscreen and made up the flourescent cockpit lamp..

 

WIP1139_zpsw22bdamn.jpg

 

WIP1146_zpsz4r5ata9.jpg

 

..on the other side, I added the throttle quadrant and control rods..

 

WIP1147_zpstjnvmiyy.jpg

 

..I have made a Gunsight pad and the first aid kit that hangs from the headrest from milluput, but won't show you that until it's finished (& if it's good enough..)

 

..otherwise, the cockpit is pretty much complete..

 

WIP1148_zps4syf7o8y.jpg

 

WIP1149_zps1emjfmei.jpg

 

..will probably start to sort out the rest of the glazing next - here a dry fit of the right cockpit windows...

 

WIP1150_zps98zarxsb.jpg

 

..still lots to do, but it's all bitty stuff

 

TTFN

Peter

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