Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: KiwiZac on August 29, 2016, 05:22:34 AM
-
Hi all,
Some of you may know my pet Real World modelling projects are preserved "warbirds". I'm almost finished doing ICM's 1/48 P-51D/K as the late Col Pay's CAC Mustang A68-107/VH-AUB, an aircraft familiar to many airshowgoers in Australia. At the same time I'm doing a Kiwi Civilstang - the petrol company-sponsored "Mobil Mustang" ZK-CCG from the 60s - so don't be surprised if you see double in the photos!
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/FE068768-8338-460F-BBC6-F47E32F7AEFE_zpsxxvctcbo.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/FE068768-8338-460F-BBC6-F47E32F7AEFE_zpsxxvctcbo.jpg.html)
Key to doing this project are decals: the lovely Red Roo set for VH-AUB, and Red Pegasus of the USA for ZK-CCG. I ordered the Aussie ones with a bunch of other stuff and they arrived very quickly...but in 1/72! An email to proprietor Gary saw me return them in exchange for the right scale set...and then a second set arrived a few days later?! He said I can feel free to hang onto it and pass it on to anyone who wants it. Very kind.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/1134C61B-F78A-47D9-8307-ABDAD4A54E64_zpsvfhtzcii.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/1134C61B-F78A-47D9-8307-ABDAD4A54E64_zpsvfhtzcii.jpg.html)
First up on the bench was VH-AUB, the Aussie bird. I was in the mood for a quicker build so rather than mix a match for RAAF Cockpit Green I just used Tamiya XF-71. I also got a set of Red Roo CAC prop blades. I removed the radio boxes and also the headrest, in line with photos I've seen of the real AUB. ZK-CCG retained the military radios for a while so I kept them in place for that one.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/B4C1C296-8234-4EEA-88DD-805C2BAF1EAF_zpsevlosuxj.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/B4C1C296-8234-4EEA-88DD-805C2BAF1EAF_zpsevlosuxj.jpg.html)
A casualty of my "quickbuild" ethos was the wing dihedral on AUB: "measure twice, cut once" when it comes to this kit, it seems! The wings are flatter than I'd like but it's still unmistakeably a Mustang. The fit is actually quite nice overall, but the Tamiya one is (surprise surprise) even better.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/29521E3B-699B-4988-B5B9-DF410C3A1AC3_zpsnvojox3b.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/29521E3B-699B-4988-B5B9-DF410C3A1AC3_zpsnvojox3b.jpg.html)
VH-AUB is the one on the left. I painted the nose first as you need to install the exhausts before the top cowling.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/649147CB-0503-415B-801A-1BD9CE64FC5D_zps6qpplwge.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/649147CB-0503-415B-801A-1BD9CE64FC5D_zps6qpplwge.jpg.html)
AUB still on the left. Most photos I found of her on the ground show the flaps down, so that's what I went with. It's half-and-half with CCG, but as the flaps fit nicely as-is they're down too. CCG will take a lot longer as I need to get some white spray paint. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh how I hate painting white, yet so many delicious subjects are white :-X Both aircraft had the shell ejector chutes faired over, so I masked and filled these on each model.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/6A067011-DE9A-461B-B2B8-AF45C24AAFD5_zpsowpvonaj.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/6A067011-DE9A-461B-B2B8-AF45C24AAFD5_zpsowpvonaj.jpg.html)
I'm using overall Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminium on the Aussie bird. The rudder almost always looks darker than the rest of the airframe in photos, a fact mentioned in the Red Roo decal instructions, so I did two coats of Flat Black followed by two of X-32 Titanium Silver (not applied here). The effect looks right to me, although I'm kicking myself for not buying more Tamiya Acrylic Thinner before using the X-32. It gets more gloopy the more you use.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/88AF088C-9B75-4FE6-AC97-37D163B78047_zpsfnbrw3v6.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/88AF088C-9B75-4FE6-AC97-37D163B78047_zpsfnbrw3v6.jpg.html)
Here's where I left it last night (Red Roo resin CAC wheels and tyres now fitted). The whole thing (apart from canopy and windscreen, and gear) has received a coat of Humbrol Gloss in preparation for decals. The eagle-eyed among you may see the guns appear to be rounded - both AUB and CCG had domed covers over where the gun barrels protrude from the wing leading edges. A few passes with a sanding stick and voila! Instant civilianisation!
The decals should go on AUB this weekend...unless the Mosquito flies (https://www.facebook.com/Avspecs/videos/1328657340501029/), in which case I plan to spend Saturday drooling over that silver warbird instead. CCG will need to wait.
-
Got lots of pics of Col Pays' P-51 (somewhere) mostly from air shows at RAAF Richmond or HMAS Albatross, I'll look forward to this build :)
I know there are slides of a civil P-51 with Mobil logos from a 60's air show at Richmond, wonder if it's the Kiwi bird?
-
2 Mustangs built in parallel? Would you join them into kinda Twin-Mustang Double-51? completing the 82... ;)
-
FAAMAN - I don't think ZK-CCG ever went to Oz. I know there were a few BP- and Castrol-sponsored Mustangs there, though.
She's done, but I need to take some glamour shots. A fun build and the Red Roo decals were great.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/9BC43BEC-4734-4F4B-ACF3-F939B66669D0_zpsbsntzo0l.jpg) (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/ZacYates/media/just%20models/9BC43BEC-4734-4F4B-ACF3-F939B66669D0_zpsbsntzo0l.jpg.html)
-
Super build and finish :) :) :) 8)
Looks like the civil registered P-51D VH-BOB :-*
-
Neat! :) 8)
-
Looks like the civil registered P-51D VH-BOB :-*
I'm tempted to build that next! The two wear very, very similar schemes.
-
Yes please KIWI :)
-
Wow is that crackerjack, Zac!
Nice shot of the old rubber band trick. Been there many times. Worked a treat on your Mustang!
Brian da Basher
-
Thanks Brian! The Kiwi one is still waiting for paint, hopefully I can get to that in the near future. I tried taking some glamour shots of 'AUB but sun + white background + silver aircraft = one very dark model!