acarothers896

Beautiful build, Alex. The weathering is spot on considering the conditions on Iwo Jima. Kudos. Andy

The assumption has been a wire core since you are correct that wood does not conduct. The twin Uncle Dog antenna were a field modification on Iwo Jima to the D-20s and D-25s that were assigned the the 15th, 21st, and 506th FGs. The twin antenna became a standard feature on the D-30 block at the factory, but at the factory they were of metal construction. I have a post over on P-51SIG Forum to see if anyone can shed more light on the issue. Andy Carothers Iwo Jima Models https://iwojimamodels.com

Alex: Great work on the weathering and finishing touches. Looking forward to the completed build. The crosses and the angled bars that you applied to the port wing were markings present on the F-6D, the photo-recon version of the P-51D. Andy Carothers Iwo Jima Models https://iwojimamodels.com

Looks great, Alex. Looking forward to seeing the completed build. Kudos. Andy Andy Carothers IwoJimaModels.com https://iwojimamodels.com

Hi Alex: Glad I could help in your research. Mark Stevens is a great resource for those interested in the Iwo Jima VLR Mustang Groups, and modelers building VLR Mustangs. Which pilots were assigned to what aircraft gets a bit confusing at times. Often times, pilots would fly planes that they were not assigned to just based on the availability of planes ready for a particular mission. Also, quite a few pilots in the 15th and 21st FGs were rotated home due to their length of time in the Pacific theatre of operations, and the planes they flew were then assigned to other pilots.

Hi Alex: Below are some photos of 47th FS planes showing the correct placement and width of the squadron bands on the wings. USAAF/National Archives via Fold3 USAAF/National Archives via Fold3 USAAF/National Archives via Fold3 Eduard Notice that the 47th FS personnel have painted the wing bands with the flaps extended. With respect to the planes that Capt. Brown or Lt. Hintermeier flew, I would reach out to Mark Stevens, who is the President and webmaster for the 7th Fighter Command Association

Nice work, Alex. Coming along nicely. What paints and shades did you use on the flaps? I like the difference between the two shades. Andy Carothers IwoJimaModels.com https://iwojimamodels.com

Alex: Really nice detailing on your VLR Mustang. What decals are you going to use for a 21st FG Mustang? Following your build with great interest. Andy Carothers www.iwojimamodels.com

Ryan: Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and say "why?". Your scratch built detail looks really nice and will look even better when painted and weathered. Andy

Wow! That eerily looks like my modeling bench right now. Great that your back and looking forward to your updates. Andy

Glen: The P-39 looks fantastic! I am in for one. Hoping a P-51B and a P-51H are in the works. Andy

Louie: Now that brings back memories. That was the first large scale Mustang kit I built as a kid. Had to mow lawns in the neighborhood in order to afford the kit. Built it in a couple days and painted with Testors enamels in the little square bottles. Kept the plane until I went to college, and then it mysteriously disappeared (Mom threw it out with a lot of other stuff). I am going to enjoy this build. Andy

We did. I love the photos of Col. Mason in front of "This Is It" with his ground crew and the other leaders of the 352nd FG. Those photos capture the beautiful lines of the Mustang, and the 352nd is my favorite Mustang group of the Mighty 8th. Your build is one of the finest models of a 352nd Mustang that I have seen. Andy

Bill: Beautiful! That is one fantastic build. Kudos, Andy

Bill: Great find of the pic of the rear-view mirror and fairing! I second Kevin is saying superb work on both the canopy and the bombs. Andy

Jerry: Great start! The pit looks really good. What markings are you going to use for this model? Andy

Bill: Looks great! I love the subtle weathering on the cowl. Andy

Bill: Can't speak for anybody else, but I think it looks great! If your efforts are off, they are not off by much comparing it with photos of Col. Mason's plane. I wish a decal manufacturer would make decals for this aircraft (I hope somebody's listening). Again, great work and I wish a had your skills. Andy

Markus: Beautiful work on the cockpit! Looks fantastic. Andy

Beautiful! The blue looks spot on. What paint did you use for the blue? Andy

Bill: Looks great! What other shades did you use other than airframe aluminum? Andy

Bill: Beautiful work as always. Nice to see this build entering the home stretch. Cannot wait to see the finished product; not everyday you see a 'stang' in Col. Mason's markings. Andy

Bill: Beautiful work as always. What did you do to highlight the tread pattern on the wheels? They look great!. Andy

Beautiful work on the home office! Andy

William: It is time consuming, but that is the way the wings should look. Looks like wings on the North American factory floor ready to mate with the fuselage. Andy