453rd BG Museum Build - P-51D Mustang - East Wretham (Green Nosed) 370th FS "CisCo" (using the Tamiya 1/48 kit)

[hendie]

That sir, is one fine looking piece of engineering.

 

56 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

Just going for a busy look.

 

I think you hit that one

 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by hendie
fat fingered typo

[bigbadbadge]

Ooooooo that undercarriage bay looks fantastic as does the cockpit Terry. Cracking work.

Glad you had a great trip too.

Chris

[Navy Bird]

Which is more fun - the Mustang or the beer?

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Outstanding work on both!   

[giemme]

Terry, that wheels bay looking just amazing, and so does the cockpit! Brilliant job!  

 

It was great meeting you (and the rest of the gang) in Norwich, I really had a great time! (and probably far less beers than you guys had per capita, but I'm still learning... )

 

Ciao 

[perdu]

10 minutes ago, giemme said:

It was great meeting you (and the rest of the gang) in Norwich, I really had a great time! (and probably far less beers than you guys had per capita, but I'm still learning... )

 

This is true, it was a pretty wonderful weekend and I owe you guys a debt of thanks for allowing me to piggyback on your visit to that amazing museum.

 

But to put right a minor misunderstanding, whilst I sank many cubic inches of beer during the visit (Adnams, what not to love?) Giorgio, Ced and Johnny disposed of many litres of red between them.

 

All credit to them too, what a fantastic trip.

[Pete in Lincs]

That kit does look interesting. Thanks for the thought. I do know where that half timbered pub is in Norwich. I found it a couple of months ago while I was Searching for another bar nearby. The build is coming along very nicely indeed. Looking very realistic. 

[AdrianMF]

The build looks more like a full size restoration job than a model!

 

Glad you enjoyed your trip. Sounds like great fun.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

[Thom216]

Great work on the 'pit! All the detail is just jumping out.

 

And I want to dive through the screen and explore that 142 year old hobby shop!!!!😃

[Brandy]

Lovely wheel well, it really looks busy.

I'll have to get over to Old Buckenham with you guys some time. I have the pilot's licence and medical certificate of an old friend who was a B17 pilot

 Shot down in '44, he spent the remaining time in Stalag Luft 3, including time in solitary. He couldn't stand to be in a room without windows even up to his passing.

My girlfriend at the time was a very close friend of his and got his diary, including sketches, from his time in SL3 along with a nail from one of the huts.

I've been trying to get her to donate it to a museum for years with no luck....

 

Ian

[woody37]

This is a feast of detail Terry, lovely progress on the gear bay and pit.

 

I've just realised the last time I made a P-51 D was before I needed to shave 🤣

 

 

[Pete Robin]

An interesting and very accomplished build so far!

A friend of mine used to plough acres of what was East Wretham airbase. We spent many hours metal detecting in places that weren't ploughed and came up with quite a haul (if he still has it). A lot was from the Polish occupation prior to the Americans arriving but it's still possible to find a little treasure from time to time.

He and his good lady were married in the Church there. It's some time since I visited and I aren't sure how much (if anything) physical like taxiways, buildings etc. are intact, but if you are careful, you can poke around the edges without getting yelled at (or possibly shot)😜.

Anyways, keep up the good work.

Regards

Pete

[Klaasdebouwer]

Excelent build I would add. I really love the busy look of the main gear wheel wells. This modell should be placed on a mirror when it's done. 😁

[Fritag]

More respect for that there wheel bay from this ‘ere quarter, Terry 

 

 

21 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

 

 

Are you sure that's your best side Steve?

 

Oi!

 

Mind you, I did wonder why they said ‘put yer dark vizor down for us….’

 

 

 

 

[perdu]

Subtle...

[81-er]

Very, very nice work on that gear bay, Terry  I need to get out to Old Beckenham for a visit at some point

 

James

[Terry1954]

Wow, a whole month has passed since anything got done on the P-51D....................

 

After our Norfolk trip things became more chaotic at home with building work disrupting everything, not least the ability to safely do any modelling without the invasion of the dreaded dust. Still, at the end of it all, I should end up with a dedicated hobby room, where there was once an integral garage. The new room still will have to double up as a crash pad for some of my lot when we have a house full, but that will be on rare occasions. Apart from the actual distraction of the building work, I've also had to construct a facility in the garden, to now house all the tools and gardening stuff, plus bikes, skateboards, surfboards etc, that the younger members of the family still insist we keep, even though they are long gone!

 

And then, two weeks ago ......................... another grandson was born!  That's seven for me, and four for Mrs T making 11 in total 🥳

 

And on the modelling front, there was some small amount of work to finish off these little chaps, which are now fully decaled and sit on their own stands, all ready for Telford.

 

 

Also, some projects for the Tank Museum, with this one possibly making it to Telford if I can get it decaled, details painted and weathered in time ........... but don't hold your breath! 

 

 

And one last non P-51 event in the form of my first attempt at figure modelling painting, in probably close to 50 years. Some of us at the Tank Museum were given some 3D printed figures to try our hand at painting, and inspired by a chat with Giorgio @giemme (over a beer in Norwich of course), I decided to have a go.

 

This is the primed figure after cleanup. Bear in mind this chap is 1/35, so around 2 inches high.

 

 

And here he is after some initial facework and uniform starting to take shape. This guy is a German WWII tank crew member, so uniform is difficult to paint black, all over. Actually, no black is visible so far but there will be some in the deepest crevices - like a panel line wash I guess.

 

 

A way to go yet, but I'm quite enjoying the different techniques needed in hand painting figures.

 

Some responses to the comments on the last Mustang update........

 

Thanks to @hendie, @bigbadbadge @giemme, @Navy Bird, @Pete in Lincs, @AdrianMF, @Thom216, @Brandy, @woody37, @Pete Robin, @Klaasdebouwer, @Fritag  and @81-er  for the kind comments re the wheel bay. I'm pretty pleased with it, and as you'll see, all snug inside the wings now.

 

 

On 10/7/2023 at 8:18 AM, giemme said:

It was great meeting you (and the rest of the gang) in Norwich, I really had a great time! (and probably far less beers than you guys had per capita, but I'm still learning... )

 

It was great meeting you at last Giorgio. As for the beer intake, there is always next time ................. 

 

On 10/7/2023 at 8:36 AM, perdu said:

This is true, it was a pretty wonderful weekend and I owe you guys a debt of thanks for allowing me to piggyback on your visit to that amazing museum.

 

But to put right a minor misunderstanding, whilst I sank many cubic inches of beer during the visit (Adnams, what not to love?) Giorgio, Ced and Johnny disposed of many litres of red between them.

 

All credit to them too, what a fantastic trip.

 

T'was a real pleasure to have you along Bill, and remember, I'm not fully qualified yet, given this build has a way to go, and there is a 1/72 B-17 waiting after that. Not to mention the La.......... ok no, I won't mention that 😜

 

On 10/7/2023 at 4:49 PM, Brandy said:

I'll have to get over to Old Buckenham with you guys some time. I have the pilot's licence and medical certificate of an old friend who was a B17 pilot

 Shot down in '44, he spent the remaining time in Stalag Luft 3, including time in solitary. He couldn't stand to be in a room without windows even up to his passing.

My girlfriend at the time was a very close friend of his and got his diary, including sketches, from his time in SL3 along with a nail from one of the huts.

I've been trying to get her to donate it to a museum for years with no luck....

 

You should come over Ian, next time there is a foray up that way. I'm sure it won't be long before we have another. I reckon @CedB will be onto it again next year.

 

On 10/7/2023 at 6:31 PM, woody37 said:

I've just realised the last time I made a P-51 D was before I needed to shave 🤣

 

That's an interesting way of measuring it Neil!

 

On 10/7/2023 at 7:01 PM, Pete Robin said:

A friend of mine used to plough acres of what was East Wretham airbase. We spent many hours metal detecting in places that weren't ploughed and came up with quite a haul (if he still has it).

 

I reckon you would get on very well with Jim the curator!

 

On 10/7/2023 at 7:40 PM, Fritag said:

Mind you, I did wonder why they said ‘put yer dark vizor down for us….’

 

Making sure you remained a man of mystery Steve, I'm sure!

 

Well, at last the fuselage got closed up, and the wings too. Held together with actual glue ........ honest guv.

 

 

And that £$*@%ing resin bay minus around 30% of the original resin in order to fit into the wing it was designed for!

 

 

 

And just one more close up of the bay installed .......... 

 

 

And a final shot with wings and fuselage mated together. The fit is close to perfect, but not glued yet, as there is clean up work to do on both fuselage and wing joins, plus some bits to add to the fuselage.

 

 

 

Not much will get done over the coming weeks, as the builders continue their work, limiting my workspace somewhat.

 

Looking forward to catching up with those attending Telford at the weekend.

 

T.

[bigbadbadge]

16 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

And that £$*@%ing resin bay minus around 30% of the original resin in order to fit into the wing it was designed for!

Ahh yes the joys of resin.  It certainly was worth the effort Terry, looks phenomenal and its great to see the fuselage and wings together too

The tank looks great too and you are mastering the dark art of figure painting well. 

Great work on all and good luck with the building work too. 

Chris

[AdrianMF]

26 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

resin bay

Well, we are all enjoying it... 

 

Lovely work,

Adrian

[giemme]

Ah, great progress on the Mustang, Terry!  Mating fuselage and wings it's always a milestone in a build

 

Not my field of interest, but that tank looks really good to my uneducated eye

 

Ciao 

[Zephyr91]

It's a privilege to watch a master at work.  I wholeheartedly second whoever said that you must consider displaying the finished model on a mirror so that that beautiful undercarraige bay is not lost to sight.

 

Thanks for sharing all this

 

cheers

 

Rob

[Pete in Lincs]

And I'll third the mirror wheeze. Excellent.

[81-er]

That bay might have caused you a lot of grief, Terry, but it looks fantasic in place now. I like the tank as well, I'll keep an eye out for that one at the weekend

 

James

[Courageous]

3 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Looking forward to catching up with those attending Telford at the weekend.

Glad to see some eclectic modelling done Terry; missiles, tanks, Pony but no boats (Vosper}. All of them look fantastic and look forward to seeing them on your table.

See you in the bar, mines a pint .

 

Stuart

[Terry1954]

12 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great work on all and good luck with the building work too. 

 

Thanks Chris. Fingers crossed the building work should be done before Christmas.

 

12 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

12 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

resin bay

Well, we are all enjoyin

 

At least someone did!

 

12 hours ago, giemme said:

Mating fuselage and wings it's always a milestone in a build

 

I agree Giorgio, it certainly feels that way.

 

12 hours ago, Zephyr91 said:

It's a privilege to watch a master at work.  I wholeheartedly second whoever said that you must consider displaying the finished model on a mirror so that that beautiful undercarraige bay is not lost to sight.

 

Thanks for sharing all this

 

cheers

 

Rob

 

You are way too kind Rob. I think the mirror idea will win!

 

11 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

And I'll third the mirror wheeze. Excellent.

 

On reflection, I agree Pete 😅

 

10 hours ago, 81-er said:

That bay might have caused you a lot of grief, Terry, but it looks fantasic in place now. I like the tank as well, I'll keep an eye out for that one at the weekend

 

James

 

Thanks James. I doubt the tank (an M-24 Chaffee for those in the know) will be finished in time, but I'll bring it along as a WIP.

 

9 hours ago, Courageous said:

Glad to see some eclectic modelling done Terry; missiles, tanks, Pony but no boats (Vosper}. All of them look fantastic and look forward to seeing them on your table.

See you in the bar, mines a pint .

 

Stuart

 

Thanks Stuart. Yes, we'll drink a toast to the poor old Vosper. Long may it's build last 😂

[perdu]

"The fit is close to perfect"

 

And as soon as solvents approach we know how likely that state of affairs is to reality don't we?

 

The Mustang undercarriage/chassis will be rather wonderful inside that beautiful well Terry.

Worth every ounce of angst, all of them.

 

I will see you at the weekend, not competing I hope to enjoy it better than last year, which was great.