High Speed P and F-51 Mustang Fighters

[The Big Gimper]

Following Johnsjunk's lead on his F-51-R, has anyone built a High Planes kit? I see John used quite a few non-HP bits to finish the kit.

A contra-propeller Mustang fighter would be shot in the heart for the JMNs. 

I was thinking of either the Red Baron RB-51 or Griffon Mustang Racer World Jet.

What should I expect?

[kitnut617]

It actually looks like the High Planes kit of the Mustang World Jet racer, I've got one half built somewhere (it got packed away when we house moved and it's still there  )  I might even hazard a guess that the flaps is something you can buy from HP too, pretty sure I've seen that on their website.

The cannon come from the Italeri Mustang Mk.I kit.  Got a couple of those too --, not sure on the tanks though.

I've built three, four HP kits, they're not bad but they're not for the 'shake & bake' crowd, you actually have to apply your modelling skills on these --- 

Couple of pics of HP kits I've done below but I've got loads of them in the stash

[raafif]

depends on what scale you're planning .... I've built a few of their 72nd kits & they're rather like early FROG ... build-able with effort - they are of aircraft types not done by others or long OOP.  The Beauforts I built have white-metal U/C & guns + vac-form canopies.  Their racer aircraft should be better & easier as they're made with much newer technology & experience.
I understand that their 48th kits are much better.

All HPM kits are limited-run and are often out of production for a few years before he re-does / upgrades the moulds or decals.

Try asking on Hyperscale or AussieModeller for opinions of builds.
Or PM or email JohnsJunk himself ....
original article here http://www.network54.com/Forum/47751/message/1308466741/F-51-R+Mustang++Luft+46%27+Bomber+Interceptor

and on BtS http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1723.msg23751#msg23751

High Planes should be a good source for injected-plastic contra-props in both scales for whif projects ??

[The Big Gimper]

Thanks for the feedback. I have not bought the kit. Next pay cheque. 

It will be 1/72. I'm not very good with white metal so I will take the landing gear from a F-51 donor and the cannons could be aftermarket turned brass.

[Diamondback]

If it counts for the P/F-51 family, near the end of Gingrich & Forstchen's 1945 some P-82s with rocket boosters are mentioned in passing IIRC. Sounds like a pretty quick and simple WHIF to do...

[kitnut617]

Thanks for the feedback. I have not bought the kit. Next pay cheque. 

It will be 1/72. I'm not very good with white metal so I will take the landing gear from a F-51 donor and the cannons could be aftermarket turned brass.

I use a lot of white metal u/c, it's fairly easy to use.  The HP's ones just pop in where they're supposed to go, at least the kits I've built they're like that.

Those cannon could be turned brass but they really do look like this below edit: then again maybe not ---