P-51 Comparison Builds

[Ventora3300]

This thread on building and comparing Airfix P-51 kits really got started in the P-51 STGB just finished this year, where I managed to complete 'Fool's Paradise IV' using the first tooling Airfix kit. I have continued on but since I intend to keep this WIP thread going for some time, I'll include this first build here as comparisons will be made later.

 

For 'Fool's Paradise IV', I've got the Red Stripe Bag 'boxing'...

 

The kit comes in silver-grey plastic, only 30 parts. Raised detail outside but absolutely zero detail inside the cockpit area, other than two pins for the pilot to perch on. That said, the pilot has gone AWOL so I'll need to set up an 'office' that will tempt him back.

 

All the gen on the 'North American P-51D Mustang' - I fancy doing a check on how this lines up with the wealth of reference material made available here.

 

Ditto for the colour scheme given for this particular aircraft...

 

Stand assembled (!) - needed the holes in the base drilled out slightly to get the pins in.

Prop spindle into the rear of the spinner/prop (meant to be the 'cuffed' version?) - looks like a much larger hole but if you push the spindle in, it seems to locate into a smaller hole inside. Checked for 'spin' in the dry fitted fuselage halves, of course.

Main wing halves assembled and I will be doing this wheels up so undercarriage doors fitted - pins at the top of the doors (there for location if wheels down) were removed as per the 'locate and cement' instructions. Also, the 'strut' across the inboard edge of the wheel wells needs to be removed to let the large inner doors mate up.

Stabilisers fitted to the fuselage halves.

Large undercarriage doors fitted to the fuselage halves - curved corner forwards to match up with the cut-outs in the wings. Dry fit of the wings was very good.

Exhaust stubs fitted to the fuselage halves - they seemed to be along one edge of the 'carrier' plates and I put these so they are along the lower edge of the raised area on the fuselage

Drop tanks assembled - I'll need to check that 'smooth' tanks, i.e. without the horizontal seam, are correct. 

 

The canopy will show up the yawning hole beneath once the fuselage halves are together so doing something about that will be the next job

 

The 1974 tooling should get mentioned - I managed to lay my hands on one of those as well, 'Cripes A'Mighty'.

 

 

 

 

Cracking on with the ancient kit, I really had some great fun creating some of the missing detail:

There is a hole for the tailwheel but no well for the doors. The tailwheel will be up so I cut out the space for the kit doors and glued them in each fuselage half. Will save me making a mess of scribing.

For the airscoop, I thinned out the intake mouth and cut in a bit under the fuselage to create the idea of separation from the fuselage underside.

For the exit from the airscoop, the aircraft will be in flight, with the moveable exit door 'closed' (so I'll scribe in) but there is still an exit hole which does not fully close up - all part of the 'jet' exit assisting speed, I think. Internal surfaces / rad etc. made up from plastic card.

There is also an oil cooler exit underneath 'the doghouse' so I cut a hole in (from looking at the details on some of the excellent build threads in this GB) and put some internal surfaces in using plastic card. Once the fuselage is together, there is a bit of surface shaping detail to go on.

Empty coaming area at the front of the cockpit formed from thin plastic card.

Floor, seat with cushion and IP made up from plastic card - In a moment of inspiration, after cutting the provided seat pegs off the fuselage interior, I trimmed one of them to act as the seat headrest.

Assorted gizmos attached to the sides of the cockpit, hoping some of them look like throttle and flap controls.

Radio deck behind the seat made up from plastic card and block. Fuel tank filler (?) is courtesy of a q-tip shaft - looks massive.

I think the IP may need to come forward a bit so the pilot can see the dials but hopefully some paint will lend a bit of credibility to this lot. Stick and gunsight will be added later.

 

Paint applied to the cockpit with some red and yellow thrown in to make it more interesting. In the background, 'Cripes A'Mighty' is keeping pace.

 

Why didn't Airfix put the drop tank joins on the sides rather than the top and bottom? I had a brainwave to put seams on the drop tanks using thread - the thread held in place then extra thin cement run along it to soak through and stick to the plastic - one done and let's see what it looks like under paint.

 

The cuffs on the propblades weren't too prominent - it just looked like big thick blades hitting the spinner. I used a file to try to show a change in curve / boundary where the prop blades enter the cuffs and where the cuffs come down to the spinner, as in the pic below. I'll work on this as things progress.

 

Wings, tanks and aerial mast are on and seam filling well advanced! I've built up the coaming at the front of the cockpit so that will need more shaping when it is completely dry.

 

On the underside, I've put in some plastic sheet to try to get some better shape around the main air intake and the oil cooler outlet.

 

Humbrol 14 'French Blue' is on the spinner and nose but will be masked back and either 66 or 155 Olive Drab put on the anti-glare strip. For the NMF, I'm trying brush coating 191 'Chrome' - looks good in real life and I'll try Silver on the control surfaces to give a bit of variation.

Canopy frame painting is in progress, stick is ready to paint and a pilot has been found.

 

More painting in progress on the ancient P-51D - got the Olive Drab anti-glare strip masked off and using Humbrol 155 (a bit greener than 66). Canopy frame, pilot and stick painting in progress and I've done the rudder in 11 Silver since it is a fabric covered surface - thankfully, you can see a difference in shade to the rest of the fin which is my version of NMF. Those old transfers have been given a coat of Liquid Decal Film so fingers crossed.....

 

Pilot and stick are in and I added a rudimentary gunsight using a piece from the kit sprues. Canopy frame painting is complete. Prop blades have their yellow tips.

 

I dotted in the fuel tank filler caps on the wings and port fuselage in red and there was an adjacent detail on the port fuselage which I think is perhaps a coolant or oil filler cap (black). I scribed in a channel behind the cockpit to represent the rail on which the 'hood' slides back.

 

Canopy is now on and this gives a good view of all the key transfers - all behaved beautifully except for the star and bar below the starboard wing. Matt Cote on the prop, spinner, anti-glare strip, exhaust stubs and gun barrels and Satin Cote everywhere else. Wingtip navigation lights were 'dotted on' with the flat end of a small drill bit. I wasn't sure at first but to the naked eye, the Humbrol 14 French Blue is a pretty good match for the blue of the decals. 

 

Starboard side view.... The Humbrol 191 has done a decent job of masquerading as NMF. You can't see it here but I had to 'draw in' the front air intake below the spinner with a thin black marker as no detail was provided by Airfix on this kit. Exhaust stubs were given a dry brush with darkened bronze to give a hot/burnt look. The shrouds around the stubs could have been given a darker shade to distinguish from the NMF of the surrounding cowl panels.

 

View of the underside with recognition lights under the starboard wingtip. I also put some black on the intake grilles under the nose - Airfix just have a set of raised dots there rather than holes. No oily stains or sooting around vents or gun barrels on as yet. One of the wing tanks has picked up a bit of grit while the paint was wet but I can give that a smooth off later.

 

Engine run!

 

I think I can call this finished now. I really enjoyed this one and it was engrossing getting into all the P-51 details. The P-51 really is a clean looking aircraft - I'm a confirmed fan, now. 

 

While the paints were out for 'Fool's Paradise IV', I took the opportunity to keep 'Cripes A'Mighty moving along. Should be able to get the fuselage closed up now but want to do a bit more detail around that 'doghouse' exit again - I'm sure it doesn't fully close while the aircraft is in flight.

 

More progress on Cripes A'Mighty - looking underneath the fuselage, again, there is no radiator and oil cooler outlets - there are some handy panel lines to work to though and there is the newly arrived 'new tool' kit to compare with.

 

Prop and spinner assembled and fuselage closed up with stick and pilot in. Stabilisers and wings on - good fit all round. Tempting fate by putting on the radio mast at this stage - its broken once  already when coming off the sprue. I'm fitting the bombs rather than the long range tanks, just like the box art. Bombs in Olive Drab but requiring some red bands?

 

Exhaust stubs painted and on - makes painting the surrounding shrouds a bit easier for me. Fuselage seams to be sanded and those big grooves along the top flap/elevator joints maybe need some filling.

 

On the underside, I carefully cut out the doghouse exit - I've seen film now of P-51's in flight with the rad door fully closed and there is still an open outlet showing so I'm confident with this mod. However, I managed to cut and make the moveable rad outlet using the plastic already there.  Some plastic card fitted inside to fill the gaping hole exposed. Also, card and small bar inside the wheel wells which lack any sort of detail. The rad inlet is molded properly this time showing separation from the underside of the fuselage.

 

Insides painted - used Interior Green in the wheel wells before I remembered that most modellers are doing this in silver - must check this out. I have done the inside of the undercarriage doors in silver.

 

Here's something interesting, I compared the canopy from the 1974 kit with the one on Fool's Paradise IV which we thought was giving that kit the 'cartoon' look - it's the same length but not so tall and with a smaller windscreen section, I think.

 

Looking at the two kits side by side, the subtly lower canopy on Cripes A'Mighty does look better. There are two canopies supplied with the 'new tool' kit so one of them might end up on Fool's Paradise IV.

 

Insides of the wheel wells repainted in Aluminium and part invasion stripes applied to the underside. I've also added in an oil cooler outlet again, trying to follow the 'panel lines' on the kit. Came out a bit oversized but at least it is there.

Got the invasion stripes painted on on the fuselage underside - 18" in real life so used 6mm masking tape.

 

Filled the large channel where the upper wing sections locate to the lower and the wing and stabiliers join to the fuselage. Last look in the cockpit before the canopy goes on. Masking in place for the spraying of the NMF. 

 

NMF is sprayed using Rustoleum Metallic Silver and leaving to dry before taking the masking off - hopefully no fingerprints!!

 

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by Ventora3300

[Ventora3300]

I did previously mention this had newly arrived - the bang up to date Airfix P-51D - I'll enjoy building this one - looking forward to all the detailing being there for me!

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Ventora3300

[Ventora3300]

Masking is off on Cripes A'Mighty and getting ready for transfers before putting the undercarriage on. Red section still to put on the canopy frame (for the pilot's name) and although the bombs have hand-painted yellow stripes on, doing the same in red would be a bit of a challenge so I'm going to try red line decals which I found - (wing walkways for a Lancaster, I think).

 Still some touching up roundabout to do but all the navigation and recognition lights are dotted on.

 

[Ventora3300]

Here is Cripes A' Mighty finished - transfers and undercarriage on. The transfers stayed together but tended to curl at the edges before coming off the backing paper. The backing is a bit discoloured as well so noticeable on the kit. Satin Cote on the NMF areas and Matt Cote on the rest.

 

I put on some wheel well door actuating rods and the sway braces on the bombs, using the smallest plastic tube I had.

 

Red stripes on the bombs are just visible but again backing visible even after putting on Decalfix. I added some very gentle sooting with a charcoal pencil behind the exhaust stubs and the guns and also behind the oil overflow (?) on the starboard cowling.

 

 

 

Enjoyed this '2nd Generation' kit - it just really needed the rad flap and oil cooler outlet detail - which is already there on the 'new tool' kit now about to start.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Ventora3300

[jean]

Hi Ventora,

I love your type of dedication and perseverance!

Your builds speak volume and so far show how Airfix had progressed over a decade. I trust this last build will will highlight a cosmic quantum leap!!!

Great effort and the builds are seriously good looking!

I kind of tried something similar a few years back by building in parallel the P-51Ds of Tamyia and Academy in 1/72. It went well for a while, and now they have been in hibernation... in parallel for a long time!

So good on you to see your challenge through.

 

Keep at it and have fun!

JR

[Ventora3300]

On 17/04/2020 at 17:30, jean said:

Hi Ventora,

I love your type of dedication and perseverance!

Your builds speak volume and so far show how Airfix had progressed over a decade. I trust this last build will will highlight a cosmic quantum leap!!!

Great effort and the builds are seriously good looking!

I kind of tried something similar a few years back by building in parallel the P-51Ds of Tamyia and Academy in 1/72. It went well for a while, and now they have been in hibernation... in parallel for a long time!

So good on you to see your challenge through.

 

Keep at it and have fun!

JR

Many thanks, Jean - I look for all sorts of excuses to build the old kits! But really, the amount of detail in the newer kits is wonderful IMHO. I see you are keeping your 'new tool' Airfix Stuka from the STGB going so well done to you for that. 

 

This new tool Airfix P-51D is getting started now and the cockpit is together ready for painting - I had heard about the joystick being prone to breaking and I thought I was being really careful but it did indeed break as I took it off the sprue - it's lying behind the cockpit assembly at the moment.

I decided to do this kit in flight with wheels up so the undercarriage doors are fitted flush to the underside of the wings - look at all that lovely detail on the inside of the doors and wheeel wells that will be hidden! I immediately decided that I have to buy another of these new kits and do a wheels down / flaps down / cockpit open version after this one.

Wing tanks are together and they already come with what looks like sway braces moulded in so top marks again for the kit.

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by Ventora3300

[jean]

Hi Ventora,

it does look very nice indeed. Why buy only two?

Anyway, enjoy, as I am sure you will.

 

JR

[Ventora3300]

The wings and tanks are together now on this new tool P-51 and all fitted together really well but I can't believe I got a couple of glue smears with the Tamiya Extra Thin cement - it's because it is invisible at times that I find myself lashing it on! The pitot tube was tiny and that was what taxed me a bit as I daubed what turned out to be a pool of glue in the indent on the wing undersurface.

I've been wielding the paint brush - cockpit area painted with Humbrol 78 (stick refuses to stay repaired), rudder in Humbrol 174 Signal Red and I'm going to try Humbrol 89 Mid Blue this time for the Group identification colour on the spinner and fuselage. It's lighter that the Humbrol 14 French Blue so may represent a more faded shade. I can see on this kit that the frame for the sliding canopy is supplied separate to the transparency so that should help with reducing the masking required. The seat cushion has still to be painted and the pilot has on brand new, hence dark green, coveralls. His leather jacket should cover most of that though. I need now to put on the IP decal and the gunsight on top before assembling the cockpit to the fuselage.

 

[jean]

2 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said:

The wings and tanks are together now on this new tool P-51 and all fitted together really well but I can't believe I got a couple of glue smears with the Tamiya Extra Thin cement - it's because it is invisible at times that I find myself lashing it on! The pitot tube was tiny and that was what taxed me a bit as I daubed what turned out to be a pool of glue in the indent on the wing undersurface.

I've been wielding the paint brush - cockpit area painted with Humbrol 78 (stick refuses to stay repaired), rudder in Humbrol 174 Signal Red and I'm going to try Humbrol 89 Mid Blue this time for the Group identification colour on the spinner and fuselage. It's lighter that the Humbrol 14 French Blue so may represent a more faded shade. I can see on this kit that the frame for the sliding canopy is supplied separate to the transparency so that should help with reducing the masking required. The seat cushion has still to be painted and the pilot has on brand new, hence dark green, coveralls. His leather jacket should cover most of that though. I need now to put on the IP decal and the gunsight on top before assembling the cockpit to the fuselage.

 

 

Hi Mike,

 

this Mustang does indeed look appetizing! It looks a close second to the Tamiya P-51D. The latter did fight me all the way, and as a penance it is still on the shelf of shame! Between you and I, nobody else, I am sure, did encounter any problem with the Tamiya jewel!

Re the Tamiya extra thin going all over the show, it happens to me all the time! I just make sure I do NOT touch it, and when it is really dry, an extremely light sanding with very thin sand paper sorts it out to perfection. So no panic!

Your build and painting so far looks tip top! Great show!

 

Keep having fun.

JR

 

PS: Beware of canopy crystal separate from framing!!! What you gain in lack of masking is nothing compared to the risk of having your Extra Thin (her again!) go all over the transparencies!!!

[Ventora3300]

Cockpit painting finished now and the IP decal and gunsight put in - the gunsight is supplied in clear plastic so you can see the lenses etc. but a small wipe of black on the body as per the Instructions makes the whole thing look black! Control stick stuck back in for the last time, I hope. Prop blades, back plate and spinner together - I thought the retaining collar was a bit of a loose fit on the prop shaft and not too confident about this prop 'spinning' rather than just turning.  Ready to close up the fuselage halves now.

 

 

 

[Ventora3300]

P-51 new tool fuselage is together now - prop turns easily enough but is not 'a spinner'.I  cut a hole underneath for the old style stand, which I have borrowed from Cripes A'Mighty - no stand provided with this new tool kit. The radio mast looks as thin as the control stick was so I've cut the sprue section away with it to see if I have a better chance of separating the mast without breaking it.

 

The wing section slips back over the air intake but seems to be a tight fit - some sanding at the back required to get it in but when it does click into place, it looks great. It looks like the flaps have been depressed slightly but I don't think any filling is required at the joints here. It may have been better if I had fitted the flaps after assembling the wings to the fuselage - like the Instructions say....!

 

 

[Ventora3300]

The build of the new tool P-51D has been stuttering along trying to compete with the GB's going on at the moment. The pilot is painted and in together with the broken joystick. The aerial mast was also very delicate and got broken coming off the sprue. Front canopy is masked now but I forgot to put it in the shot. There is a choice of bubble hoods but no indication in the Instructions about which one to use when.

 

All the intakes and exit flap are on underneath. A little bit of filling

 

Ready now to have the blue nose and cockpit masked and to fly off for spray painting of the NMF.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Ventora3300

[Ventora3300]

The new tool Airfix P-51D has the NMF on now - I used 'Chrome' again as the ground crew have polished this P-51 lovingly. Rudder is on and masked windscreen on ready for painting. The exhaust stubs are waiting in the wings but a test fit showed they are really tight in the cowling slots - need some sanding. That aerial post needs straightening. Lots of stencils on this kit, coming next

 

 

 

 

[stevehnz]

I'd almost forgotten this, good to see it on track again. Really interesting & really nice work happening here too. Haven't kits come a long way. All we need now is for Airfix to not use such biscuity plastic & maybe someone will get the control stick & aerial off the sprues without them busting.

Steve.

[Ventora3300]

9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I'd almost forgotten this, good to see it on track again. Really interesting & really nice work happening here too. Haven't kits come a long way. All we need now is for Airfix to not use such biscuity plastic & maybe someone will get the control stick & aerial off the sprues without them busting.

Steve.

Thanks for that, Steve. This P-51D has been waiting patiently for a finish while I had the two Lancs going (A-Apple and G-George) - they have just been finished, at last, so I can get back to this lovely P-51. You are right about these new kits - I did say that the 'new tool' wheel well interior deserved to be seen so I now have another to start wheels down....!

[Beard]

I certainly didn't get the control stick off the sprue without breaking it and didn't even bother with the aerial (which I replaced with a bit of stretched sprue).

 

I think 5D is the canopy for the D, the other canopy (can't remember the part number) is for the K.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Beard

[AdrianMF]

I remember the first Airfix Mustang fondly - it was my first ever kit when I was six! I think you have put your finger on its biggest problem - the canopy being too large. Otherwise it is pretty accurate in outline.

 

I built another one around nine years ago for a “build your first kit” GB but the one I got from EBay had some other shape issues:

I did get a refund, and I did build it. The end result was 50% balsa!

 

I’m looking forward to seeing your three finished and in a line up.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

 

 

[Ventora3300]

On 12/09/2020 at 10:05, Beard said:

I certainly didn't get the control stick off the sprue without breaking it and didn't even bother with the aerial (which I replaced with a bit of stretched sprue).

 

I think 5D is the canopy for the D, the other canopy (can't remember the part number) is for the K.

Yes, I think you are right, Beard, the canopy with the slight hump is for a later marque.

On 12/09/2020 at 10:44, AdrianMF said:

I remember the first Airfix Mustang fondly - it was my first ever kit when I was six! I think you have put your finger on its biggest problem - the canopy being too large. Otherwise it is pretty accurate in outline.

 

I built another one around nine years ago for a “build your first kit” GB but the one I got from EBay had some other shape issues:

I did get a refund, and I did build it. The end result was 50% balsa!

 

I’m looking forward to seeing your three finished and in a line up.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

 

 

Maybe the original P-51D kit canopy was for a 'K' as Beard has mentioned above? Looks like you had to get the hot water out to get that kit of yours back into shape or maybe the balsa was easier to shape. This new tool kit is great, though - so much so, I'll be doing another wheels down! Main canopy and exhaust stacks on now and ready for the transfers. I need to check up again if the big hinge at the top of the rudder stays red or is NMF. The kit colour scheme says the trim tab is silver. Details, details.

 

 

[AdrianMF]

The new one is looking good!

 

I recently bought one (I want to do one of the "Bottisham Four" (in green, not blue!) but I noticed that the lip of the radiator is short shot. Won't send it back, too much effort, but it's a shame to have to mess with Milliput on a modern kit.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Ventora3300]

4 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

The new one is looking good!

 

I recently bought one (I want to do one of the "Bottisham Four" (in green, not blue!) but I noticed that the lip of the radiator is short shot. Won't send it back, too much effort, but it's a shame to have to mess with Milliput on a modern kit.

 

Regards,

Adrian

That must be bad luck, Adrian - you put the fear of death into me there so I rushed off to check my new P-51 kit and thankfully no short shots. Ready to go below. Also, that discussion on the 'blue mustangs' is an interesting one - I think the green wins by common sense even though the blue can be 'seen' by some on the brightly lit pics. I would just be happy to see four P-51's!

 

 

[Ventora3300]

Here is the Airfix new tool P-51 then with as many of the stencils on as I can see - some of them are nearly invisible on the backing paper, never mind the model.

 

Instead of the supplied nose art, I've put on a 'design' created by my son who had the idea of starting a line in clothes using some of his art creations - I put this on the P-51 to help his advertising campaign but also with the ulterior motive of getting him interested in kit building...

 

Applying Humbrol Satin Cote on the sprayed chrome, I noticed that it was 'melting' the surface slightly so stopped immediately - I'll just leave it as it is for now.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by Ventora3300

[2996 Victor]

On 02/04/2020 at 16:10, Ventora3300 said:

The 1974 tooling should get mentioned - I managed to lay my hands on one of those as well, 'Cripes A'Mighty'.

Cripes A'Mighty!

I remember building this exact kit in the late seventies and painting it at my Grandmother's flat during the school summer holidays

Ain't nostalgia wonderful! Thanks @Ventora3300 for the trip down memory lane

Three excellent builds!

Kind regards,

Mark