A while ago I scored an Arii 1/72 BD-5 kit for NZ$5, the catch being it was only the prop kit (the model normally builds two aircraft, one prop and one jet). No matter - I drilled out the prop shaft housing to make it more jet-y and added a couple of spare intakes and voila! But how to paint it? Hang on...how big are the decals in this 1/144 Bell X-1 kit?....
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/165672BD-F9D6-4EF1-A93D-89FCBBCF5DFA_zps7ftz5fvq.jpg)
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/DE8B73D0-2764-41DC-B9F0-4B04D58EA366_zpsc1juhsmn.jpg)
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/9B2475C1-1F6C-4BBC-9D0E-14D9B7F21D9B_zpskvxlijfl.jpg)
Here it is with the cabin floor of an Agusta A109:
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/65B3DD89-AF01-45E6-9BBB-0E00B907F1BD_zpseytv5maa.jpg)
And in the palm of my hand:
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/B58D8BAD-5882-4851-90E0-C811270C4E2C_zpscnpknwwy.jpg)
And in pride of place on The Shelf:
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/ZacYates/just%20models/84D283F6-B0B5-43B6-B301-59040902503D_zpskcpekogp.jpg)
Built with Dragon 1/144 Bell X-1 decals. The paint is the Humbrol acrylic orange that came with the 1/32 Aston Martin DB-5 Starter Set. The lighting in our garage sucks for photos - it's much more orange in person! I'll try some natural light photos soon if I remember.