Starfighter Jock

I most certainly agree, the time I allow myself at the workbench is limited so I prefer to spend that time working on a subject that I am interested in having in my display case along with a kit that meets my standards. I am thankful that we do live in this golden age of abundance in model kit subjects along with the technology that allows such superior kits to be designed and manufactured. Just makes the hobby that much more interesting and appealing, but I would need that P-51B to call it perfect. LOL.

If I was truly desperate to build a P-51B, I would convince myself to have a go at the Trumpeter kit. But after suffering through a couple of their offerings, I personally have sworn off any more of their kits, the frustration is just not worth it for me, it's a hobby after all. So now here comes some opinion, the new generation of Tamiya 1/32 kits are a pure modelers dream, same for Wingnut WIngs, HK and ZM, although the later two just don't hold the same level of engineering that the Big T and WnW do. At this point in my modeling building life, I am getting old, I have sold off the mass majority of kits and related stuff I have collected over the years and have only kept the kits that I want to build and will most likely build, which includes 6 Tamiya P-51D/K kits. If Tamiya were to release the B, I would be buying a few of those, along with a P-38 if that ever happens. The only other kit I have on my radar to buy at this point in time is the upcoming WnW 1/32 Lancaster "Dambuster". Although I may or may not ever build it, the fact that this could very well be the best plastic model ever produced to date is just all the convincing I need to own one, the same would hold true for me if Tamiya continues to pursue additional WWII aircraft in their 1/32 line. I would buy it just because I know what to expect, a damn near perfect model kit. Kirk

The P-38 would also be very welcomed!

Hope he answers the phone!

To have a newly tooled P-51B in 1/32.

EagleCals also has several 1/32 decal sheets that feature different over painted 357th Mustangs too. http://www.eagle-editions.com/aircraft-decals-for-the-modeler/32/p-51-mustangs

There has been much controversy over the years on whether or not these 357th Mustangs were painted with US stocks of OD Green or RAF paint stocks, and if the undersides were painted in neutral grey or left in natural aluminum. For myself, I just use interpretation of what my eye sees for colors anyway, I never try and match specific paint color chips. Here is the link to a build here on the forum that features this Mustang.

Aha, I have a couple of different reference sources referring to blue formation lights being installed in the fuselage of some P-51D and K's, Carson's Nooky Booky IV is one of them but in the photos I have of that A/C from late 1944 into early 1945 I am not seeing them on the fuselage so may have been installed later in 45, if at all.

Thanks for the info and just to clarify, what I am looking at in this photo is not formation lights?

Looking for a photo source for the fuselage formation lights mounted in the P-51 Mustang. Attached link of Kit Carson's P-51K Nooky Booky IV is claimed to have been fitted with the fuselage formation lights but I am not seeing them, can anyone shed some light, no pun intended, on the subject? Thanks, Kirk https://www.cebudanderson.com/357profilenookybookyiv.htm

I had been under the lost of mojo thing myself, so here is what I did. Made a list of the model projects I really want to do and working on selling off everything else. I don't care how many weeks or months go by, I am in no hurry to finish a project. I take breaks of a few weeks and do not work on any model projects. On larger modelling projects I break it down into sub-assembles and treat each completed assembly as a model in it's own The hobby is for enjoyment, if it's no longer enjoyable. stop doing it. Lastly, I got rid of the shelf queen projects sitting in my workshop taking up space, I will never be working on them again so out they go. Kirk

Looks fantastic Marcel!! Kirk

Chapter 1 – Continued. The Block Box cockpit is now painted and permanently installed into the fuselage. Overall fit was good and because of the time I invested into repeated dry-fits of the tub to the kit fuselage, the final seams that needed to be filled and blended was really on the minimum side. With the cockpit now in and about 95% of the cockpit/sill painting complete, I pulled out the tinted canopy parts as supplied in the kit, sanded back and polished out the seam running down the middle and added the missing grab handles that Tamiya did not include to the inside of the canopy framing. Tamiya has really done a great job in suppling and rendering the inner framing, but some extra detailing would really make it stand out. I am now thinking I should have invested a bit more time into it and added the interior riveting, etc., but decided the grab handles would do and moved on to masking and painting it up, along with applying the decals from the Two Bobs sheet. My decaling becomes somewhat of a long process as after applying two coats of Gunze Mr. Super clear over the paintwork, I apply the decals utilizing the Gunze Mr. Mark Setter and Softener products. Once completely dry, I apply another coat of Mr. Super Clear, and once dry I sand it back with some 8000-polishing cloth, then once again apply a final wet coat of Mr. Super Clear. I find using this method makes the decal carrier film about 98% invisible to the eye. Once satisfied with the result I knocked the high gloss back using a couple of coats of Alclad II Klear Kote Light Sheen that hopefully will provide just the right amount of sheen to the completed model. The rear section of the fixed canopy over the rear deck will get finished with the overall paint work once I get that far. Moving forward I will get the ejection seat finished up and painted, then start on figuring out how to fit the Aires wheel wells into the kit along with building up and painting the intake trunks, wheel wells and landing gear. Apology for the poor quality photos this time around, I am still in the process of learning my camera and obviously I had some sort of lighting/exposure issue going on with these photos, hope the next round will be better but bear with me, still learning how to do decent still photos. Kirk

Looking great Marcel and I know what you mean about being loyal to paint that works for you. I have been a loyal Tamiya and Gunze paint user for quite sometime, but after trying out the Mr. Paint products I have become converted, I love this paint. Flows through all my airbrushes including my Iwata custom micron like a dream. Using it for the "Blizzard" camo on my F-16 project so hopefully will have some photos of it up on the WIP soon. Kirk