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Last Legs Ponies: P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts (and other American WWII fighters) around the Caribbean


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On 9/4/2022 at 9:23 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

You can try Eduard and a couple of other companies. They make them in 1/48 so possible they do them in 1/72. 

I didn't realize Eduard did these, but looks like they're just 1/48, unfortunately.

 

On 9/5/2022 at 10:18 PM, philp said:

If you can't find another kit to rob look for missiles or small bombs, cut off the noses and drill them out and you can get close.

This is an intriguing idea, and one @fox1_BE employed I've just learned. Looking at my spare bombs and thinking what this might look like... I like the creativity. Will have to get these spare parts beside the booms and figure out what they could look like.

 

On 9/5/2022 at 10:18 PM, philp said:

As to the bit under the nose, one of the 2 Lightnings that Nicaragua acquired was an M but converted to L standard, the other was an L.  It is possible the M still had the pylon that holds the nose radar on the nightfighter version but looking at the photo it is also possible that it is just showing the portside wing based on the angle.

From what I've seen the M radar pod is circular, not squared, and whatever we're seeing in the photo looks very square to me. But, I think I'll move on and forget about whatever is happening there. Maybe it is just the wing as you say...

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5 hours ago, philp said:

lead weights in the nose and engine fronts.  These are old bullets that I found at a shooting area in Montana 45 years ago.  Still have a bunch saved.

 

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Wow, did you reduce that bullet in the nose somehow, or did it really fit that perfectly? Thanks for the photos to reference. I'm going to experiment with liquid gravity on my Hobby Boss P-39 and see how that works. Looks like the P-38 kit has plenty of room to play with.

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6 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

From what I've seen the M radar pod is circular, not squared, and whatever we're seeing in the photo looks very square to me. But, I think I'll move on and forget about whatever is happening there. Maybe it is just the wing as you say...

Correct the pod was round torpedo shaped. But the  mount was a square sided oblong shape when seen from below and the sides. 
 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:421st_Night_Fighter_Squadron_P-38M_Lightning_Night_Fighter.jpg

 

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-38-lightning/lockheed-p-38m-lightning-night-fighter-7234/

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I put a burnt umber wash on Dominican Republic's underside. Nothing especially dirty, but enough to bring out some texture. I also applied some colour of the ID lights. Made a bit of a mess over there, so will touch that up once dry.

 

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18 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Wow, did you reduce that bullet in the nose somehow, or did it really fit that perfectly? Thanks for the photos to reference. I'm going to experiment with liquid gravity on my Hobby Boss P-39 and see how that works. Looks like the P-38 kit has plenty of room to play with.

The nice thing about lead is it is malleable.  I do believe I modified them a bit to make sure they fit. 

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On 9/8/2022 at 1:13 AM, Bertie McBoatface said:


Legs? Cobra? 🤔 

The "last legs" pun made sense for Mustangs, less so for Cobras, I admit...

 

Speaking of legs, Dominican Republic's are on...

 

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Tamiya includes a small arm that supports/opens the inner UC doors, but one pinged away and they were too small and too much hassle to deal with. The wheel well light is installed as are, of course, the rockets and pitot tube. Prop is dry fitted for now.

 

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Matt coat applied, landing lights painted on, ID lights got a drop of Pledge, prop and canopy fitted, and Dominican Republic is done.

 

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Here she is beside her fellow last leg pony from Costa Rica:

 

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RFI and more photos to come...

 

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Yay!  DM looks terrific.  Even though I've said it before, Costa Rica looks great too.  This is a fun thread seeing all the different "clothes" the P-51 wore...

 

Funny, I've got the Hobby Boss P-38 in the stash too.

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On 9/7/2022 at 11:05 AM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

But the  mount was a square sided oblong shape when seen from below and the sides. 

I think you must be right that this is what is in that P-38 photo. Radar pod removed, but pylon mount remains. So now I will want to source something to model that, too..

 

On 9/11/2022 at 1:53 PM, opus999 said:

Yay!  DM looks terrific.  Even though I've said it before, Costa Rica looks great too.  This is a fun thread seeing all the different "clothes" the P-51 wore...

Thanks as always! I was struck with how much I like Costa Rica, too, when I pulled it off the shelf! I thought I would like the funky DR camo more, but something about Costa Rica is really appealing.

 

On 9/11/2022 at 1:53 PM, opus999 said:

Funny, I've got the Hobby Boss P-38 in the stash too.

Join the P-38 STGB?

 

On 9/11/2022 at 8:23 PM, VT Red Sox Fan said:

I really like the Dominican Republic P-51D.  I also really like the contrast between the YZC wells and the underside on this model—it’s even better that it is the most likely color combo this late in the P-51’s career.  Well done! Best, Erwin

Thanks, Erwin! and yes, my research suggested I was safe assuming YZC in the wheel wells, so glad you caught that!

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I have been back down to Calgary, and back home, and back down to Calgary, etc. the last few weeks, and on a couple of occasions have gotten to the Hobby Boss P-39. But I've been bringing her home now, too, to keep working on her. My biggest hold up is trying to figure out what to do for the fuselage-mounted machine guns, which Hobby Boss omits. I ordered these, which I may try to install through holes I have yet to drill: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/profimodeller-72001-gun-barrel-cal50-x-2--981839

 

Anyway, I also found a spare IP decal to apply--it felt too plain without it.

 

y4mGwcI7gMItAZhDjmaloBbOuppDjJYIPOpQIP4S

 

@PeterB inspired me to consider replacing the kit's prop, so I explored the spares box. The kit piece is painted black, the unpainted prop is from a Hawker Hurricane Mk I. I didn't measure, and I'm guessing it's still short, but it looked better overall to me, and I didn't have anything else to go with.

 

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So, I assembled it with the spinner.

 

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I am working on the Nicaragua P-38 over in the STGB, but I want to assemble the P-39 first to test out the Liquid Gravity before I use it in the P-38. Especially now that Arma has a P-39 kit, I'm a bit more relaxed about treating this Hobby Boss P-39 has a guinea pig. Not that I will buy an Arma P-39, but I could if I wanted to (i.e. if this goes badly), y'know?

Edited by ModelingEdmontonian
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20 minutes ago, opus999 said:

I really don't know anything about group builds -- I haven't paid attention.  So I'm not quite sure what they're about...?

The main thing is to have fun, otherwise they're not much different than a normal build thread except for whatever special rules the host(s) set up. There are time limits but there is nothing forcing you to finish. 

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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This is really not much of an update, but I had the gunmetal out for the P-38 so went ahead and painted the P-39's exhaust stacks.

 

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The P-39 is now going to get further work done here in Edmonton, so perhaps more to come soon...

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As predicted, more work on the P-39 occurred... began filling the holes in the wings where the gun pods for the "Q" version mount (also you can see I gave the front wheel well a coat of YZC--I'm doing the wheel wells with YZC and will do the inner doors and UC legs in "Bell" green):

 

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Filled with putty and sanded flush, primer will tell if more work is needed, but look alright at this stage:

 

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Up top I glued a couple of spare pieces together and popped this "radio box" behind the cockpit--I'll leave it like this, just wanted "something" there under the canopy and not completely blank space.

 

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Lastly, I got the stabilizers on. Opted to not drill a hole for the antenna mast, because it seems many of the P-39Ns did not carry them and there is not one in the profile I'm working off of.

 

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Getting close to not being able to do too much more until those fuselage MG holes are drilled, but I'm waiting for the brass MGs to arrive so that I have a better sense of what I'm doing before I start sticking a drill in the upper fuselage.

Edited by ModelingEdmontonian
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i like the radio box -- nice idea.  This is coming together nicely.

 

I found a great deal on a Tamiya P-51D, so it looks like my Dominican P-51 is a step closer to reality.  I thought seriously about using the upcoming Arma, but, like I said it was a good deal.  Besides, you can be sure that I'll be getting the Arma P-39! 

 

...and maybe a Hurricane....

 

....and....

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