Project interim: 1/72 Airfix P-51D

Project interim: 1/72 Airfix P-51D

Author
Discussion

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Monday 19th March 2018
quotequote all
Whilst awaiting delivery on some PE and canopy masks I thought I’d complete my set of WW2 US fighters. I thought I’d go with perhaps the most iconic US fighter of the war.


There are only three sprues in the box. Detail looks good. The wheels even have flat spots to illustrate the weight of the fighters. I’m not sure why this isn’t the same on all kits.
Decals for only one version on this kit.


Being so simple means I should rattle through it pretty quickly.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
i managed to make a fair bit of progress this evening. I assembled and painted the cockpit and the interior of the fuselage. I also assembled the wings and tail.
I have decided not to install the drop tanks on the model. This is partially to maintain the sleek lines of the fighter, but mainly due to the fact I forgot to drill the holes prior to assembling the wings.

dr_gn

16,403 posts

191 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
If you hold the wing in front of a very bright light, you might be able to see the thinned plastic dots where the tank holes should have been drilled.

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
Done that many times smile

Yertis

18,659 posts

273 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
At risk of coming over all anti-Airfix, which I am not, they don't hold back with the panel lines do they? That's almost Matchbox treatment.

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
On the original Mustangs, panel lines were initially filled with a putty substance - particularly on the wings which were designed with the laminar flow principole in mind. In reality, in operational conditions the putty would not stay in place and in the end they abandoned the process.

So, later Mustangs did have panel lines - but not like as depicted by Airfix.

Matchbox are much maligned for their deep trenches but quite a few of their kits actually featured quite fine raised panel lines.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
The upside is they hold a wash very well. Crucial for mediocre moddlers like me.

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
I'd go easy on a wash, especially on the wings. If panel lines are already on the deep side, I tend not to want to emphasise them.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
Tonight’s progress




Loads of decals left and then a bit of final assembly.

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
Looking very nice.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Wednesday 21st March 2018
quotequote all
A bit more progress tonight.


tight5

2,747 posts

166 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Lookin good.
thumbup

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Friday 23rd March 2018
quotequote all
On to the p47 smile





anonymous-user

61 months

Thursday 29th March 2018
quotequote all
That looks fantastic.

Is there any reason you haven’t done the pilot?

Eric Mc

122,854 posts

272 months

Thursday 29th March 2018
quotequote all
Nicely done.

g7orge

293 posts

101 months

Thursday 29th March 2018
quotequote all
That looks pretty impressive!

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

9,128 posts

203 months

Friday 30th March 2018
quotequote all
El stovey said:
That looks fantastic.

Is there any reason you haven’t done the pilot?
I wanted to show the aircraft parked.

My other 1/72 warbirds are Revell and they don’t come with pilot figures, so had to do the same with the p51 for continuity.

It’s actually a bugbear of mine that a lot of aircraft kits don’t come with a pilot.

IMO all aircraft kits should all come with a pilot and a stand so you can display them “in flight”

I’m not massively keen on a lot of the models that seemingly have every hatch and door open simultaneously either. It doesn’t seem very authentic to me.