Part Three - F51 D Mustang, 1/48 Tamiya

[TheTroyster]

Here's a shocker - another Mustang - this time from Korea - the ole USA changed their names from a P (pursuit) 51 D to an F (fighter) 51D - the same kit as the other two I built, only an added sprue and a different decal call out - I'll do the box art version here:





And the added sprue:

[NorthernModeller]

Enjoy the build

[Lysus]

Nice! One more and you have a flight!

[TheTroyster]

Build the interior - really just bores me to death because I like the look of aircraft when the canopy is closed - so it just seems so pointless as you can hardly see the interior, but hey got some extra seat belts left over from another model so maybe I'll throw those in?

Primed - of course:


This part:



That part:



Now I get to start on the plane.

[TheTroyster]

Did manage to get some work done - finished building, primed the model, and even painted the wheel wells.

However this is a strange Tamiya kit in that I've had some fit issues - namely the canopy. Therefore I'll be adding a figure ( God help me even paint something that small) and will have an open canopy (a first for me as well).

[Lysus]

Always fun/scary to try something new. Out of curiosity, what was the fit problem with the canopy? The 1/72 canopy frame the glass bolts too was too narrow for me. I had to try to hold it open wider while it set and it still isn't perfect. I know they're different scales and you probably are dealing with a different fit issue, but it was frustrating for me to deal with on something so small.

[TheTroyster]

Always fun/scary to try something new. Out of curiosity, what was the fit problem with the canopy? The 1/72 canopy frame the glass bolts too was too narrow for me. I had to try to hold it open wider while it set and it still isn't perfect. I know they're different scales and you probably are dealing with a different fit issue, but it was frustrating for me to deal with on something so small.

Two pictures up you can see this bigger than Dallas gap between the front windshield and the rest of the canopy.

[Lysus]

Ah. Yeah. That sucks. A lot.

Open canopy was the right choice...

[TheTroyster]

So I paint the base coat - somewhat painless. Then I paint some areas a different color metal:





The results are a little sloppy: including my damn finger prints!






Fine, I go ahead and re-mask all theses areas again:





And re-paint them:


The results:






It's at this point - after adding a gloss coat I realize I have not painted the nose of the plane in a flat black. Lesson learned.

[demarcation]

Great work buddy, the different color shades create a nice variation in the NMF!

[TheTroyster]

Time to paint the black top part of plane. Used this really cool bendy masking tape:





Mask more to avoid overspray:


Paint in black: calls for a semi-gloss but I just used Tamiya X1 black - maybe too shinny?



Remove outer masking tape:


The results are nice:




Next up was painting the nose and wing tips. For the plane I'm building these areas are to be done in yellow - I hate yellow. So going off the rails here and doing red!

Mask off tips:




The results - now this is too flat - I'll gloss that up later:

[TheTroyster]

I was going to do the box art Mustang - but the decals thought different;




Fine no teeth, but turned out all right:







Looks better anyway

[Les]

I am beginning to sense a theme with you and this SiG! You have been having fun with these Mustangs and I can see why. Keep up the great work.

[Kevthemodeller]

Great mate