Ian M' Mk.IV Mustang. Airfix 1/48.

[Ian M]

Right then. Start with the have too's

Fancied another Bare metal Aircraft for a while but not that many to choose from in the RAF. Saw this and then the GB got announced; It would have been rude not to, would it not.

The sprues fresh out of the bag. Quite a lot of plastic as it happens. A closer look in a bit.

As I said befor, the NMF is the version I will me attempting...

Very nice Decal sheet. Thin carrier film. Lets hope they go down well. Those Blue and white checkers should be fun. Might end up paining those. That way the colour will match the spinner!

The clear parts are just that. CLEAR. quite thin but very clear and bright! Wonder why there are three bubbles and two screens.... hmm.


Clean crisp panel and rivet detail. As to the accuracy I will leave that to the experts, although I have not read bad reviews of it being wrong.


Those nice big panels are begging to be oil-canned....




Hmm but sunken and raised rivets...


Wonder if them holes are ment to be there....


IP don't look bad, could paint that one a good day, otherwise theres a decal....


Even the seat ain't bad.

Might be a day or three befor I get into it.

A question or two.
Would the Interior been in British Interior green or American. same with the primed surfaces. GB Green or US yellow chromate.
Also the paint guide has some panels in Alu colour and some in 'silver' Is it safe to assume that the 'silver' was steel or some other metal...

Cheers
Ian M

[adt70hk]

Looks very good Ian!!

[Lee Drennen]

Nice line up plastic Ian.

[Tim Marlow]

Looks a really good kit Ian. If the decals are like the Airfix ones in my Spitfire they will be a pleasure. As to colours, I would expect the interior to be standard US colours, yellow chromate in working areas, and US cockpit green in the cockpit. Good discussion here…mentions an “Apple green” as well.

https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/interior-colours-of-us-aircraft-1941-45-part-i/

As to the metal bits, it could be “Aluminium” is actual bare airframe metal and “silver” is painted to look like airframe metal……

[Mini Me]

I don't want to be the "fly" in the ointment here.........but having worked in aviation for well over 40 years, I have literally painted hundreds of gallons of zinc chromate primer as well as it's replacement, FR primer (Fluid Resistant) and believe me when I say this..........no two batches are alike. I've seen it go from very bright yellow all the way down to a very dark olive green. If it looks good when you're done painting it.....mission accomplished. :thumb2:

[Tim Marlow]

I don't want to be the "fly" in the ointment here.........but having worked in aviation for well over 40 years, I have literally painted hundreds of gallons of zinc chromate primer as well as it's replacement, FR primer (Fluid Resistant) and believe me when I say this..........no two batches are alike. I've seen it go from very bright yellow all the way down to a very dark olive green. If it looks good when you're done painting it.....mission accomplished. :thumb2:

Says that in the link I’ve posted Rick :thumb2: Apparently cockpit paint wasn’t a lot better either….

[Ian M]

Thanks Tim a very interesting read. Which backed up by Rick says that hidden away places. Yellow. Places that get seen a bit light green Cockpit darker green.
I have also learnt that ALL the American built aircraft in RAF service where lend-lease. So delivered to the UK in US (ANA) spec paint.
Camouflage , if any, being added after delivery.

As to the metal bits, it could be “Aluminium” is actual bare airframe metal and “silver” is painted to look like airframe metal……

The paint guild shows parts of the wing, both top and bottom some painted Aluminium others 'silver'. Could it just be some where polished up and others not so looked dull?

[KarlW]

IIRC some parts are bare aluminium and some bits like leading edges are treated, I recall seeing a diagram a while back. How much this treatment effected the overall finish I do not know but mustn't have been by much judging by the modelling community.

[Tim Marlow]

The paint guild shows parts of the wing, both top and bottom some painted Aluminium others 'silver'. Could it just be some where polished up and others not so looked dull?

No idea I’m afraid Ian

[Mark1]

Instructions for mine show which areas are painted metallic silver and which are metal colour, ill put up a picture later it may be of some use to you.

[Mickc1440]

That looks like a really nice kit Ian, good luck with your build

[Mark1]

My paint codes are mr hobby c8/h8 silver(dark area) and sm201/mmc001(light)

[Ian M]

Instructions for mine show which areas are painted metallic silver and which are metal colour, ill put up a picture later it may be of some use to you.

Mine show it as well. Just wondering if they're different metals or just different finishes..

[Ian M]

That looks like a really nice kit Ian, good luck with your build

Thanks, the detail is pretty good and so far the fit is good as well.

[Tim Marlow]

Mine show it as well. Just wondering if they're different metals or just different finishes..

Looking at Mark’s diagram Ian, most of the airframe is actually painted with silver paint rather than polished bare metal. I would then say that the painted areas would be shinier and brighter (literally like silver paint) than the bare metal areas. These would be a duller aluminium colour.