The Merits of American Style (1/72 Arma Hobby P-51B Mustang)

[Procopius]

27 minutes ago, Andwil said:

The whole Flanker family are horrible ugly planes IMO and there are far too many of them on here for my taste.

 

I actually don't disagree that it's an ugly aircraft -- it looks to my eye like somebody tried to make an F-18 out of inflatable balloons. I kiiiinda wanted to try and do the one brought down last month in Ukraine, but unfortunately(?) the bort number was not one of the parts of the aircraft that survived its abrupt return to terra firma. For what it's worth, I absolutely hate the Fw190, but I've built several and have two of the IBG 190D-9s to build as soon as I can find markings for ones shot down by the RAF (any assistance would be appreciated, and I reiterate that a series of decal sheets entitled "Made in Germany, Finished in England/Scotland/Wales/France/the Netherlands/etc" would be a surefire seller). 

 

3 hours ago, dogsbody said:

 

Don't do it! Mrs. P will need that money for new baby clothes

We have agreed that any clothes the baby wears will be girl clothes, ergo the boys' hand-me-downs will soon transubstantiate into little girl outfits. I hope she likes trucks.

 

3 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Don't do it Edward, Diapers cost a small fortune and if you're going with formula you’ll need to take a 2nd mortgage out on the house. 

 

Ugh, diapers really do, too. Mrs P does not believe in formula, and this Onion article comes pretty close to encapsulating her beliefs on the subject: https://www.theonion.com/new-study-finds-link-between-breastfeeding-always-know-1819576882 

[lasermonkey]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

 

 For what it's worth, I absolutely hate the Fw190, but I've built several and have two of the IBG 190D-9s to build as soon as I can find markings for ones shot down by the RAF (any assistance would be appreciated, and I reiterate that a series of decal sheets entitled "Made in Germany, Finished in England/Scotland/Wales/France/the Netherlands/etc" would be a surefire seller). 

 

Eagle Cals EC #2 contains  Fw 190D-9 W.Nr 210968/Black 8 of 2./JG26 flown by Uffz. Karl Fröb which was shot down during combat with Spitfires on 17/04/45. The wreck has been recovered and is currently being restored.

 

Hope this helps!

Mark.

[Space Ranger]

17 hours ago, perdu said:

Does anyone use log tables?

Aboard the OrbitJet we use slide rules.

[Procopius]

16 minutes ago, lasermonkey said:

Eagle Cals EC #2 contains  Fw 190D-9 W.Nr 210968/Black 8 of 2./JG26 flown by Uffz. Karl Fröb which was shot down during combat with Spitfires on 17/04/45. The wreck has been recovered and is currently being restored.

I...love you! Now I just need to figure out whether it can be built from a Cottbus/Early Production boxing.

 

Anyways, this evening I've been suffering from what I shall delicately refer to as intestinal distress, presumably a symptom of whatever it is I've caught. This meant that my modelling time this evening took on the aspect of a workout, as I repeatedly sprinted up the basement steps to a restroom. Delightful. If I die, the mortician will be able to display my well-turned legs at my funeral, so that's something.

 

Tonight it was filler time. I have never encountered a model that doesn't need filler, not even supposedly perfect Tamiya ones, so I assume this is in some way an indictment of me. In any case, filler was applied to seams this evening:

 

PXL_20220419_013325167 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

PXL_20220419_013335014 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

PXL_20220419_013358945 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

The clear parts just clicked into place for the test-fit. I removed them and laid some Colourcoats around the cockpit rim.

 

PXL_20220419_014951680 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

I also added the intake bits under the nose and the fuselage. So now it's just to let the paint and filler dry, and then we can close up the cockpit and sand down the seams. 

[AdrianMF]

Cockpit looks smashing through the amazingly clear windscreen and the wheel wells look superb!

 

Su-35 - don't do it. We need you to build more WWII.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[stevehnz]

3 hours ago, Procopius said:

this Onion article comes pretty close to encapsulating her beliefs on the subject: https://www.theonion.com/new-study-finds-link-between-breastfeeding-always-know-1819576882 

That is bloody brilliant, my wife breast fed our three & has most obviously gained similar insight into others issues.   

What sort of filler are you using Edward & more germanely, how do you apply it, if looks as though clean up would be much simplified?

Steve.

 

[Procopius]

9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

What sort of filler are you using Edward & more germanely, how do you apply it, if looks as though clean up would be much simplified?

 

3M car bonding putty, with the area to receive it masked off by tape beforehand. I learned it from Navy Bird.

[Hook]

15 hours ago, Procopius said:

Quite aside from the present moral implications of buying Zvezda, their Su-35 is a pretty poor kit, I'm told.

That's because it is a Nakotne mold. I believe these kits were made in a factory that used to make plastic LADA rear view mirror housings in the ol' Soviet days, which explains a * lot *.

 

Cheers,

 

Andtr

[Steve Coombs]

37 minutes ago, Hook said:

That's because it is a Nakotne mold.

Well over 20 years ago now, I got my hands on a Nakotne Su-27 kit, freshly arrived at my favourite model shop in Frankfurt. Later, I sat down on a park bench and opened up the box. Which then vanished into a nearby waste bin, after I realised I had neither the patience nor the putty to make a decent job of it.

Chalk that one up to experience.

[Hook]

2 hours ago, Steve Coombs said:

I got my hands on a Nakotne Su-27 kit

I have this one which cost me 5 euro, which frankly was overpriced. 

 

Still, I have to practice airbrushing somewhere...

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[stevehnz]

5 hours ago, Procopius said:

3M car bonding putty, with the area to receive it masked off by tape beforehand. I learned it from Navy Bird.

Thanks, I did wonder that, seems like I should try this. As to Zvezda Su-35, I've obviously been under a misapprehension on these, I need to go back & straighten that out. 

Steve.

[Jackson Duvalier]

I've enjoyed following this build so far, Edward.  I'm a big fan of this kit.

 

Be advised that that long seam down the top center of the nose which you've so laboriously filled was a panel line.

[Procopius]

Just now, Jackson Duvalier said:

I've enjoyed following this build so far, Edward.  I'm a big fan of this kit.

 

Be advised that that long seam down the top center of the nose which you've so laboriously filled was a panel line.

 

 

[thin high sound which only dogs can hear]

[Jackson Duvalier]

36 minutes ago, Procopius said:

[thin high sound which only dogs can hear]

 

[comforting noises]

 

There there, a lick with your scriber of choice will set things aright. 

 

One of the things I don't like so much about the Arma P-51B/C kit is the vac-form-esque locating tabs along the nose-top join.  My preferred method on Merlin-engined Mustangs is to scrape a tiny delicate curl of plastic off each side of that panel split; when glued carefully it leaves a nice clean recessed line where a nice clean recessed line ought to be. Naturally I've discovered several ways to muff it, but it works well enough on most Mustang kits.  Arma's locating tabs prevent a smooth even stroke of the hobby knife.   I'll probably cut them off next time, the fit is good enough that I don't consider them necessary.

 

In any case, the limitations of injection moulding prevent proper representation of the rows of Dzus fasteners along the upper nose, so regardless of how the modeller chooses to address the panel line there's still a need to make evenly spaced dimples on each side, 13 pairs by my count.  So you've that to look forward to.   

Edited April 19, 2022 by Jackson Duvalier

[HAMP man]

50 minutes ago, Procopius said:

[thin high sound which only dogs can hear

Please stop, my collie cross is howling at the sky. As an aside did the the Man from Arma say which bit of the flap had to be sanded?

I empathise with the dunny dash but always find the fly fandango three seconds too long. 

Anyhoo raised eyebrow time due to fuse seam filler requirement.

 

Box on

 

Strickers

[dogsbody]

55 minutes ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

I've enjoyed following this build so far, Edward.  I'm a big fan of this kit.

 

Be advised that that long seam down the top center of the nose which you've so laboriously filled was a panel line.

 

Now that's a definite " Oh  ! " moment. 

 

I can just about hear that coming from the lower regions of Casa Procopius.

 

 

Chris

[Rob G]

1 hour ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

Be advised that that long seam down the top center of the nose which you've so laboriously filled was a panel line.

 

And if you leave it there, people will point and laugh, and say "Lookee there, this chap can't even fill seam lines", because the expectation is that there will be no centre seam showing, even when it's supposed to be there. 

 

So take comfort in your seam-filling conformity, and know that you can either be correct, or popular, your choice. 

[AdrianMF]

45 minutes ago, Rob G said:

correct, or popular

Some of us seem to have chosen neither without realising it...

[Procopius]

46 minutes ago, Rob G said:

 

 

So take comfort in your seam-filling conformity, and know that you can either be correct, or popular, your choice. 

I...I was unaware I could choose! Popular! I choose popular! At long last!

[Procopius]

Clear parts are on!

 

PXL_20220421_010101669 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

Don't let my ham-handed efforts fool you: these are really nice clear parts. Over the years, I've built many 1/72 American aircraft with the little quarterlights behind the hood, and these are the first ones that didn't make me want to harm myself or others. The fit is excellent. 

 

In fact, all parts are now on the model save the main landing gear, drop tanks, and prop. It has gone together very easily.

 

PXL_20220421_010110514 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

Just some minor sanding to be done around the intake, which I had omitted to use filler on in my first go-round, and we should be ready to mask and prime.

[Stew Dapple]

Those clear parts certainly are very... er... clear  Nice to see those tiny cockpit transfers won't be wasted  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[perdu]

I agree with oor bunnetted companion, blimey they're nice and clear.

 

I wonder if when the paint is on, whether you might take a leaf from The Baron's 'Finishing Off' book and add the line along the engine cowling with a fine 2B pencil given that most lines moulded into aircraft models are moulded 'big to be seen' in the factory?

 

Certainly wouldn't compromise your work in any way.

 

It might be seemly to ask about the brood and their mother.

I won't...

[Terry1954]

2 hours ago, perdu said:

I wonder if when the paint is on, whether you might take a leaf from The Baron's 'Finishing Off' book and add the line along the engine cowling with a fine 2B pencil given that most lines moulded into aircraft models are moulded 'big to be seen' in the factory?

 

I'd say that was a pretty good suggestion Bill. Was thinking along those lines myself.

 

The Mustang is looking really good Edward. My own (the RS moulding of an H) is progressing slowly, and should be ready for an RFI as soon as I can get my lazy Covid ridden fingers out!

 

Here is a glimpse to show I'm still in the game...

 

 

 

Decalling to finish off, then maybe a tiny weeny spot of weathering and then the final bits to add.

 

I've promised myself an Arma Hobby P-51 (or two) when this one is done!

 

Terry

[Procopius]

5 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

 

 

 

The Mustang is looking really good Edward. My own (the RS moulding of an H) is progressing slowly, and should be ready for an RFI as soon as I can get my lazy Covid ridden fingers out!

 

I've been admiring it every time I log in to Flickr, but how cruel of you to show up my amateurish modelling by putting it here, practically side-by-side with my own efforts. If it's anything like the RS kits I've built, it must have been quite a job to get it to that point.

 

7 hours ago, perdu said:

I wonder if when the paint is on, whether you might take a leaf from The Baron's 'Finishing Off' book and add the line along the engine cowling with a fine 2B pencil given that most lines moulded into aircraft models are moulded 'big to be seen' in the factory?

 

I was actually thinking something similar, though using a very thin bit of decal strip.

 

7 hours ago, perdu said:

It might be seemly to ask about the brood and their mother.

 

PXL_20220420_202905262 by Edward IX, on Flickr

 

Grant will, I'm told, make a full recovery.

 

Incidentally, I was watching one of those youtube videos where some massively skilled modeller builds a kit without ever screwing up while music plays (presumably not to conceal their muttered cursing, but that's what I'd be doing), and as they painted the (1/48 scale, hack, spit) cockpit tub and instrument panel a single colour, the text that flashed on screen was "Harder & Steenbeck 0.2mm needle", and it was just, like...why? Oh well. Their finished model was certainly better than anything I can achieve, so maybe the real trick is using the smallest possible needle to airbrush your cockpit internals.

[perdu]

43 minutes ago, Procopius said:

Grant will, I'm told, make a full recovery.

I almost intoned "Ah diddums" but sensible restraint took over, unusually for me.