Airfix 1:24 P51 Mustang WIP

[Guest]

Before I started on this kit my original intention was to do as I have usually done in the past - just build it straight from the box. But having built the 1:24 Mk1 Spitifre recently and put in a motor to please my 3 year old grandon, I relaised that Airfix dont really do a lot of justice to such a large scale model. yes I know its based on a 70s mold but come on it should be better than that by now. Anyway to bring it back to the mustang and to cut the story short, I decided to add the motor in again for my grandson's pleasure, but it was while looking at the gapping big hole where the indercarriage goes that I realised it was time I bit the bullet and had a go at fixing it.

I've not done any scratch building before so dont expect a lot. lease:

Not having done this before I looked at some pics of the area concerned and thought - how on earth am I going to make all that and cram it into that small space? (Actually the space is not that small - its just my concept of it). At the same time I looked at some pictures of the Packard version of the Merlin engine and realised that I could make some simple alterations there to. A pipe here and a pipe there - no cutting needed just a little drilling.

Anyway here is where Im at at present.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5470514239_3e60609b64_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5471106250_c91bda2a83_b.jpg

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http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5470513609_df42f50f0e_b.jpg

Sorry about the way Ive inserted the pics but using the correct method kept telling me the pics were to large and I didnt want to spend time decreasing their size least I lose the confidence to put them up in the first place. BTW the last image is of the cocokpit floor Ive attempted to make. Anyway hope that its not that bad.

[Dave W]

Looks like some good scratch building to me.Looking forward to seeing the finished model.Are you building the RAF version or USAF?

[Guest]

Thanks Dave.

At the moment I just dont know which one to build. I've obviously done RAF camo before but Ive never attempted to do a natural metal one before so I have no idea what problems I face on it. Im also limited as to what paints I can use as the only brands available locally are Humbrol, Revell or Tamiya. So I don't know if its possible to get the right result from those anyway. I had considered using auto industry spray paint that I could get at Halfords but again not sur how that would behave. So unless I decide to get some other brands of pant from the www I havent a clue. Also I have no idea how to wheather a nm. does it go rusty? At least with a painted camo I could attempt to do paint chipping

Anyway on a slightly different note, since I already have the wheelbay done I thought I'd have a go at the gun bays as well. I'll drop in a couple of pics as soon as I take them I really should learn to photograph the before and after stage but as I said this is my first attempt so I had not really decided to put up pics.

[Guest]

I used Citadel acrylic paints many years ago for plain "natural looking" metal doors etc when i used to paint metal minitures for Dungeons and dragons.

Two colours were perfect i found, "chainmail" and "boltgun-metal",

"chainmail" thinned down for several coats with the darker "boltgun" thinned further as a wash (both paints needed a little flat black mixed in to subdue the metalic look a little)

Might have the desired effect for a natural metal look for the plane?

[Guest]

Great build, can't wait to see how it comes out. Think It will look better metal than camo.

[stona]

That's coming along nicely.

Bear in mind if you go for natural metal that the wings outboard of the fillets were actuall painted,top and bottom, in a silver lacquer which doesn't look quite the same as the rest of the aluminium airframe.

The laquer covered the putty which was used to fill most of the panel lines on the P-51 wing,obviously not access panels, giving a uniformly smooth and efficient surface.

Here's a nice picture of a Merlin in a BOBMF Spitfire to inspire you with yours in the Mustang.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Anthony first of all anyone who takes on this kit dererves a medal, I've helped a friend try to get his fuselage together and it wasn't pretty! However if you stick with it you can make a superb model from it and I totally agree Airfix have never made enough of the 1/24th scale models and added any detail over the years. I'm sure an additional sprue could make a huge difference to all the kits in this range.

As for the pictures, I can understand your reluctance but don't forget there are many people around the world who have considerably slower connections than the broadband we use in the UK and so after struggling to load this thread they are then faced with independantly loading each picture on top of that. Resizing really is a few seconds job and makes the thread so much better to look at and more available to more people. I say this as when I am at work in the USA my speed is appalling and I simply haven't got the time to wait for the pictures to open and consequently I haven't looked at them.

If you need help resizing then ask away but let us know what operating system you use and what photo editing software you have loaded. There is third party resizing software out there but you may well have the means of doing it in your mchine already.

[Guest]

Thanks all. Just a question based on the photo Stona has added. On the picture it shows 2 copper pipes running from behind the engine somewhere to underneath it. Where do they connect? The photos Ive been using as ref for the P51 dont show these pipes at all as they are hidden by the lower cowling plate.

I note from the picture that on the model, Airfix have put the copper pipe running from the tank just in front of the engine in the same style as the Spitfire. It wasn't until I compared it with a picture Ive been using of a P51 that I realsied that on the P51 the pipe follows a different path. I guess I need to move that and lengthen it somewhat I dont suppose anyone has any pics of the engin in the P51 from different angles to see these pipes? The ones Im using can be found at The Airstrip - Prime Portal which I have found to have some super pics on it of all sorts of military vehicles.

[Guest]

Anthony first of all anyone who takes on this kit dererves a medal, I've helped a friend try to get his fuselage together and it wasn't pretty! However if you stick with it you can make a superb model from it and I totally agree Airfix have never made enough of the 1/24th scale models and added any detail over the years. I'm sure an additional sprue could make a huge difference to all the kits in this range. As for the pictures, I can understand your reluctance but don't forget there are many people around the world who have considerably slower connections than the broadband we use in the UK and so after struggling to load this thread they are then faced with independantly loading each picture on top of that. Resizing really is a few seconds job and makes the thread so much better to look at and more available to more people. I say this as when I am at work in the USA my speed is appalling and I simply haven't got the time to wait for the pictures to open and consequently I haven't looked at them.

If you need help resizing then ask away but let us know what operating system you use and what photo editing software you have loaded. There is third party resizing software out there but you may well have the means of doing it in your mchine already.

Thanks for the heads up on this. Its not a case of not being able to do it - I knw how, it was a case of its the first time Ive done any scratch building and it took a bit of confidence to put them up in the first place. However having said that and seen the helpful replies Ive had so far I'll make some adjustments and post them up here a little later. Just one question is thaere a thread giving details on max size etc?

[stona]

Hi Anthony,I can't check those pipes at the moment and don't want to say something that I later find to be incorrect,hopefully someone else will have the info.It was a tight fit under those cowlings so I wouldn't be surprised if some "plumbing" was routed differently,again someone else may know for sure.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Ok Ive uploaded the images to the gallery. I had tried to just put up thumbnails here but I cant figure out how. (I can put up the image itself though). Any ideas before I post the actual images?

Ignore this. I think its because the files are still to big

[Guest]

I think the pictures clearly show you've already made a huge improvement over an out of the box build. The extra detail in the wheel wells, engine bay and the gun bays looks very realistic.

Here's some thoughts on resizing:

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/chit-chat/10743-reducing-picture-size.html

I can't remember what the limit is here but I know it tells you at the bottom of the window when you are uploading the pictures. Apologies for not looking, it's not laziness, it's just I haven't got time to wait for it all to load! Speed is appalling here.

[yak face]

Hi antony, great scratchbuilding, as you say its a bit behind the times this kit,in fact i remember doing it when i was about 12!!!!!I had mine hung from the bedroom ceiling on drawing pins!! Looks like youll make a fine job of it , cheers tony

[Guest]

Ok lets see if this works.

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[Guest]

Very impressive work. Looks fantastic. Well done looking forward to seeing more very soon.

Andy