RidgeRunner Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 (edited) Hi all, Finally, I am rolling my second iteration of FAG 315 out of the paint shop. See: She is depicted as she was towards the end of her long career with the Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca (Guatemalan Air Force), just prior to her sale into the US warbirds market. She is in the final scheme adopted by the FAG for Counter Insurgency (COIN) work. This was essentially US “Vietnam” but with the Tan replaced by Stone. From the large FAG Mustang fleet she was one of the final few. There are very few photographs available publicly of these machines in this scheme. This one shows you how she and others were when in service: Mystery seems to surround this machine in her later life. From the photograph below you can see that she entered the US from Guatemala as N38227. She was very sun bleached and, by this time, had acquired a modern “zap” badge alongside the cockpit, which I believe to be Connie Edwards' appelation. She and others went to storage in Big Spring, Texas pending further sale domestically. More recently “N38227” was advertised as the “last” of the surviving Mustangs in the Texas ranch (of Connie Edwards) to come up for sale. However, the advertising photographs show a very different camouflage pattern. Further, the aircraft appears to have been repainted – but in FAG camouflage! It also has a fin flag, something that was removed before leaving Guatemala. Something is fishy about this and my theory is that FAG 315 was sold many years before and this advertised machine was another from the FAG batch or a Costa Rican machine (also stored at the ranch) painted to look like a FAG machine. I do know that after FAG 315’s arrival in the US she was taken around air shows, still resplendent in her bleached camouflage. So, I present was, I believe, FAG 315 as she finished her service time in Central America. If you plan to build one of these note that the Aztec decal instruction sheet would have you follow the fresh paint finish as described above. What did I do/use? The paint colours were the challenge with this one. 1. Kit - Tamiya F-51D Mustang (54) 2. Decals – Aztec “Mayan Gods” (kindly provided by @busnproplinerfan), walkways from ArmyCast and stencils – such as there are – from the kit. I drew and printed the Armament block on the port side. 3. Paints – Colourcoats (they are so good!) Dark Green ACUS20)/Lt. Gull Grey mix (ACUS01), Light Green (ACGW08)/Lt. Gull Grey mix, Gray (ACUS17), Humbrol Matt Stone, plus various Humbrol colours. I finished with Humbrol MattCote to keep the flat, bleached look. 4. Weathering & Washes – Flory Dirt and Sand/White mix, Tamiya Weathering Powders, Humbrol Grey wash and a Prismacolor Silver pencil. I hope you like her.... Martin Edited March 7, 2020 by RidgeRunner 60 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 My, oh my! Your best Mustang yet, Martin! That is a very, very unusual and attractive scheme, too. I am very proud of you- you got the strut fairing doors on perfectly, and the fact that the tailwheel doors were removed and the tailwheel fixed in the extended position, which was very common on postwar Mustangs. I am impressed- she's a beaut! (Thanks for the heads-up on the RFI!) 👍 Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busnproplinerfan Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 She looks good, nice to see the decals doing what they were meant to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Another marvellous Mustang, great build and finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnie Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Another outstanding build. Well done.👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Well, your little version turned out great 😉 Sweet job, as usual 👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 7 hours ago, 72modeler said: My, oh my! Your best Mustang yet, Martin! That is a very, very unusual and attractive scheme, too. I am very proud of you- you got the strut fairing doors on perfectly, and the fact that the tailwheel doors were removed and the tailwheel fixed in the extended position, which was very common on postwar Mustangs. I am impressed- she's a beaut! (Thanks for the heads-up on the RFI!) 👍 Mike Thank you, as ever, Mike. She is certainly one of my favourites ;). I was nervous how the paint would come out but it is exactly as I had wanted. 5 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said: She looks good, nice to see the decals doing what they were meant to do. Thanks a lot. I've now built two of the machines on that sheet. 2 hours ago, Wulfman said: Another marvellous Mustang, great build and finish. Thanks mate. I'm giving Mustangs a short break while I undertake a run of Skyraiders 1 hour ago, Vinnie said: Another outstanding build. Well done.👏 Thank you for your kind words, Vinnie. 36 minutes ago, Reini78 said: Well, your little version turned out great 😉 Sweet job, as usual 👏 Thanks, Reini. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 That's beautifully done, excellent work with the colours 👏👏👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srkirad Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Looking great - it seems you've matched colors from reference photo reasonably well. Cheers, S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Keg Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Like it?????? No Martin my friend............I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! . You have done an excellent job at the kit and provided an outstanding background to the particular airframe. I enjoyed it very much. Congratulations Martin!!!!!!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Very nice work! Great research and work on that unusual and attractive scheme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro1 Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Splendid, I was waiting for this one to appear in RFI! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Fantastic work Martin. Another a/c to add to your lesser known aircraft collction. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 On 7 March 2020 at 10:17 AM, Alan P said: That's beautifully done, excellent work with the colours 👏👏👏 Thank you, Alan. It waS, naturally, a bit of trial snd error but I got there. On 7 March 2020 at 11:05 AM, srkirad said: Looking great - it seems you've matched colors from reference photo reasonably well. Cheers, S. Thanks a lot, mate. On 7 March 2020 at 11:55 AM, phildagreek said: Looks good! thanks Phil On 7 March 2020 at 1:32 PM, Sky Keg said: Like it?????? No Martin my friend............I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! . You have done an excellent job at the kit and provided an outstanding background to the particular airframe. I enjoyed it very much. Congratulations Martin!!!!!!! Mike You are too kind, Mike. Many thanks. I do like my models to have a story. On 7 March 2020 at 4:18 PM, Vultures1 said: Very nice work! Great research and work on that unusual and attractive scheme Many thanks, mate On 7 March 2020 at 7:39 PM, Pedro1 said: Splendid, I was waiting for this one to appear in RFI! You were, Pedro? Well, I am happy that you like her . I do 14 hours ago, Courageous said: Fantastic work Martin. Another a/c to add to your lesser known aircraft collction. Stuart Thank you, Stuart. I contInue my mission to spread colour and variety . I love this scheme, and have for a long time. Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 That's a really nice looking camo mustang, congratulations! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignacio Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Really nice as always Martin! How do you compare the different P-51 kits? Wich one is better? Best regards Ignacio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig88 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Wonderful job!! That's a lovely scheme! It looks great. Miguel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) On 3/9/2020 at 2:51 PM, Rich G said: That's a really nice looking camo mustang, congratulations! Rich Thanks Rich On 3/9/2020 at 3:21 PM, Ignacio said: Really nice as always Martin! How do you compare the different P-51 kits? Wich one is better? Best regards Ignacio Hi Ignacio. For simplicity the Tamiya and Airfix are, in my view, the best. To the best of my knowledge they are both accurate. Both are equally well detailed too. The negative with the Tamiya is the lack of extended flaps. 23 hours ago, Mig88 said: Wonderful job!! That's a lovely scheme! It looks great. Miguel Muchas gracias, Miguel Martin Edited March 10, 2020 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Absolutely gorgeous and very eye catching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Very nice build and interesting subject! This one is also on my to-do list as I´m very intrigued by Guatemalan Mustangs especially these in the later camo scheme. Have shown the link to fellow Britmodeller Luis Alfonso as his brother has been a crew chief for the P-51 in the country. Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 11, 2020 Author Share Posted March 11, 2020 On 3/10/2020 at 4:38 PM, F-32 said: Absolutely gorgeous and very eye catching Thanks mate 20 hours ago, Mario said: Very nice build and interesting subject! This one is also on my to-do list as I´m very intrigued by Guatemalan Mustangs especially these in the later camo scheme. Have shown the link to fellow Britmodeller Luis Alfonso as his brother has been a crew chief for the P-51 in the country. Cheers, Mario If I had a brother who was a FAG Mustang crew chief I'd be very happy . It goes without saying that I'm happy with my brothers anyway, of course . Thanks for your message, Mario. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Nice Mustang Martin, there's certainly some interesting variations in Latin American colour schemes, good to have the variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 28 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said: Thanks mate If I had a brother who was a FAG Mustang crew chief I'd be very happy . It goes without saying that I'm happy with my brothers anyway, of course . Thanks for your message, Mario. Martin You are welcome Martin🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 11, 2020 Author Share Posted March 11, 2020 5 hours ago, Wez said: Nice Mustang Martin, there's certainly some interesting variations in Latin American colour schemes, good to have the variety. Thanks Wez. I'm very happy on my voyage through the unusual ;). There's a huge amount of materal out there! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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