DesTROYers 1/32 P-51D Mustang

[DesTROYer]

Here is todays progress. The Main markings are now on and I hope to get the clear coat down tomorrow. I usually don't attached the antenna until near the end. I was doing well with it fitted this build, and then I snapped it off first thing this morning.








Now if you're as eagle eyed as ErigG, you'll notice that the red centres of the roundels are a little undersized. Thankfully he brought it to my attention before I had gone much further. So after dinner I whipped up some new masks on the Silhouette and headed back out with my special mix of Tamiya flat red and Red Brown and made them mini meatballs a bit bigger. Much better.

[RayS]

That is coming along really well Troy, nice catch on the roundels. At first glance I missed it. Good, you can fix it up so easily.

Your 'stang' is certainly looking the part now!

[Graeme H]

Really looking good there Troy

[BradG]

Super

[DesTROYer]

Another weekend gone and more work done. I started off by installing the Isradecal P-51D HVAR racks that arrived on Friday. I wasn't sure how I would install these at they came with PE mounting plates, but I could not see any of these plates in any reference photos. So what I ended up doing was using the PE plates for make templates on the sticky part of a post-it note. I then stuck them in place as per the instructions, marked out the locations for the rails and removed the masks. I then used CA glue and a steady hand to fix them in place.




I then started work on the rockets. I got a set and a whole lot more from a box of Skyraider weapons.


The fins were a bit thick and the mounts were in the wrong location, but with a sanding stick both were fixed to my satisfaction. I also took the opportunity to assemble the fuel tanks and make up some fuses to turn them in to Napalm tanks.


I applied Tamiya tape cut to the correct width in the correct mount locations and got painting.



And that was Saturday done. Today I started on the decals. After first tidying up the work bench, I studied my stencil location charts and started on the port wing, worked my way along both sides of the fuselage and finished with the starboard wing. I still have the underside to do, but for now the decal setting solution is doing its work.


















And that's another weekends work done. Just the underside stencils to go, then I can seal them and help the plane look like it works for a living with some soot and oil stains, and a very light pin wash. Then I can take off the masks and affix the hangy bits and call this Korean War Mustang done. Finally my Tracker decals should arrive this week, so next weekend will be a mix of work on that and the Mustang.

[DesTROYer]

I think I'm done. The final gloss coat is done and the Napalm tanks have been fit. I started fitting the HVAR's but they just looked wrong. Over sized maybe and the fins just looked too big, So I have left them off for now. I was all set to add exhaust and oil streaks, but on going through Pacific Mustangs again looking for some good grimy detail, I noticed that in more than most of them, exhaust stains were minimal and though there were a couple of photos with oil streaking from the RHS side cowl, again it wasn't common and likely die to some mechanical fault. Maybe later they will get applied, but at this time I am more than happy to leave it clean.

[hrtpaul]

Great job mate. That looks bloody fantastic. Re the oil stains, there's a hole in the RH lower cowl/wing fillet that after aerobatics etc has an oil streak coming from it. I'm pretty sure it's a breather line of some sort. Happens on all Mustangs, civvy and military and is definiely not due to any mecanical fault

[DesTROYer]

Cool Paul. That was the one I was talking about. Good to know.

[RayS]

NIce one Troy, your best one yet I would say.

So much detail on display!

[DesTROYer]

My Mustang was lucky enough to pick up a third place in the Open Mustangs category at Wings on the weekend. Well done to HRT Paul who picked up first and second place.