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This just keeps getting better and better, some outstanding craftsmanship, Sean, that side by side comparison of the horizontal stabs speaks for itself! Here's a P-51 build I saw recently on YT where the modeler used a slightly different technique to achieve equally impressive results, except he creates the pillowing and oil canning effect before actually doing the rivet lines. Having never tried this myself, I'm not sure if his way cuts some corners (no more cleaning debris out of the rivets?) or adds to the workload, but he manages to mimic stressed aluminum in an uncanny way, much like yourself. In any case, worth a gander, it all starts around the 10-minute mark. Can't wait for the next installment of this epic build! -Thomaz

Looking forward to this one, have you picked out a livery yet, John? If it's an NMF bird I'd vote for adding rivets, as they seemed quite prominent on the unpainted planes. Less so, obviously, on the camo'd kites but even then still pretty visible even under a coat of paint. Some piccies for corroboration (and inspiration): Not as prominent but still quite visible in bright sunlight. On a side note, what is going on with that crinkly hinomaru on the chase plane's wing, I've only ever seen these in pristine conditions before. Even the camouflaged planes had pretty visible rivet patterns. The wings didn't have any sort of putty on them, apparently, as you can see they're chock full o' rivets and even some oil canning for good measure. Harder to see the riveting on the uppers in this light, but they're there if you look closely.. In any case, rivets or no rivets, can't wait to see you work your magic on this beautiful bird! Cheers, - Thomaz

UAF Fulcrum's take a lickin' but keep on tickin'! Photo courtesy of Operator Starsky's YouTube channel.

Those paint skills, tho. Dang... Still the best paint slinger in the West, can't wait for the Great Unmasking at the end! -Thomaz

Cool pic, Jari! Here's a couple showing how they did it bei der Luftwaffe. Also seems pretty labor-intensive, especially painting that entire spinner cone with such a tiny little brush. - Thomaz

Hi, Woody As you correctly pointed out, it is a mechanical flap indicator. Here's the page from the Squadron Fw 190 walk-around book VintageEagle mentioned, there's a short explanation about its inner workings in the caption: Cheers, -Thomaz

Hey, OBG Had a quick look thru my files, here's what I found, it's possible I have more but a little pressed for time this morning. Hope these help, in any case! Later, once things started getting more desperate and aircraft manufacturing had to be moved into caves or fortified buildings, things got a little claustrophobic... I'm sure there's plenty more if you keep searching, hope that helped. - Thomaz

Hi, Tolga I'm just spitballing here, but to me it looks like wording of some kind, possibly the names of the pilot/crew chief/armorer? There were a number of Jugs that used that inspection panel for that purpose, here's an example: The only way to be sure what's on 42-27339 is to find a copy of that photo in higher resolution so we can blow up the area in question, I'm afraid. - Thomaz

Hi, Jay Instead of putty for those massive trenches and divots on the inner wings, I'd use CA glue, either the black rubberized version or just your garden variety CA with some dental acrylic powder, or even baby powder works. Reason being putty has a tendency to shrink, which means you'll need several rounds of applying putty/sanding over a period of at least a few days to get it to somewhere on par with the smoothness of those metal skins. Black CA (or with added filler), on the other hand, does not shrink and if you spray it with some accelerator will harden instantly, which means you can get right into sanding and get the job done with much more expediency, not to mention better results. Spellbinding work, as always, dude!

Hey, fellas I am of the opinion that the 56th FG never painted the undersides of any of their NMF Jugs (Razorbacks or Bubbletops), no matter which topside colors each squadron chose for their birds. If one pays close attention it's possible to discern, even in black & white photos, that the 56th never bothered to spray the undersides of the planes once they started coming in unpainted from the depot. Focus on the gear cover and exhaust louvers/wastegate, which are areas that tend to catch and reflect sunlight, and you can tell it's still a natural metal finish, including the wings and belly of the plane. They did, however, usually paint the engine cowlings almost all the way around, or even sometimes all the way, which is why people think the whole underside is (fill-in-the-blank) gray. Naturally, this is pure conjecture on my part, I have nothing to back me up except my own perception of photos/reality, so take it with the corresponding amount of salt you deem necessary. It's one of those "once you've seen it, you can't 'unsee' it" kind of things, at least for me. Here's "Belle of Beaumont" in period color, am I the only one who sees NMF undersides?? Even in black & white it clearly looks like NMF to me. Cheers, -Thomaz

Money build right here, smash it up, ol' Hoss!

Great stuff, Jay! Here's another view of the forward fuel line for the standard tanks (as Jay pointed out, unused for the flat belly config) with a bonus look at the sway braces: That tiny stencil says "DROP TANK LOCK SIGHTING HOLE", yet another conundrum to be solved...

Here's where I'd put them, this restored Jug seems to have had its pressure line hole plugged, but looking at the diagram Jay posted, it makes sense for it to be there.

Not a plan view, but the stations are numbered, which should be helpful. I posted this a few months ago, there is the location of the entry point for the drop tank fuel line, clear as day.