R Palimaka

Finally got the book off the shelf. According to Mr Muir in Southern Cross Mustangs, all 30 RNZAF Mustangs were P-51D-25-NTs, and were delivered with the standard communications fit: SCR-522/SCR-522A command radio Detrola SCR-695 receiver AN/APS-13 rear warning radar (a January 1955 order called for this set to be removed and the antennas on the tail to be removed and the holes covered with a plate) The canopies were all Texas#2 style, with the VHF wire and fairlead. One note he made was that 2 Squadron RNZAF refinished the wheel wells and inner faces of the clamshell doors and landing gear covers in a local green, similar to FS14109 or BS 381c 225 Light Brunswick Green. Hope this helps... Richard

Unless someone beats me to it, the book Southern Cross Mustangs by David Muir will have the answers you need. I have a copy at home I can check after work. Richard

I see that now...I would guess it's just a slip.

? It's not a laughing emoji, it's a capital D...many people sign with the first initial of their first name. It's in all his posts. R

Happy Birthday Martin! All the best! Thanks for all the encouragement you give others, and for the interesting photos you add to topics. Richard

I would have to agree. I had a collection of over 300 kits (what was I thinking!?) plus dozens of books that I sold at model shows here over a couple of years. You will sell at a loss but it's much better than what you would get at a retail collection buyer. Model shows take a bit of organizing but SO much less work than selling online with all the packing, weighing, corresponding with buyers, arguing about postal costs (that you have no control over). I made $3000 at one Heritagecon in Hamilton Ontario. I acknowledge that it wasn't close to what I paid for the stuff, but I was able to buy lunch and a beer. :-) The only issue with shows is that some of them now accept so many vendors that your tables can get lost in the venue. Richard

Good morning Ester, I sent you a message with the info. I hope it's enough, or hopefully not too much. Richard

I'll send something to you tonight. Richard

That's wonderful news! This is an aircraft I have always been interested in, but never imagined that it would be available as a 1/32 scale kit. I've been trying to figure out how to scratch-build it in plastic using a 1/33 paper model as a template...so much for that idea. Lukgraph kits are very complete and finely detailed...where's my wallet? Richard

What a great project, and an excellent start. I love your technique for vacuforming your own parts. This will be a good one to follow. Richard

Absolutely superb work!! The build and the finish are perfect, completely convincing on all levels. Can't wait to see what you start next. Richard

A beautiful build of a kit that is not very easy. Very convincing metal finish too! Thank you for sharing that. Richard

No photos showing up for me.

Thank you John! I'm not sure if gluing the upper wings to the fuselage first really would help, except that the join would be tight and maybe there would be less filling and sanding. Thanks Matt! It always feels better to see the major components come together, but I'm suspicious that this kit still has some head-scratching surprises in store for me. Thanks Mike as always for the poke to keep going. Thank you Paul for the kind words. I like the lesser known aircraft, although they tend to be a challenge to research and the kits are usually a bit more work.

Happy Birthday Max! Here's to many more years of gluing plastic! Richard

It now has wings...they're not attached to the fuselage yet, but it's progress. I dirtied up the wheel wells and glued them onto the wing undersides. The shell casing ejection slots were boxed in before gluing the wing halves together. I also added a small length of plastic tubing to the leading edge of the wing root just to add a little more contact area at that point. Dry fitting the halves together showed that there wasn't enough touching to make a secure join. I also had to file a bit of a trough on the wheel well insert so that the upper wing half would sit properly. It seems like there are a lot of little challenges to these kits, but until Tamiya offers 1940s French aircraft this is what we have to work with. And here is the assembled wing. I offered it up to the fuselage and can see there is going to be some filing, sanding and juggling to get them to mate up properly. I think in hindsight I probably should have glued the upper halves of the wing to the fuselage and then glued the bottom of the wing to that. I also have a small area to finish sanding and polishing smooth, and some rescribing...after someone put a glue fingerprint on the top...

Probably the worst movie I ever endured was "Eagles Over London" starring Van Johnson. Completely wild deviations from history, including a 1000 plane raid on London. The "Hurricanes" were Buchons dressed up, and the "109s" were Spitfires (!!!) painted with black crosses! It was campy and bad. Not worth looking up even for a laugh.

Once I finish the two I'm working on, the three I want to do most: - SB Lim-2 conversion from 1/32 Trumpeter MiG-15 ( Polish built MiG-15 UTI two-seater ) - IBG PZL-P11c - 1/24 Airfix Mustang full meal deal...all the Model Monkey parts, AirScale, Waldron placards, and 3D printed gear legs Should keep me busy for another 15 years or so. Richard

Great choice! Love the Zipper. Richard

This is not very scientific, but it's close enough to 4 degrees for me.

Oops...I will try to fix it if I can. I tried to match it to the photos and drawings. I may have to live with it if it's not too far out.

Thank you Matt! I just used a razor saw to cut in using the engraved panel lines, and then sharpened the corners with a new knife blade.

I don't feel so bad after reading some of the replies. 10 to 15 years ago when I was building in 1/72 scale I would complete 4 or 5 kits a year, but as my eyes got older (along with the rest of me) and I moved up to LSPs it slowed down considerably. I've only finished two in 10 years, but started a few more. I can really relate to the "painted cockpit" thing. I love detailing and painting cockpits, but then it's everything surrounding it that slows me down. Richard

Well, it's starting to look like an airplane...or avion. I assembled the fuselage using long tabs to make sure the mating edges will be solid. The cockpit tub was secured into the fuselage from underneath after a fight. It required some sanding and thinning of the walls to fit. And typical of some Azur kits the fuselage requires a bit of juggling in a few spots to make it all work. I placed the windscreen on the fuselage while dry-fitting and it was a bit wider than the opening and fairing it was meant to fit. I was afraid that if I forced the sides of the windscreen in later to fit it might break...it is beautifully thin and clear. In the end I left a gap on the top so that the windscreen would sit properly, while not making the gap too wide which would cause problems at the bottom where it matched up with the leading edge of the wing root and the rear of the engine "egg". In the end I think it will work and I'm happy. I added the horizontal stabilizers ( out of sequence of course ) and they required sanding and filing to thin them to match the fairing on the fuselage. In hindsight it would have been easier to sand them thinner before gluing the halves together, but... Anyway, they fit now. The tailplanes on the aircraft had a 2 degree dihedral and I had to be careful to set that properly. The structure on the back of the head armour, and the filler cap in place. I've cut the slots for the hinges into the leading edge of the elevators. Next step is to cut the hinges out of plastic card and secure them in the trough at the back of the stabilizers. Richard

That's beautiful Thomas! Excellent finish, I especially like the subtle variations in the paint colour. Very convincing and realistic. Wladek Gnys lived in Beamsville, Ontario on the Niagara Peninsula, only a few minutes from where I lived in Grimsby. I had pleasant afternoons with him discussing his life. Richard