Bedders Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 A productive couple of days. After a fair bit of filling and sanding I reckoned that the fin shape was more or less OK. So i did a couple of other little jobs e.g. created those swept back antennae on the sides of the fin mounted where the WW2 tail warning radar would have been, and added the rocket stubs (minus rockets). At that point I couldn't think of a reason why not to throw some paint at it. I've no idea what precise colour these were painted so I went for something that a) might have been right at the time and b) I liked the look of. So Xtracrrylix ADC Grey was the choice. This was airbrushed on and followed with a protective hand-brushing of Alclad aqua gloss. Photos seem to suggest white or very pale grey wheel wells, and maybe the legs too, so I went for that. Justin 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 (edited) Nice progress, Justin. Just a thought - does the canopy fit over the rear seat? Martin Edited December 22, 2019 by RidgeRunner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 That looks really good. Great job on the tail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 Whoah, that was a sudden transformation! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 18 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said: Just a thought - does the canopy fit over the rear seat? Hi Martin, that's a good question! I think the answer is: if the canopy were scale thickness, then yes. But as I'll be using the original Airfix transparency, then no. But it looks about right when compared with photos and I'll be displaying it open anyway... Justin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 Coming along great and your taller tail has worked well. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 (edited) Some more progress over recent days, and the finish line is creeping into view. First main job was the leading edges on main- and tailplanes, and fin. I think some of these aircraft lacked the black leading edges, but I had decided to model 67-22581 as this aircraft survives as firstly C-GMUS and latterly as a 'Lou IV' recreation, and it had the black bits when built. I also found some decent photos which have been helpful. So the Tamiya tape gods will hopefully be pleased by the sacrifices involved here. Then it was onto the decals. The photos seem to indicate 25-inch diameter stars and bars, in slightly different locations to normal for a 'real' P-51. On the top of the wing, well inboard and quite a long way rearward, with USAF lettering in a similar position: But in a more outboard position under the wings. So that's what I've tried to copy here: I see from this photo that my F in USAF is not completely aligned. Oh well - my tired eyes had had enough! The letters were cut from the U. S. AIR FORCE fin/rudder decal from the Arfix kit, while the serial numbers are incorrect as they are British-style 4-inchers nabbed mostly from an Xtradecal Sea Fury sheet. But not a disaster in this scale. A second mistake to report is that whilst studying the location of the underwing star & bar, I realised that I should have filled in the 3 underwing ID lights - oops! So rather than fill, sand, repaint etc, my plan at this point is to slowly build up the void using layers of ADC Grey paint to approximately the right level. It won't be perfect, but it'll have to do. Other jobs done include the propeller, which is Alclad polished aluminium with yellow tips on the front, and black without yellow tips on the back. So were getting there! Justin PS does anyone make those drop tanks in 1/72? Edited December 30, 2019 by Bedders 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Very different and very nice. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwart Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bedders said: PS does anyone make those drop tanks in 1/72? Maybe in the Recon version of the Sword P-80.They're the same tanks as installed on the wingtip of the single seat Cavalier Mustangs. Shane. Had a nosey and found a pic Maybe a tad too long and the shape of the Fletcher tank is almost identical to the P-51's aerofoil,so would need some sanding. Edited December 30, 2019 by Gwart More pics. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 That looks excellent! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 Good info Shane. I had a feeling they might be the sort of thing I need. I'd like to do a T-33 trainer at some point but probably only one of the series as they say those intakes are a pain to fill & sand. So I'll need to get the right boxing if i'm going to have a pair of tanks left for m'Cavalier... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Bedders said: Good info Shane. I had a feeling they might be the sort of thing I need. I'd like to do a T-33 trainer at some point but probably only one of the series as they say those intakes are a pain to fill & sand. So I'll need to get the right boxing if i'm going to have a pair of tanks left for m'Cavalier... Nice, Justin. On my next F-51D I have used F4U underbelly Tanks with the seams sanded off. Not 100% but they are pretty close. . A nice choice of aircraft. I recall seeing C-GMUS in Baton Rouge in 1980. She was still in the FAB scheme at that time. Martin Edited December 30, 2019 by RidgeRunner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Justin I've missed this up to yet, a very imformative thread ,and some great modelling to boot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelraynz Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Been loving following this build! Hope to do a cavalier one day! there a bit too bulbous- but maybe revell 1/72 p-47 tanks could be sanded to shape? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Looking fine. My preferred scheme would be the Cavalier civilian scheme with the cheat line as seen on many pics on line. Keep up the good work. By the way, I built a couple tears ago using the original Airfix Mustang. Added a second seat from a dismantled Cessna O-2 tip tanks from a P-80 and my own version of civilain colour schemes ... very fictional but in keeping with the time of the late 1960's early 70's. Alas no photos or the models now exist. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEMPESTMK5 Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Good evening Justin Very work 👍 Patrice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedders Posted January 3, 2020 Author Share Posted January 3, 2020 (edited) After a few touch-ups on the paintwork, a light wash around the control surfaces and into some of the panel lines, and a coat of satin varnish, final assembly took place last night: So it's now done! More pics to go into the gallery soon. Justin Edited January 3, 2020 by Bedders 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 That looks absolutely fabulous, lovely scheme. Well done. Stuart 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Very Nice ... The scheme is simple yet carries well on the type. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Another fantastic Mustang from you Justin. I may have spent an inordinate amount of time looking over your P-51B/C conversion thread recently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelraynz Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 looks fantastic! - (and im usually all about esoteric air forces!), but the grey and USAF markings just really suits this AC! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Excellent! The tail conversion and the second seat are a real stunner. You built a great model beyond the usual Mustang - very well executed overall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Very nice conversion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansk Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Fantastic build. Super job💪 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Justin, This looks great. I'd like to do one of these too but as a single seater with the Bolivian markings. I have a nearly-finished Airfix Mustang on the go. It took me a lot of time and trouble to carve the canopy sills to get the canopy to contact its rails front and back. You seem to have achieved the same look with a lot less grief. Can you tell us how? Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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