Angus Tura Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Col. I'd like to enter this Mustang. I think it doesn't break the 25% rule: I started this in the Mustang single type build last year but aborted after failing to get he canopy together. I understand that the canopy frame and the glazing being moulded separately cuts down on cost for the makers but it is certainly a huge pain in the neck trying to hide the join between the two. I'm pretty happy with that now. That and getting the interior of the wheel wells ready to paint is all I've done to the kit and I hope you'll think that's less than 25%. Also, I started this hoping to use Xtradecal 19 Sq decals for a mustang IV at Peterhead in late 1945 but unfortunately (!) I stumbled across a photo of that plane on-line and I couldn't do it OOTB: its got the louvres on the nose and a Dallas canopy and the one I the picture here is an NA canopy. So its now become the Italian F-51D (1952) on the Xtradecal sheet shown. I want to do it OOTB as a practice for all the other mustangs that one could do for GBs this year: Sharkmouths (Cavalier II, CAC-17, &c.), Specialist (Reconnaissance: F-6D, F-6K, S-26 &c., &c.), D-Day (lots) and finally the mustang group build itself. I hope its OK, Alan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Well under the 25% mark Alan and a most welcome addition to the GB I've always liked seeing the P-51 in colours other than the usual USAF ones and the Italian roundels will look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 Nice choice ! Will watch with interest. I started a similar project for a previous GB here, unfortunately never managed to finish... The Airfix kit is a nice one, but has a few features that I hate, removing some parts takes care but detail is pretty good and a nice result can be had looking forward to your build ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted March 14, 2019 Author Share Posted March 14, 2019 A little update. As you say, Georgio, there are a few hateful features of this kit! "Challenges": The exhaust outflow flap sits on a number of little stubs on the inside of the fuselage. I've cut them off and put in this bit of plastic card to which I can glue the flap later. The seat is quite nice but lacks belts. I've drilled a slot in the armour plate and added these with 5 thou plasticard. The wheels are moulded with a seam running round the circumference and removing that removes the tread. The molded tread on each side of the tyre does quite match up for some additional grief. I've restored it as best I can with 15 and 11 blades and wire wool and its OK. The exhausts are just agony! These are not my first attempts. They've been cleaned up with an 11 blade to get into the corners. The exhaust pipes have been drilled out with a pin followed by 0.3, 0.35 and 0.4mm drill bits. The pipes aren't round as they come out of the box which makes this job yet more miserable. Using the drill bits in order does make it more controllable. Of this I'm quite proud! The canopy frame and edge of the glazing have been sprayed the interior green colour before being glued with epoxy resin. The join in the canopy frame has been filled with Mr.Surfacer and then sanded before polishing the glazing back with Tamiya compound. I'm hoping these are the worst bits and I can just enjoy the rest of the build... Alan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 Nice work on each of those sections Alan. From what I can recall of the kit you've covered all the worst bits already apart from the undercarriage legs - how do they look in your kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted March 15, 2019 Author Share Posted March 15, 2019 (edited) Col. I was lucky: I do have a couple of other examples with very bent legs even when they're still on the sprue. Alan Edited March 16, 2019 by Angus Tura 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Glad to see that Alan. Out of the four kits I have only one wasn't bandy legged. It got built but the second had its legs modified into a semi-retracted position and a third will be built in-flight. Seems the good legs are a rare treat for this kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 In another thread here vppelt68 has told me that to master this kit I have to get the joystick sorted. V-P, you are not wrong: Step 1 (Aaaaargh): Step 2 (base of stick drilled out. More Aaaaaargh; I kept losing this on the floor): Step 3 (sorted): This has taken an entire pigging evening! I'll know in future just to stick the base to the floor and drill it out there. Manana, as we say in Angostura. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Whoever brings out a set that contains better quality examples of the control column, aerial, and undercarriage legs will make good money from it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 Col., you are not wrong. But I do like the challenge. OOTB builds would not be much fun if every kit were perfect. Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted April 21, 2019 Author Share Posted April 21, 2019 And it was all going so well! I got this to the point of assembling, and painted the inside of the windscreen, I used the Pmask vinyl masks for this and thought they were pretty good. They need a little adjustment to fit the frame which would contact the hood. I stuck it all together and took a lot of care to get the sills right: Then I was going to mask the sills and stick on the windscreen and get finished, or at least start putting on the finish when: THE HORROR! THE HORROR! You can have the back of the canopy fitting, or the front, but not both! I really should have anticipated this. I'm going to use the canopy stuck to the frame here to try carving the sills to fit properly on the next Airfix P-51 (for the "Sharkmouth" GB) and see where I need to cut this one to get it right. If only it weren't OOTB, I'd just get a vacformed canopy. THE HORROR...THE HORROR! Alan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Im not sure i understand the issue ? The canopy should sit up to a small degree above the fuselage on the real mustang. What Ive done is use low tack school grade white glue, i think thats pva glue. I tack the canopy in place, paint the model. I then pop the canopy off, sand and touch up the sills. Another method Ive used is blue tack to hold canopies in place for painting. It does two things one it holds it all in place. And two it seals it quite well against paint seepage/spray. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 Can you put the canopy in cloaed position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 On 4/23/2019 at 12:14 AM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Im not sure i understand the issue ? The canopy should sit up to a small degree above the fuselage on the real mustang. What Ive done is use low tack school grade white glue, i think thats pva glue. I tack the canopy in place, paint the model. I then pop the canopy off, sand and touch up the sills. Another method Ive used is blue tack to hold canopies in place for painting. It does two things one it holds it all in place. And two it seals it quite well against paint seepage/spray. Dennis Dennis, The photos I've seen suggest the canopy sits down in contact with the fuselage all the way round. I'd post a photo if I weren't so concerned about the copyright issues here! I don't want to get banned! I think I can get it sorted but painfully. I think it should be in touch with the fuselage all the way round if it is to contact the rails at the front and the back. 2 hours ago, exdraken said: Can you put the canopy in cloaed position? Exdraken, you can. The fit closed is pretty perfect actually. But where would be the fun? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted May 5, 2019 Author Share Posted May 5, 2019 So a week to go on this. I've used an extra canopy frame from a failed airfix mustang build to figure out where to reduce the cockpit sill to let the canopy sit correctly: I've cut the cross-brace in the canopy frame so as to let the sides of the frame overlap the sills. Then I used the frame as a guide to scratch the lower line of the canopy I'm aiming for: And then carved the sills back: The groove for the canopy doesn't have to go so far back in fact. I'll know in future. Any way, it worked pretty well. Here is another spare canopy: there has been more than one failed airfix mustang build around here!: Here it is against he light where I'm pretty happy with the fit: So, I can now get this finished. Whether I can get it finished for next Sunday is another thing... Alan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 Tidy work and clever with it Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted May 12, 2019 Author Share Posted May 12, 2019 Tidy Col.....but not quick. I haven't finished: The canopy fit issue did for this unfortunately. I'm disappointed not to finish but it should be finished shortly. I have learnt a lot about this kit and am looking forward to "Airfix Mustang OOTB 2.0", shortly to appear in the Sharkmouth GB. Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Sorry to hear the canopy fit problems stalled this one for you Alan as I'd have loved to see it in the gallery. I am, however, delighted to know you're continuing with it and looking forward to seeing it finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Hope you will manage to finish her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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