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Post by Whiterook on Feb 20, 2023 16:29:18 GMT -5
 A 1/48 scale kit from Revell, it was a Level 2 kit from Michael's craft store, bought on a whim several years ago, as it was so cheap  I'd been wrestling for quite a bit on what scheme I wanted to do, and there are so many nice options out there, as well as what was included in the kit. Overall though, this is not a bad little kit, but the interior lacked quite a bit of pizazz, especially the cockpit interior...so instead of doing an out of the box build, I decided to at least invest in an aftermarket kit from Squadron (I believe...this was a long time ago!), with highly detailed side interior controls; and I also bought a far nicer pilot seat. Thinking back on it now, i wish i saved them for a better kit, but oh well.  My bevy of clamps to hold in place while curing...  As the buld was well underway, I ran into this cool little story about the story of the High Flying Beer Run! As the true story tells, back in WWII Normandy, USAAF and RAF plots had been engaged in shipping beer into Northern France privately, using what the troops called "flying pubs"!   So I decided to do a little conversion of the same idea used on other aircraft, to my P-51D. Figuring for Yankee Ingenuity, whether factual or not in what I started scratching together, I fashioned Beer Kegs to be attached under the wings...  These are currently sitting aside while I work on the aircraft. |
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 20, 2023 16:38:17 GMT -5
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Post by chromdome35 on Feb 20, 2023 18:15:07 GMT -5
Looking good! Building airplanes intimidates me to no end...my modeling anxiety level goes way up when I open the box.
I admire those who can build them and do them justice like you are.
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 23, 2023 19:28:16 GMT -5
Looking good! Building airplanes intimidates me to no end...my modeling anxiety level goes way up when I open the box. I admire those who can build them and do them justice like you are. Thanks!!! Aircraft are a favorite subject of mine and I'm probably a little more comfortable building these than armor, probably 'cause it's what I cut my teeth on as a kid. They are a lot more delicate, though. |
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 23, 2023 19:45:42 GMT -5
OK, so I shifted over to the 'stang for a change of pace from the Pz.IV This kit had gone all kinds of sideways and I've been a little trepidatious jumping back into this build (...like, for years!) but, I spent a little time with her between home projects today to finally work on those damned flaps. They required some finetuning to edges and underwing parts, as well as the actual wing to receive them, cutting and sanding...it was tricky and fidgety, but not as horrendous as I'd envisioned. Dry fitting and prepping the wing cutouts were the important parts of this process... the gluing went smoothly; more smoothly than my work when I started the kit and she started t nose dive...sharp-eyed viewers will note some glue spots.  I propped [ <--- see what I did there?) them up for an overnight cure. So yeah, not perfect, but I'm gonna call this a win! One OK...  Two OK...
And a close up (...hey, don't judge me harshly!) 
Is it perfect? Hardly, but I'm just trying to survive this one  At least I achieved the objective of flaps down!
I'll stress at this point, more for me than you, that the original intent for this kit choice was to tryout the (then, new) Vallejo chrome colors...that's where the rubber will hit the tarmac in my book!!! |
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Post by mikeh on Feb 24, 2023 11:56:03 GMT -5
Here's a little something for you when you weather the "stang". Genuine staining from a hydraulic leak on the gear door of a P51 I saw at EAA last summer. Hopefully you can see it.  |
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 24, 2023 14:38:35 GMT -5
…yes, I see it! That’s an awesome reference. I adored going to the EAA a few summers ago, with my bro-in-law… just a fantastic place. He volunteered there and I think it was last summer!
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 26, 2023 17:30:36 GMT -5
Beer's Up!!! ...kinda, literally! I worked on the beer barrels today, shaving down the cut-out styrene I'd attached to the ends of the make-shift barrels, made from the fuel tanks that came with the kit.  The fun part was reattaching the t the wing mounts; I'd removed the glued on fuel tanks previously... but the "beer barrels" reattached nicely, with the aid of some Tamiya tape after the glue initially bit. everything will sit overnight.   ...I had a few minutes to spare and decided I wanted to tackle something quick. |
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Post by mikeh on Feb 26, 2023 17:58:19 GMT -5
Looking good! That Tamiya tape is nice to have around isn't it.
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Post by Whiterook on Feb 27, 2023 11:05:59 GMT -5
Looking good! That Tamiya tape is nice to have around isn't it. It’s worth every penny!!! So much better than the blue painter’s tape… the adhesive feels to me like it grabs better, but still let’s go without damaging the surface applied to, and the top *skin* of the tape seems to have a better sealant quality, where it’s no porous and will allow wet media to be sprayed or brushed over it without penetration or bleed. I just got a couple bottles of Tamiya Extra-Thin liquid cement in, and man o man, is it great stuff! I feel this a game changer, for me! |
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Post by Whiterook on Mar 3, 2023 18:10:21 GMT -5
A little more work on the 'stang! The beer barrels came out pretty nice.  ...or with a nose cone...  ...that second shot is of the nose cone held on with bluetac. I'm hedging towards the no-nose cone but haven't decided yet. Meanwhile, I dryfitted the cockpit canopy slide today, which needed some alterations in order to fit with the specialty cockpit interior walls. Deciding whether to glue now or wait until after I start paint application.   Building is approaching an end. My only grievance to this point is, I lost one of the wheel enclosures (the thin, outer one)... oh well. I love the Tamiya Extra-thin!!! What a game changer! |
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I'd been wrestling for quite a bit on what scheme I wanted to do, and there are so many nice options out there, as well as what was included in the kit. 
...but I have every confidence I can make something out of it!!!
I propped [ <--- see what I did there?) them up for an overnight cure. So yeah, not perfect, but I'm gonna call this a win!
