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1/48 Tamiya P-51D (Part 2 of 2) |
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converted to a P-51K |
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To simulate some placards on the cockpit side walls I add parts of lead foil, painted them in flat black and let them dry. Then, with a needle I simply scratched the black to simulate the writing instructions…..
The instrument panel, I first drop some GLOSS WHITE from tamiya ( acrylics ) in each one an let them dry. Then, I painted the panel with flat black from Humbrol, and as for the lead foil, before the black colour is completely dry I use a needle to simulate the bottom of them . As the black enamel don't mix with the white acrylic, I gently used the head of the needle as an engravor, you could approach the reality of actual instruments…..simple but not new…and not from me !!
I
maybe make an error with the seat, as the black box seat was coming with the
cushion and the harness in resin moulded on….next time I'll take all that
off…and make a new one, specially
for the harnesses, so you could give them another look. For the cushion, I was
not very convinced by that one…but didn't know if all the Mustangs have the
same one? Fuselage,
wheel wells and gun bay… About
the wheel wells, I just could tell you that I simulate the wiring with thin
metal wires. About the wiring, I always try to drill a hole at the beginning and
the end of the line…so I just put the wire in the hole and glue it from the back
with super glue!
For the rear wheel, I add some plasticard on the fuselage to simulate the frame…and broke the rear gear when I tried to clean it. So, the only thing was to build a new one…and turn the wheel to give it another look ! I use a metal trombone for the job…..
About the gun bay resin part…same as for the engine mount…made for the HASEGAWA kit…so just a bit small for the TAMIYA wings….I added plasticard around the piece to close the gap. I didn't add the guns and ammo at that time, easier to manipulate and for masking before the paint job!
For the " end" of the guns I used hypodermics needle….I also added the "braces" at the wings pylons, but choose not to add the fuel tanks, just for the look of the bird….I wanted a clean bird!
Nothing
special about the building of the rest of the kit…easy as usual for TAMIYA.
Just one thing, make a clean job when gluing or sanding, specially when you have
to paint your model in aluminium with the TESTOR METALISER, when you get a
tiny scratch on the plastic…it will show!! Adding
the engine….. The
other bad part of the job……nothing is really said in the " small"
instructions from Verlinden….but I was not expecting so many difficulties!
There is in fact nothing to hold the engine….you'll have to find yourself the
right spot. I finally followed the fuselage line, maybe it's too low…… When
this job was done, you'll have to add all the photoetched parts simulating the
frame……something you'll have to be patient….I had to make some new frames
in plasticard for the area that was rebuilt….but, I will say that plasticard
is easier to manipulate to build frames than photoetched!!! Paint
job ! As
I told you, I used TESTOR METALISER, always the same technique: The first coat
are dark metal, exhaust colour for some areas and Magnesium…then a coat of
aluminium. I
let it dry for a few minutes and with my motor tool; armed with a buffing wheel,
I polished the whole bird. That's the answer for the question…why did
he put a dark colour under?…because I polished the model in different
directions,
making it a little harder and you'll see the dark colour coming…so you could
have different metal effect ! BUT…don't be too heavy handed…..because
the plastic is under the metalizer….and damage occurs fast ! Last
detail…. As usual…Ii found a new pic showing the Major Carson bird…..when the job was nearly finished! That pic shows the bird taxiing slowly…and I noticed a kind of "hole" in the center of the fuselage STAR….what was this? The legend say that it was one of the rare P-51 to be equipped with the "foul weather lights" and also it has the Tail Warning radar antenna (AN/APS-13)…….gosh….I couldn't miss that! So I drilled two holes on each part of the fuselage, the front one is a bit under the front canopy and the rear one is placed in the center of the STAR! For the radar antenna, I drilled all the holes and decide to add them at the end of the job!
The
rear vue mirror was something I've never seen before, something like a mirror in a
clear shaped part, on top of the canopy! So I shaped a small clear part, glued a
piece of Bare Metal and glued all of it with white glue on the canopy!
Last
thing, don't ask me why I didn't add all the fuselage parts coming around the
engine……I know lots of people do that and place them around the model ! OK
OK,…that's my fault, as I was only thinking at that at the END of the
job…pretty difficult at that moment ! I
think that I may vacuformed the front parts of the fuselage before cutting
it……but I'm a liar…I
didn't have the spirit to do that at the beginning !!!!!!!!!
heeheehee! So,
we actually saw lots of P-51's coming on the net, that's great to see something
different than grey planes…it was also a very fun model to build! Nothing
overwhelming as I told you before, just take time, take a clear look at all the
parts before assembling, make lots of dry fitting before gluing….and it's done!
I
hope this article was not too long for you, and too boring also….I'll try to
explain some of the building steps, which could be interesting for future
modeling projects !! Don't
take care at my English sometimes…..I'm french talking in Belgium, and I needed
training before going to the Nats at Virginia beach this year (2002)……… Have
fun with building plastics! And for the American readers, I hope you had a great 4th of July !!….here on my little balcony, the banner has been floating since the beginning of the World Soccer Championship!!! Patrick IPMS
BELGIUM
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Photos and text © by Patrick Spitaels
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