AdrianMF Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Hello again! At the weekend I dropped into Hannants in Hendon and bought three kits from their second-hand selection. One of them, the Airfix P-51B Mustang, I have already finished in the 2018 Blitzbuild GB. This one is the second: This is a 1967 mould in a 1975 box. It has raised panel lines and the undercarriage is a bit weedy, but it fits together well. I am going to keep the raised panel lines but probably replace the undercarriage legs. The canopy may make it on to the model but it is a good candidate for plunge moulding. Some detailing will occur... Thanks for looking, Adrian 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 The fin has some delicate IFF aerials moulded on, sadly broken or short shot, so I have filed some openings so that I can add them later from wire. There is also a second location under the fuselage, so I did that as well: Thanks for looking, Adrian 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a toy pilot in possession of a minimalist chair is in need of a cockpit. Thus it was that the spares box was raided and a cockpit pulled together with the aid of some walk around pictures. There is a kit part hiding in the middle of the chair: Thanks for looking, Adrian 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Great work on the cockpit Adrian and the kit seat disguise kit is working well. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebra Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 48 minutes ago, AdrianMF said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a toy pilot in possession of a minimalist chair is in need of a cockpit. Thus it was that the spares box was raided and a cockpit pulled together with the aid of some walk around pictures. There is a kit part hiding in the middle of the chair: Thanks for looking, Adrian We don’t get a lot of Austen on BM! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Nice addition to this GB Adrian. I’ve got a feeling your enjoying yourself here. The 21 is looking great so far and am sure when finished, it’ll look like nothing like what most would have achieved back in 1967! Cheers.. Dave 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 And painted: The control column is an old Airfix Blenheim exhaust pipe. ...must remember to add nose weight this time... Thanks for looking, Adrian 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 2 hours ago, AdrianMF said: The control column is an old Airfix Blenheim exhaust pipe. That'll confuse the instrument fitters. Or, possibly, the pilot. Looking very nice indeed, Adrian. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Excellent scratching. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Excellent addition to the GB, Adrian. Big brother to the Mig 15 and if you do it in the Red Star scheme then our only representative of the Russian Air Force so far - what's the correct name? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Another Airfix memory jerker appears! I built one of these when they first came out, it was my first attempt at a spray finish. I used a car aerosol over bare plastic, not being familiar with the concept of primers. The finish was bright, shiny and free of any brush marks. It was also wrinkled to death by the paint solvents attacking the bare plastic! Ho Hum. Lesson learned. It's going to be good to see one built properly. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawzer Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Some very nice work going oh here! 👍 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 I don’t think nose weight is going to be an issue with this one! Thanks for looking, Adrian 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 I’m also replacing the “washer” Airfix provided for the tail end with a paper jet pipe: Thanks for looking, Adrian 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 2 hours ago, AdrianMF said: I don’t think nose weight is going to be an issue with this one! Thanks for looking, Adrian WOW - Now that is a weight 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 I found some replacements for the kit buttons, donor kit unknown: Thanks for looking, Adrian [edit - I remember now. I bought a super cheap Frog Sea Vixen kit at a show and spares’ed it after finding it had no upper wings.] 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 I have closed up the fuselage and blocked off the end of the jet pipe with a Yak-9 wheel with scribed spokes to look a bit like a flame holder: Thanks for looking, Adrian 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Yet more simple but effective improvements Adrian. It's coming along nicely. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Great job with making this kit better - I remember being bitterly disappointed with this kit when bought as a youngster. I had neither the resources for research nor the skills to improve it! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Brilliant progress Adrian - I'm loving that tailpipe detail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 13 hours ago, nimrod54 said: improvements I’m enjoying it. It is simple but nicely engineered. For instance the -2 degree dihedral is set in the wing tabs and they glue in exactly right, unlike the B-25 for example... 12 hours ago, BIG X said: tailpipe detail Thanks! The Yak-9 wheels have fluted tyre edges which kind of reflect the corrugated “stuff” in the real tailpipe, but you can’t tell in reality, not that anyone’s going to look. 13 hours ago, Parabat said: bitterly disappointed with this kit when bought as a youngster. Sorry to hear that! I can sort of see how, because it is an extremely basic kit with some over simplified bits. But I do appreciate as an adult how the bits that work , work well, and the other bits like the undercarriage can be fixed because I have a bigger spares box now than I did back then. Regards, Adrian 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 I had been trying to make a plunge mould better canopy. While failing to do that I put some stress fractures in the kit canopy, so I got out my home-brew vac kit today and made a couple of new canopies, amongst other things. The one on the kit will do after some more trimming, but the one still stuck to the kit canopy will in all probability be better. Whittling starts now! The new thinner canopy means that I now have space to model the enormous piece of armoured glass just inside it. Thanks for looking, Adrian 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 Absolute wizardry 🧙♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 It turns out that there isn’t enough space to add the extra armoured glass. I will add a black outline to the frame instead. I have done the jumble of fuel lines behind the cockpit, so when they are dry I can put the canopy on: Airfix moulded the underside air brake in three pieces. It actually fits together pretty well, contrary to my expectations: Thanks for looking, Adrian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 I also cut away the bump at the base of the fin and replaced it with an air intake made from slightly bent plastic rod: Thanjs for looking, Adrian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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