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Here's the specific page from the P-51 Mustang's dash two (Erection & Maintenance Manual) for fluid line color coding:

Hey Wolf, the Yeovilton FG-1D Corsair's cowl flaps are indeed a pale gray (or even NMF, hard to discern). They're definitely grimy and stained, though. Here's a clearer pic: Also, here's a screen shot I took of one of Dana's replies on a message board (I forget which one) which is kinda the full skinny on all things F4U paint & primer: Hope that helps! Thomaz

Re: Tamiya TS-34, here's the kit: And here's the G.O.A.T.:

The mind reels... color me VERKLEMPT!

This works. Alternatively, if you want a hollow tube you can use Tim's suggestion to create a coil with thin wire wound around a thicker gauge (or even a brush handle), then carefully remove it and adjust the distance between the coils by stretching or compressing it, depending on your needs. Next, wrap your coil in plumber's teflon tape, with the caveat that teflon being what it is obviously won't accept paint well. The better, more elegant solution is to cover the coil in masking fluid or even thinned PVA glue as the surface tension will bridge the gaps and will remain flexible once it dries, allowing you to bend the hose into whatever shape you need, not to mention actually taking paint. Your mileage may vary, of course, but with some practice you can get some pretty convincing results. Or you could always just use the bendy part of a bendy straw. Guitar strings are good too. By the way, I was under the impression that the Luftwaffe used mostly smooth hoses for their oxygen masks but just did a quick web search and only saw corrugated hoses in the period photos I found. Anyone have the full 411 on that?

Thanks, Maru, glad you dig Big Hog! I'm also partial to bent wing thingies, I can see myself building a bunch more in the years to come, such a beautifully lethal machine.

That polymer molding material is called Oyumaru in Japan, there's a grip of tutorials on Youtube and you can find some pretty cheap deals for it on ebay. This being the scale modeling industry however, there's a Spanish company called Green Stuff that rebranded it as "Blue Stuff", which sells for significantly higher prices than oyumaru (naturally...) but I guess is more readily available at your LHS if you don't live in Asia. Either way, it's really good stuff. Epic work as usual, Chuck!

Cojonudo!

Dang, fellas, much appreciated! Not sure I'm worthy of such accolades, especially considering the talent on display here on the regular, but I'll take it. Everyone needs a little fuel to feed the fire, am I right? Hoping I can start my first LSP project sooner rather than later (easier said than done with a newborn) and finally feel like an actual member of this community of very talented modelers. Happy twenty-twenty, everyone!

Superlative in every way, best paint slinger in the west!

Cheers, dude, means a lot as I'm a big fan of your work. That first R-2800 for your 1/18 Jug looked like a true test of patience but the end result was worth it, can't wait to see what's up your sleeve for this second one. It's seeing scratch work like yours that inspires me to even try stuff in the first place. Looking forward to that next update on your -1A!

Well that just made my day my whole year, thanks Scoob! There's still WAY too many goobers, most notably the snapped and poorly re-attached radio mast (I just wanted to finish it at that point), but I'm happy with my progress nonetheless. As for getting the colors of the wheel wells right, if I spent as much time actually modeling instead of obsessively poring over reference pics I'd have built a lot more models this year... But yea, always striving to get as close to the real deal as I can. Thanks again for the compliment, here's some virtual Scooby snacks for ya! Merry St. Nick, everyone!

So good, really deserves better photos so we can bask in its glory!

New trailer just dropped, there's even a P-51 cameo (and Maverick's old Tomcat serving as a gate guardian). The aerial scenes look pretty cool, def checking this one out in the theater.

Just gob-smacking, over the top, ridiculously awesome build(s), easily some of the best paint work I've ever seen. Chapeau, monsieur Fanch, chapeau!