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BK's Hawk F-51


Black Knight

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I was given this old Hawk F-51 Mustang as scrap.

It has a few parts missing and the decals which came with it are all dried up and cracked, they might not even be for it.

I measured this up and wingspan wise its 1/47 and length wise its 1/45

 

I'll not be doing anything fancy with it.

It will get USAAF or USAF national markings and a nice paint job over a silver finish. I need to sort out a bit of a 1/48 pilot figure for the cockpit.

 

Later this year my model club will be at a show. There is a wee boy of about 6 y/o who comes to our tables and can name most types of the fighters on them. I'll be giving this to him if he is there this year.

The only thing I've done on this so far it to sand off the moulded on National markings and build number on the tail fin - but with this silver plastic it leaves a ghost image so it looks like they are still there!

 

Hawk%2C%20F-51%20Mustang%2C%2001s-L.jpg

 

The main u/c doors are moulded closed. Upper right is a bit of frame which has 4 small bombs on it. I reckon I'll leave those off. The intake on the belly radiator-scoop is basic, I might do some work on that.

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      I did that once many years ago. I had a neighbor who’s son was developmentally challenged. He would come over once in awhile to admire my builds. One time i finished building an S-2 tracker in 1/72. As I built in 1/48 decided to give it to him. He had the biggest smile and ran home to show his mom. Later on mom stopped by to say thanks as it made his day and was a cherished toy/treasure that he loved to admire. 

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You've given me another idea so you have. I have an old 'box scale' P38, again given to me as scrap as its broken and in pieces. I reckon I can rebuild it. There is another boy who comes to the shows, He is metally handicapped and he claps as he looks at our models. He loves to just stand and watch the model trains going around.

I think I'll build it and offer it to him or his parents.

The other wee boy is different in that last year I promised to have a model aeroplane for him for this year's show.

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As a suggestion, given how basic the kit is, how about building it wheels up and painting it black like one of those wartime aircraft recognition models?

 

AW

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On 1/12/2020 at 4:16 AM, Black Knight said:

I'll not be doing anything fancy with it.

It will get USAAF or USAF national markings and a nice paint job over a silver finish. I need to sort out a bit of a 1/48 pilot figure for the cockpit.

It would look great as a polished metal model on a wooden stand. It seems to look the part already. That way you dont need decals ;)

 

Martin

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Last night I spent all of 15 minutes or so assembling this. I polished the canopy and dipped it in acrylic varnish - I use 'Astonish', its just the same as the famous Klear. I added a wee block onto each main u/c leg. Thats to stick the main wheel doors onto later. I had to put a small bit of plastic tube on the prop axle so it will turn and not come off. I'll leave off the dorsal aerial, its too pointy sharp.

 

Hawk%2C%20F-51%20Mustang%2C%2002s-L.jpg

 

Hawk%2C%20F-51%20Mustang%2C%2003s-L.jpg

 

This evening I sanded the fuselage seam. Tomorrow, if the weather is fine, I'll take it outside and spray it matt black as a primer. If it dries fast enough I'll get it sprayed silver as well

I've sorted out a pilot. He's a WW1 veteran, he came from a 1/48 Fokker D.VII. 

 

PS. On the lower photo you can see the ghost image of the moulded on Star and Bars marking which has been sanded off

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was a bit busy during the week so progress has been slow.

Matt black paint sprayed on as a primer/undercoat, then silver and now its masked up whilst I paint the colourful bits. I've left the canopy off to show my pilot in place.

The plastic of this kit is peculiar, superglue wont stick, nor EMA. I used Humbrol tube glue, which stuck most parts. The pilot is seated on a length of thick sprue and I has to use Araldite to stick it to the cockpit floor

Hawk%2C%20F-51%20Mustang%2C%2004s-L.jpg

Both the red and blue need more coats, they're a bit uneven looking. They look better in the photo than they really are

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24 minutes ago, Toryu said:

This kit looks really funny - proportions and so 😀. I'm curious to see how you will finish it.

The wings put me in mind of a P-51H while the tall tail reminds me of the P-51 flown by Paul Poborezhny of the Popular Flying Association.

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