P-51D Wheel Bay Colours

[TAG]

On 10/19/2021 at 1:46 PM, Paramedic said:

I see people paint that frame between the radio and the fuel tanks in either black or interior green..

Away from my refs at the moment so can't show you an official T.O., but everything from the armored headrest back was left in black, including the mounting frame for the battery and radio, as well as the interior of the canopy frame and sidewalls in the area around the main fuel tank. Most model companies incorrectly call this out as Interior Green.

This is a restoration but it is accurate for wartime Mustangs:

 

On 10/19/2021 at 1:46 PM, Paramedic said:

 

And.. Some call the floor covered in rubber while I see sources saying it was similar to the walk-panel on the wing - some mix of silica sand and black paint. (Maybe the same thing, almost) - but I guess both would chafe, similarly..

 

Just mention them sicne I ran across those too when I researched for mine.. That frame you might see in different colours anyways. The floor is some kind of black, whatever it is made of..

Yep, they could be all shades of Interior Green, Dull Dark Green or even YZC, and were coated in non-skid surfacer over plywood. Here's some original Mustang floorboards in varying shades of IG and relatively unscuffed:

And another pair worn down to the wood, these look to be in DDG and YZC:

 

Cheers,

 

- Thomaz

[TAG]

1 hour ago, Paramedic said:

Ah thanks!

 

Love your avatar @TAG - cannot wait to slap one of those on a Tamiya Jug soon!

Tussen tack, dude! It is a pretty badass squadron badge, "Give 'Em Hell!" loosely translated from Portuguese (some people say "Hit 'Em Hard" but that's more of a literal translation). You probably already know this but FCM makes epic decal sets for FAB Jugs in 72, 48 and 32 scale.

[72modeler]

@TAG,

 

Thank you for posting those detail photos; the second one is the best I have seen that shows why the rear edge of the canopy slopes down over the top of the fuselage and not parallel to the sill, as depicted on so many models. Because of the downward slope of the spine behind the canopy, as it slides rearward along the  track on the centerline, it pulls the rear of the canopy down, and as the canopy frame is wider than the fuselage at that point, the canopy overhangs the fuselage. This was pointed out  many years ago on the P-51 SIG website,  and it is a small detail, but one often overlooked by Mustang modelers. IIRC you have to chamfer the living daylights out of the inner edge of the canopy frame on the 1/72 and 1/48 Tamiya kits to get it to sit correctly. Thanks again for taking the time to collect and post the photos. The one showing the black painted areas along the upper sidewalls and area aft of the seat was also outstanding. (What restoration was that one from, BTW?) 

Mike

[Paramedic]

3 hours ago, TAG said:

Tussen tack, dude! It is a pretty badass squadron badge, "Give 'Em Hell!" loosely translated from Portuguese (some people say "Hit 'Em Hard" but that's more of a literal translation). You probably already know this but FCM makes epic decal sets for FAB Jugs in 72, 48 and 32 scale.

 

Oh yes, I have FCm´s. Just need to finish off an M and an N. Then it is D bubbeltop-time..

it is badass! Sadly I do not even speak the slightest of Portugeese, but i am glad to have people like you that can enlighten me!

[TAG]

2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

@TAG,

 

Thank you for posting those detail photos; the second one is the best I have seen that shows why the rear edge of the canopy slopes down over the top of the fuselage and not parallel to the sill, as depicted on so many models. Because of the downward slope of the spine behind the canopy, as it slides rearward along the  track on the centerline, it pulls the rear of the canopy down, and as the canopy frame is wider than the fuselage at that point, the canopy overhangs the fuselage. This was pointed out  many years ago on the P-51 SIG website,  and it is a small detail, but one often overlooked by Mustang modelers. IIRC you have to chamfer the living daylights out of the inner edge of the canopy frame on the 1/72 and 1/48 Tamiya kits to get it to sit correctly. Thanks again for taking the time to collect and post the photos. The one showing the black painted areas along the upper sidewalls and area aft of the seat was also outstanding. (What restoration was that one from, BTW?) 

Mike

My pleasure, Mike! I love nerding out on this stuff, and I'm more than happy to share what I find. There is a wealth of information right here on this site, actually. I know for a fact that @antonio argudo is very knowledgeable about the Mustang, as well as @John Terrell. In fact, they both contributed greatly to what is arguably the most accurate Pony in 1/48 scale ever built, in this case by the aptly named @Totally Mad Olivier. Vous ête fou, good sir, but in a totally awesome way. 🙃

 

Oh, and that restoration is Cripes A Mighty, by P-51 specialists Midwest Aero. She won Grand Champion at Oshkosh in 2002, so some pretty solid bona fides, I reckon.

 

- Thomaz

[72modeler]

4 minutes ago, TAG said:

so some pretty solid bona fides, I reckon.

Roger that! Along with Happy Jack;s Go Buggy, the ill-fated Baby Duck, Twilight Tear, and F6D Lil Margaret- they are among the class of the field, methinks, when it comes to accurate P-51D restorations!

Mike