Subject: Re: P-51D & Aires Detail set by Alan Williamson
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "hurricane" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:47:51 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: hurricane 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 5:49 AM
  Subject: P-51D & Aires Detail set by Alan Williamson

  .

  "1/48 Tamiya P-51D Mustang" 

  by "Alan Williamson"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  Kit: 1/48 Tamiya P-51D Mustang 61089

  Additions: Aires P-51D Detail set 4089

                              Ultracast P-51 Mustang Wheels Diamond Tread 48132

                              Ultracast P-51D/K Seat 

                              EagleCals P-51D Mustang EC-102 TO WAR WITH THE YOXFORD BOYS

  Construction:

  I acquired this kit when I was at Areoworks one day along with the Aires detail set. When I got it home I examined the Aires set my first thought was I must be a gluten for punishment however I started the build.  Like with all kits I started with the Aires cockpit painted in Model Master Interior green , with flat black for the control panel and switch boxes. I then dry brushed silver around the cockpit and once dry I hit the cockpit with the Tamiya weathering master set B sealed off with a cote of matt clear. My next job was to make the Aires set fit to the kit, this required some major re-modelling of the kit. First I used my small sanding drill to sand out the cockpit walls from the kit, followed up with cutting of the cowling and front section of the kit to make room for the Rolls-Royce engine, mounts and firewall / bulkhead. For this job I used my hobby saw, this was a trial and era once chance to get it right, Aires make note in their instructions with a shaded diagram of what part of the kit needed to be removed. I happened to cut to much out oops.This resulted in a lot of putty required to fill gaps. Next on the list was to cut out the gun bays I used my re-scribing knife to accomplish this job. Sorry no photo did not back them up and lost them in a computer snafu. Last but not least before construction was to re-scribe all of the panel lines. 

        Picture 03 show the cowling and front half of the kit removed ready for the Aires engine set. Picture 04 finished kit. Click on image below to see larger image
             
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  Constructing this kit was no easy task I had bitten off more than I could handle, but after reading and checking out other modellers article's on ARC I wanted to build a P-51D with the Aires detail set. My first drama stated with the assembling of the cockpit. I had lots of fit problems and I broke the Aires cockpit seat. So I had to order one from Craig at Aeroworks, I ended up using  the Ultracast P-51D/K seat to complete the cockpit. I must admit I don't like using super glue not enough time to get the fit right, it can end up messy, I had to cut the air intake of the kit cockpit and make it fit the Aires cockpit. super gluing it behind the cockpit while dry fitting the cockpit to one halve of the fuselage. Hopping that once I had glued the cockpit to one side of the fuselage the other halve would fit, the moment of truth when the tow halves came together....A slight gap emerged when the two halves were assembled, this was filled with Tamiya putty. My next task was to attach the firewall, part of the fit went in with out any drama but I had removed to much off the kit when cutting of the front halve just in front of the cockpit window. This monumental mistake gave me nothing but head aches to repair, lots of putty was required and a heap of wet rubbing to reshape the section in front of the cockpit window, so much so I thought of scrapping the entire project. No matter how much I tried I just could not get the shape right every time I dry fitted the cockpit window I had a gap, to over come this problem I had to glue the cockpit window to the kit. Something I do not like to do, especially before painting. There was no option left the only way I was going to fix this was to glue the window in place. Now that I had finally gotten the shape right in front of the cockpit window next on the list was the construction of the gun bays. The right wing gun bay  went together quite well with little fuss, however not the left wing, Once I placed the left gun bay into position I found I had a slight gap which turned out to be a big problem to fix. Using styrene I placed it between the gaps with some putty placed over the top to get the right fit followed up with some wet rub to obtain the right shape. Gluing the wings to the fuselage went together with no problems, I then made my next mistake I glued the engine frame to the fire wall and painted it, but I managed to brake them off at least four time during the remainder of construction and painting.  I Attached the Rolls-Royce engine and wiring more fiddly work, it was now time to paint.

        Click on images below to see larger images
       
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 0?.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 0?.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 0?.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 0?.jpg  

  Paint and Decals:

  With the last putty and wet rub touches made to hopefully get rid of any imperfections the kit was ready to paint. My first Idea was to paint the kit aluminium with the decals Big Beautiful Doll which were included in this kit. But when I sat back and thought how much work would be involved in trying to place the checked deals on at least four parts of what would make the cowling I chickened out. I searched the web for available decals for this kit, after finding decals I like I place an order with Craig at Aeroworks for  EagleCals P-51D Mustang EC-102 TO WAR WITH THE YOXFORD BOYS. I now had two colour schemes to witch I could use. My usual method was used Model Master  Aluminium Plate first followed up with Model Master Olive drab ANA 613 and Neutral Grey FS3621. A slight wet rub to give the kit a faded and worn look. Then the entire Kit was then painted with Humbrol gloss clear ready for the decals. The decals used on this kit are to represent Frenesi piloted by Fighter Ace Major Tommy Hayes Jr. Tommy saw action in the Pacific Theatre were he accounted for at least two Japanese victories while stationed with the 17th Pursuit Squadron stationed at Java. Tommy also was stationed in the European Theatre with the 364th FS Group were he accounted for nine more victories. With the decals on I covered the kit with another cote of gloss clear, and then went to work darking the panel lines followed up with cote of matt clear to seal the pastel. I wanted to make this bird look really worn and dirty so out came the Tamiya Weathering sets A and B to dirty this kit up, maybe a little over done I was not happy with the exhaust stains, I should have payed more attention before I sealed the Weather set with Matt Clear.

        Click on images below to see larger images
       
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 0?.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 0?.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 0?.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 0?.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 0?.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 0?.jpg  

  Finish:

  I decide to use Ultracast P-51 Mustang Wheels rather than the kit wheels, I added the landing gear door, drop tanks and tear drop canopy and the kit was finished even with all the mistakes and head aches, I all ready have a Tamiya P-51B on order from Calum and a Aires P-51B detail set on order from Craig. I guess I didn't learn my lesson. All and all the kit took about one hundered and thirty hours to build. The figure are a mixture of ICM P-51B ground crew and Monogram P-61 Black Widow, with drums and jerry cans from Tamiya M10 tank, ladder is from ICM Spitfire and ground crew.

        Click on images below to see larger images
       
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  Thanks:

  Steve Bamford for his inspiring web site

  Craig at Aeroworks for getting a hold of the goodies. Drop Craig an E-mail for a list of goodies that are available. If you live in South Australian E-mail Craig for the address and go down and visit him at Aeroworks. [email-masked]

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here  

  Photos and text © by "Alan Williamson"