A 1:72 Mustang trio, a B, a Mk III and a Mk IVa - No lets add another B and make it 4 Mustangs instead- All Now Complete

[Courageous]

A right production line you have there CT.

 

Stuart

[Cheshiretaurus]

   

 

 

 

20 hours ago, Smudge said:

These are coming along nicely.

 

This is interesting. I spent an hour or two this afternoon filling panel lines and joints on my Airfix kit, including the centre line down the top of the cowling. Maybe I shouldn't have been so thorough 

 

 

Spent many an hour filling that seam line on many P51 build over the years too. Until I realised 2 builds ago.😪

 

12 hours ago, Courageous said:

A right production line you have there CT.

 

Stuart

As always starting too many builds at once. 🤦‍♂️

 

 

CT

  

 

 

 

[Johnson]

I've caught up with your P-51 production line a bit late CT, most impressive I must say. I like your cowling fasteners too, I may have to pinch that idea!

 

Cheers,

[Cheshiretaurus]

Sunday Morning progress report

 

First to go to the paint shop is going to be the RAF MkIII, This will be RAF Polish 315 Sqn FB387 from the Academy decal sheet.

 

Upper cowl fasteners have been done in the same way as before except I didn't drill them out afterwards.

Propeller has been assembled, that's going to be painted separately also Im going to have 500lb bombs as the stores, This seems to be whats present on pictures I've found of the sqn.

 

Canopy has been fitted, fitted the windscreen with GS hypo glue but it got messy so put the Malcolm hood on with Gator grip instead.

 

 

 

Wing light will go on soon, I've glued a 1.5mm little lenses light inside it.

 

Eduard canopy mask was used and made a first use of the new Molotow masking pen, see how that goes.  Bought it having heard it mentioned in the Plastic model mojo podcast recently. Have a long commute to work each way and the podcasts are a good way of making the journey better.

 

 

Told you the GS hypo was messy, I found it cleans off with IPA but has eaten into the plastic, filled with thin sprue goo and will be sanded smooth again.

 

 

Academy says the radiator duct was the same colour as the underside, so MRP 112 Medium sea grey inside then put the cover on leaving it partially open.

 

 

Going to try hair spray chipping so, Alclad dull aluminium on those areas, followed by airbrushed hair spray.

 

 

Black basing

 

 

and pre shading

 

 

 

 

and hear is where we are now, medium sea grey underside. 

 

mask up tonight I think, but now its a trip down the M62 to Halifax for the model show.

 

Best regards 

 

CT

 

 

[Cheshiretaurus]

Right then,

 

Halifax was a fantastic show as always with some outstanding work displayed. 

 

With regrets the credit card caught fire as its usage went into 3 figures, oops! 

 

Saw one of the great builds from this GB, Tims little 1:44 scale diorama, what a little gem!

 

On to my own P-51

 

After a bit more research I've found the Academy paint guide for FB387 isn't quite right, It seems to have a white nose area aft of the spinner and white stripes on the wings and tail (Not invasion stripes) so last night and today I've been adding those stripes and masking them off, I've also put the yellow on the wing leading edge and the sky tail band.

 

Lots of masking, but I got something at Halifax to help with the cutting, an AK easy cutting mat.  Its not often that I find something really as useful as expected but this one is a game changer. been using it all day. in fact I got so engrossed with the masking and spraying I forgot to take pictures. sorry.

 

Other stuff done are the propeller and primed the bombs they will get some olive drab later.

 

 

 

Camo top surfaces tomorrow.

 

Better stop building now before the Bourbon takes too much effect.

 

Best regards 

 

CT 

[Cheshiretaurus]

Grey is on.

 

Coffee and lunch break update before masking for the green, Another new toy from Halifax was some AK masking putty. Not used this stuff before have always used white-tac in the past but want to see if the putty is any easier or gives better results, or both.

 

See how I get on later.

 

 

CT

[Cookenbacher]

That's some fine paint work CT.

[Andwil]

I’ll be watching how you get on with that masking putty with interest.

 

AW

[Cheshiretaurus]

7 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

That's some fine paint work CT.

I'm rather getting to like MRP paints

 

1 hour ago, Andwil said:

I’ll be watching how you get on with that masking putty with interest.

Well It was quite easy on the whole, just a case of learning to handle it slightly differently, just trial and error but quickly got success with it. no real issues really

on the positives :- Easy to apply and adjust position, adheres well to the surface.  conforms well to the surface.

negatives :-  its very soft and remains so. so very easy to stick your finger in it while handling. but all you do is leave finger print but that dissipates very quickly as its has some fluid like properties. You need to try it to see what I mean.

 

but overall, I recommend it.

 

 

I tend to use a fine needle and get in close with a very small spray pattern so only needed to mask the edges and not need to cover larger areas. I can maintain a random range of shades and textures this way instead of having a uniform colour that can make things look too toy like.

 

 

 

Didnt need much putty either about £1 size was used in total

 

 

Starting the gloss in preparation for decaling.

 

 

 

Enough for tonight

 

Might take a trip to Cosford tomorrow

 

Regards

 

CT

[Courageous]

12 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Didnt need much putty either about £1 size was used in total

That seemed to have worked well. Is the putty reusable?

 

Stuart

[Cheshiretaurus]

4 minutes ago, Courageous said:

That seemed to have worked well. Is the putty reusable?

 

Stuart

Yes it is

[Cheshiretaurus]

Fantastic day out to Cosford yesterday. The Museum is well worth the visit.

 

 

Messerschmitt Me410 restoration is making good progress 

 

And the model room has gained two HK 1/32 Lancasters.

 

Did some more glossing when I got home, then started the decaling, roundels & flashes first. The Academy decals have excessive amount of carrier film that I needed to trim away before applying.

 

 

 

I think Academy decals are the reason decal softener was invented, MicroSol is doing well, however the roundels are a bit reluctant to bed down over the aileron bell crank fairings (if thats what they are)  Sol & Neo softener are not getting things done here so were on emergency measures and the X-20A decal kryptonite is called for and seems to be working, Also its a proper emergency as the emergency coffee is out, and were on DEFCON 5 as its its black coffee! only cos I forgot to buy milk on the way home. 

 

I digress....better get to Sainsburys and be myself once more.

 

CT

[Toryu]

The aileron rods are a constant issue for decal settling (no decal ever stretched across the hump). With the many P-51s I have built I developed my own approach by cutting the decal as close to the crank as possible and hand-painting the protrusion with a dark blue, eg. Revell 53 or Humbrol 15 (for US insignia blue). After a matte clear coat no difference will be visible.

[Cheshiretaurus]

9 hours ago, Toryu said:

The aileron rods are a constant issue for decal settling (no decal ever streched across the hump). With the many P-51s I have built I developed my own approach by cutting the decal as close to the crank as possible and hand-painting the protrusion with a dark blue, eg. Revell 53 or Humbrol 15 (for US insignia blue). After a matte clear coat no difference will be visible.

Resorted to that in the end. Thanks for the tip.

 

Decals Decals Decals

 

All the big ones are on just have about half the stencils still to do.

 

I didnt like the ones for the fuel fillers (no.34) due to the excessive amount of carrier film around them.

so I decided to partially ditch the Academy combined filler cap and text decal. I found that the filler caps are 1.7mm so punched out some replacements from red solid colour decal stock, and applied those instead. They bedded down quite niceley.

 

 

I then cut out the text from the academy decal and applied that (only done the text on the wings so far) 

 

I did consider punching the hole in masking tape instead and spraying the red, but decided not to on this one as there are too many other decals already applied nearby and don't want to pull one off. I'll do that on the other builds before I start decaling those. 

 

 

Have the fuselage stencils to do to tomorrow, only 17 left to go. Hope thats just the sheen on the decals and not silvering.

 

 

Progressing niceley

 

 

Enough for today, goodnight

 

CT

[Courageous]

Looking smart CT. Good save with punching the red discs. I might have to purchase that smaller punch/ tie set I think.

 

Stuart

[Cheshiretaurus]

1 hour ago, Courageous said:

Good save with punching the red discs. I might have to purchase that smaller punch/ tie set I think.

Had it for a couple of years been a good investment.  I used the 1mm one to make the harness QRBs from 0.12mm plasticard. 

 

CT

[Johnson]

11 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

I decided to partially ditch the Academy combined filler cap and text decal.

I did the same on my Academy P-51B, and the Hasegawa, for the same reason. Not worth all the hassle and the inevitable silvering that will result. It was bad enough on the essential decals.

 

All looking very good CT!

[Cheshiretaurus]

 

Busy weekend building and going to the South Cheshire model show as well, another great show.

 

Decals are complete and after a few more coats of gloss to seal everything in a clay wash was put on.

 

 

 

 

Once the dry the excess was wiped away with a moist tissue and the finished was sealed in with one more coat of gloss.

At Halifax I picked up some AK oil brushers and added some more weathering with them. 

 

The result.

 

 

 

Next was the matt coat followed by Tamiya weathering packs and some work with AK weathering pencils.  and the undecarriage fitted.

 

 

Couldn't resist the opportunity to a fit some actuating rods to to the inner doors made from 0.3mm Plastruct rod

 

Pitot next and the recognition lights were made by punching a 1mm discs from adhesive foil tape, then once thay were in position a tiny drop of Tamiya clear colours then sealed with a drop of UV glue to seal in and make a lense.

 

Nav lights, Silver followed by Tamiya clear again.

 

Canopy mask came off, looks l fogged the windows in a couple of places, Well My own fault for using Tamiya extra thin on the rear windows,(Duh! should have known better) and GS hypo on the windscreen, I know not to do that again, 

 

FB387 had a whip arial instead of the usual mast so I made one from 0.1mm nickle rod from Albion alloys. 

 

Finally the wing mounted landing light, It kept falling off during the build resulting in carpet monster searches and re-attachment then it would come off again. Eventually the carpet monster won!

So while the Silhouette cutter was out (see below) I cut an oval piece from over head projector film (remember those things?). After putting in a 1.5mm little lenses light . I attached the oval at one end with UV glue once that was secure I curved it round to attach it at the other end. Quick 30 second shine of UV and it was attached. Hopefully it will stay that way. I think it looks much better that the kit part so I'll probably do the other builds the same way.

 

 

 

 

 

I wasnt happy with the bombs being too dark and was less happy with my attempt at the yellow band for them, didn't take any pics. So I decided to strip them and start again, where as I should have just painted over again. Anyway dont strip paint from plastic by dunking the whole thing in rapid thinnner it only makes even more of a mess and they went in the bin.

 

Fortunately I have spares and started again, this time starting with the yellow.

 

I was so Impressed with the cutting matt I got from Halifax that I bought another version for cutting long (not really needed for 1/72 scale bombs) lines of masking tape. down to 0.4mm width and is really easy to use.

So with that I masked the bands. Worked great for the rear band but couldn't get the tape to go around they front neatly, Blew the dust from the Silhouette portrait cutter, haven't used it for a while, and cut some rings 1.6mm and 2.4mm inside and outside diameter. After a quick cut on some Tamiya tape. I had a suitable mask.  I should use that cutter more often. 

 

 

 

 

Black based again

 

Now the olive drab again but this time a bit lighter version. So far so good.

 

Nearly there, once the bombs are complete and attached, that will be the first P51 complete.

 

CT 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cheshiretaurus]

 

Bit of AK oil brushing on the bombs to give them that mucky covered in whatever bombs get covered in look. followed by a matt coat and they are done.

 

Attached

Think this one is now complete, I'll get some final ready for inspection pictures done for the GB gallery soon.

 

 

Now back to the next two to come out of the paint shop, they will be Rebel Queen, and The Hun Hunter' Texas, They both have a very similar paint scheme so will be done in parallel. Start with the inside of the rear dog house done in underside colour, Medium grey on the Queen and Aluminium on the Hunter. 

 

 

Thanks and good evening 

 

CT

 

 

[Cookenbacher]

Beautiful finish on PK-G CT, can't wait to see what you come up with for the others.

[Johnson]

13 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Couldn't resist the opportunity to a fit some actuating rods to to the inner doors made from 0.3mm Plastruct rod

I saw those little slots on the doors of my Academy P51B and thought I'd missed something, but when I looked in the instructions and parts, nothing there! I will have to add the same - thanks CT!

 

13 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

l fogged the windows in a couple of places, Well My own fault for using Tamiya extra thin on the rear windows,

Have you tried using PVA glue? Advantages - dries clear, cannot fog plastic, canopy can be easily removed. Disadvantage - not strong, so canopy can come off when removing masks.

 

13 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Finally the wing mounted landing light, It kept falling off during the build resulting in carpet monster searches and re-attachment then it would come off again. Eventually the carpet monster won!

They're a real b*****D aren't they! I had 3 carpet searches before I got it in place!

 

13 hours ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Nearly there, once the bombs are complete and attached, that will be the first P51 complete.

Great masking on the bombs. That really is the way to do it, better result all round (no pun intended!).

 

All in all, a great build CT. Well done! 

[Cheshiretaurus]

4 hours ago, Johnson said:

Have you tried using PVA glue?

 

I normally use Gator grip. However in  a moment of false invincibility and madness I thought it would be a good idea despite knowing the risks to use exta thin. The use of GS hypo I though t would be ok. Seems not. Oh well I'l not do it again.

[Cheshiretaurus]

More work on the Queen and the Hunter.

 

Cut some more landing light covers from OHP film and put those on with UV glue along with a little lenses light.

 

Masking the light was easy as i simply cut the same shape from Tamiya tape.

 

Also guns are getting an upgrade.  The old moulded representations were cut away and 0.6mm holes drilled to take some Albion alloys.0.6mm brass tube instead. 

Here is the difference. 

 

I've cut 10 2mm lengths of the tube and will fit them properly near the end of the build. But for now they are put aside in a poly bag. 

 

Painting. 

 

Wings spar got some zinc chromate primer first. The rest of the bays were painted in Alclad dull aluminium. Ive then put the undercarriage doors in place and held them in place with the AK masking putty.

 

Black basing next using MRP white. The Hunter will be aluminium underneath so that bit stays in black primer. 

 

Following on from Johnsons build of the Rebel Queen where he has made a better decal of the lady in red. Ive decided to do the same. Im going to make a white background for the decal with paint. So have made a mask for this bit. Did a test fit of the decal and mask a few days ago on a unbuilt Italeri mustang 1 fuselage half. It all fits and looks good. Ill post a picture of that test later. 

 

For the Hunter I'm going to use the Airfix P51B decals but found the codes are too tall and seem to be 28" from studying pictures I think they should be 24" so im going to paint those too. Ive drawn and cut masks for those. 

The score board on the Airfix decal sheet is grey but sources seem to indicate red. So ill mask and paint another one. Again picture of that ill put up later.

 

Last night i cut some more test pieces of all those masks just to test fit on the Academy kit. Look to fit well.

 

So with that happy with that the test masks came off and I set to work painting the white areas of the kits.

 

Queen is on the left and hunter on the right. Oops must have been a bit tired as i forgot to do the upper surface wing bands on the Hunter. 

 

More pics to follow. 

 

Regards 

 

CT

 

 

[Cheshiretaurus]

Here is the promised test piece of the lady in red and score board.

 

 

 

Ignore the scratches on the white circles

[Johnson]

 

1 hour ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Here is the promised test piece of the lady in red and score board.

She looks lovely CT. Excellent work. I think your masking method is better than the complicated way I did the white background.

 

You say 'test piece' - is that the final rendition of the lady in the red swimsuit?