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1/32 Tamiya P-51D Early, Cripes A'Mighty 3rd June 1944.


Maurice

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Well, there is a big difference between what I want and what I have to do.

 

Some advancement, cockpit components almost completed. Several magnets attached to fuselage and now starting harnesses and heat exchanger assembly.

 

I wont have to ream Barracudas wheels inner hub in order to accommodate kit leg axle. The Barracuda hexagonal thread tires match the kit hub perfectly. Those tires are beautiful.

 

Regarding painting strategy, pictures aren't showing a polished finish then Alclad II will have a limited application to some small panels in the fuselage, using extensively different shades of AS-12 which in IMHO as per reference pictures is more representative of the actual aircraft in combat than an airshow warbird thoroughly clean and polished.

 

Hope that this week end  I will be able to spend more time on this and definitely put fuselage and wings together.

 

Cheers

Mauricio

 

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Edited by Maurice
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Guest Peterpools

Maurice

Nice progress on your 'Stang, as I am looking forward to each new update. Your plan for the NMF sounds perfect for achieving an in use, weathered effect.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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Maurice,

 

Nicely done start. Your thoughts on final finish are spot on. Based on my reading and photo evidence in period photos, Preddy's airplanes were meticulously maintained by his crew.

 

Please keep posting.

 

Cheers

 

Geoff

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Thank you all for the encouraging words. :piliot:

 

Here I go, cockpit done and working on tail landing gear before joining the fuselage. This kit is excellent, not the first saying this, but all parts get together without any flaw. A pleasure to build.

 

I would like to thank Geoff (Ironwing) for his input on the seat used in this aircraft. The kit's instructions is referring to the Shick/Johnson seat for the early P-51 without fin fillet, when it should be the Warren/MacArthur. Thank you Geoff for the heads up. Change was not late at all so was addressed.

 

Tonight fuselage will be assembled and tomorrow I'll start with the wing, HStab and control surfaces. I believe this weekend will start the painting process, finally and I'm looking forward to it. Changing my mind about the painting strategy, Alclad yet could get a more extensive use. Just have to test the Flory wash,  Tamiya clear and post shading with airbrush in order to validate and minimize the risk (Thanks to Mal for sharing his knowledge)

 

I painted the landing gear doors with alclad polished aluminum so the middle sheet metal plate overlaping the external plates is more shinning. I'll mask it off so I can over spray AS-12.

 

Here in more pictures of the front office:

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Edited by Maurice
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Maurice,

 

Not much I can say that hasn't already been said. Beautiful start. I'm looking forward to your use of Alclad. I have no experience with it so I'll be paying close attention. Please continue to post.

 

Cheers

 

Geoff

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Thank you guys for the kind words.

 

As part of a risk mitigation test, I'll go through the complete paint process with the kit empennage I wont be using.

 

Process starts with black primer, I used semi gloss black because gloss black provides too much shine for the finish I want to achieve. Furthermore I expect the texture will allow more bite when applying washes and post shading.

 

Then I spray Alclad aluminum. Then I masked off the panels I want different shades. Then on the left side I sprayed duraluminum on the Hstab spar panel and in the right side I sprayed AS-12 in the leading edge of the Hstab.

 

AS-12 provides more contrast. Even I think for certain panes, for instance the one surrounding the exhaust shroud will have to be darker, per reference pictures.

 

After that I sprayed  Alclad Clear Kote Semi Matte wich I found more glossy that Semi matte though.

 

I'll let dry tonight and tomorrow I'll start with the Flory washes. 

 

My intention after the washes is to spray a subtle post shade representing dirt along some panel lines, especially in the nose and do the exhaust gases. The intent is to ve very subtle with the post shading.

 

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Edited by Maurice
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Guest Peterpools

Maurice

Nice way to test the Alclad and base coats so you will wind up with the finish you are after. Just don;t forget to de-tact the Tamiya tape, just in case.

Keep 'em comig

Peter

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Thank you, Peter for the heads up. I totally forgot that, fortunately nothing happened. Next masking I'll do it for sure.

 

Here after Flory wash applied.

 

Now I'll do some postshading to see how it goes.

 

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Edited by Maurice
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Thank you guys for the nice words,

 

Getting to a good compromise though the resulting surface after Alclad semi matte clear coat isn't suitable for post shading not biting the thin paint from the airbrush. I'll test post shading directly over alclad aluminum paint and after matte coat to see results. 

 

I terms of shading, A darker mix of AS-12 will be used in the panel surrounding the exhaust shroud. Alclad duraluminum will be used in the dark panels such as the one on the wing root leading edge and the rest will be with polished aluminum or airframe aluminum. Control fabric surfaces will be sprayed with AS-12 minimum shine. Here in ref pictures and results so far. Yet I'll test post shading though for me is a step I want to do to give that dirt along panel lines especially in the nose.

 

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