Baldy Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 My latest effort, a Meng 1/48 P-51 built as Mustang IVA KH774, 112 Squadron in early 1945. First off I will be the first to admit it is not my finest work! I wanted a quick, easy build after a couple of tough ones and off court problems and distractions. I built an Airfix Tomahawk a while back and this was a later war companion for it in my collection. The kit was generally excellent - good fit in the main and nice details. I filled the wing rivets, added a few wires in the cockpit and replaced the gunsight and IP decals. The only problem I had during construction was due to the push fit nature of the kit - when you test fit, particularly smaller parts such as U/C parts, it is a devil of a job to get them apart again! As is typical with my modelling, I made a few assumptions - and errors! The only reliable picture of this aircraft which I could find showed a light coloured spinner - possibly sky? I assumed that this was a replacement/temporary and I used the theatre red spinner colour. I also left off an antenna wire since I could find no evidence one way or another whether they were used in Italy. I used decals donated from an Italeri kit and this is where it all started to go wrong. I blindly followed the Italeri instructions for the camouflage pattern only to find - far too late - that this is probably wrong for the so called "Firewall" scheme which it was trying to depict. The colours are, I think, correct but the pattern is not. Ho hum! Also, the shark mouth markings were way too long when compared to the picture so they were modified and touched up as best I could to make them look a little better. The final problem was noticed only when I was taking pictures - I don't know how but I hadn't noticed the small light just behind the arial mast - not sure if they were even carried on wartime machines but on my version, it was painted over (Ho hum again!). Anyway some pictures Cheers Malcolm 53 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I'd be glad with such a result. Who wouldn't knew about your remarks wouldn't notice too.... with regards to that light on the back, maybe a slight scraping with a knife, and then a polish with a tiny amount of tamiya extra thin... works like a charm... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Beautiful Mustang! To me, it (she?) looks completely convincing and thankfully only subtly but effectively weathered. I especially appreciate that you bothered to depict the puttied and sanded down wing surfaces. Splendid modelling! Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) Very good the only thing I would have noticed is the 'firewall' scheme which can be seen on warbird version around at the moment. Airfix got that wrong too so you're in good company. Agree with Spitfire31 about puttying. It's a detail often overlooked. Nice one. Edited May 9, 2019 by noelh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 That is one handsome Mustang. If you hadn't mentioned your "assumptions and errors", I would have been none the wiser! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I like that. For all your other thoughts, it look tidy to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xspace Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Excellent buid and photos. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I agree with the other comments, it looks great. I have one of these to build, so thanks for the heads up on dry fitting problems, and it does seem strange that Meng bothered to engrave the panel lines and rivets on the upper wing surface when they were puttied in real life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearmatt Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Greeeaatt job! Love it Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 That has to be my favorite Mustang. I will have to get that kit. I"ve been looking for a scheme I like and that has to be it. Great build and paint work by the way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 8 hours ago, Baldy said: First off I will be the first to admit it is not my finest work! Every modeller I see write that has an absolute masterpiece shown in the photos. Love the sharkmouth! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris148 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Very nice indeed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldy Posted May 9, 2019 Author Share Posted May 9, 2019 4 hours ago, Retired Bob said: I agree with the other comments, it looks great. I have one of these to build, so thanks for the heads up on dry fitting problems, and it does seem strange that Meng bothered to engrave the panel lines and rivets on the upper wing surface when they were puttied in real life. Thank you Bob. It really is a nice kit - but yes, why they put rivets/panel lines all over the wings is a little mystifying. They were not too difficult to remove but a little annoying. The main things to look out for regarding dry fitting are the wheels onto the U/C legs and the rear fuselage deck. I forgot to mention a couple of other things which I did: - the instructions have you add the U/C legs to the wings before joining them to the fuselage. What I did was to cut down to about half the lugs on the legs which allows one to wriggle them into place later. - the canopy will not sit quite right as moulded so I thinned the inside quite drastically so that it will just clear the fuselage when pushed back. I also removed the bulge at the end of the lug which runs in the slot. (You will see what I mean when you build the kit) Cheers Malcolm 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matteo44 Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 Well done... Nice work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerboy Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 That’s a great looking model, good job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 That looks excellent and I wouldn't know about any of the issues you have had if you hadn't mentioned them. I'm surprised the Meng kit isn't more popular to be honest as it looks great in the box (maybe the RRP puts folk off?). Duncan B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 19 hours ago, Retired Bob said: I agree with the other comments, it looks great. I have one of these to build, so thanks for the heads up on dry fitting problems, and it does seem strange that Meng bothered to engrave the panel lines and rivets on the upper wing surface when they were puttied in real life. why? just read some reviews online and you'll know... No rivets and panellines, kit get's bashed for not having these... Rivets and panellines are there: kit get's bashed because there were none on the real aircraft. So it seems logic to me to add them, and let the one group filling these (more easy), instead of getting the majority complain, rescribe and rivet (and hopefully not destroy in the process) a perfectly good wing... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 21 hours ago, Duncan B said: I'm surprised the Meng kit isn't more popular to be honest as it looks great in the box (maybe the RRP puts folk off?). Hi Duncan, when I read the reviews I was put off mainly by the wording "no glue necessary" I thought it sounded toy like, however the reviewer said it was the best (at the time) P-51 out there, more accurate than the Tamiya kit, so I bought one. And looking at the great job Baldy has done I have to agree, I wonder if Eduard will put the panels and rivets on the top surface of the wing or smooth them over? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Joyce Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Very nice little pony, Malcolm. I know all about those 'assumptions.' especially when dealing with limited information such as a single photograph. And, yes, invariably you discover the correct information after you've completed your model! Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Beautiful! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen8718 Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Wow that is stunning. one of the Best camo P-51s i have seen . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldy Posted May 12, 2019 Author Share Posted May 12, 2019 On 5/11/2019 at 12:13 PM, Retired Bob said: Hi Duncan, when I read the reviews I was put off mainly by the wording "no glue necessary" I thought it sounded toy like, however the reviewer said it was the best (at the time) P-51 out there, more accurate than the Tamiya kit, so I bought one. And looking at the great job Baldy has done I have to agree, I wonder if Eduard will put the panels and rivets on the top surface of the wing or smooth them over? I think you are right on both accounts. I bought 2 at rock bottom prices at a show because everyone had got the impression that it was more of a toy. In many ways it is similar to the Tamiya kit - similar chunky feel to the parts and nice shiny surface - it is however much much better - the props are correct for a start (the Tamiya cuffed blades are awful!), the cockpit is much much better (apart from the sub-standard IP decal), the windscreen is moulded with part of the upper fuselage which is a far better arrangement that the Tamiya kit,the canopy is not in two parts with the hard to eradicate sprue scars/joint the and the kit design is far better so there are no joints to get rid of in awkward places. The only real problem with a joint was the insert for the guns but since I was modelling a puttied wing this was easily fixed. Cheers Malcolm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 2 hours ago, Baldy said: In many ways it is similar to the Tamiya kit - similar chunky feel to the parts and nice shiny surface - it is however much much better Hi Malcolm, I totally agree with your description of the Meng kit. I was impressed with what was in the box, and the fact that it has not required the replacement of many components unlike the Tamiya kit with all the problems you mention. For the Meng kit I bought a Yahu instrument panel and some Eduard steel seat belts, but I am still looking for the decals that will make me want to take it out of the stash and build it (Along with some Tamiya and Hasegawa Mustangs). Perhaps the Eduard Mustang profi boxing will have some tempting colour schemes and I could do a comparison dual build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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