mattlow

This partial build also looked to correct the engine alignment... https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=42596 This partial build looked at a novel way to address issues around nacelle dimensions and alignment: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=54566&page=1 Though for a time limited group build you may be better off living with most of the issues... Matt

Bill Guitar strings are a good alternative. Multiple sizes, easy-ish to bend when annealed and they can be sanded if you want the flat look of the piece above. Matt Edit - very rude of me not to mention what a nice job you're doing Max .

Go on.... you know you want to.... Matt

As already mentioned. If you have the Rutman P-51B, you don't need to do any conversion, just build that kit as it is The Revell new tool is an accurate P-51D (early) and goes together well. The Revell P-51B is pretty inaccurate, poorly detailed and lacking in finesse from what I understand. Any attempt at conversion/combining kits will end up with a lot of work and possibly something less accurate than you've currently got in your hands OOB.. Matt

Beautifully tasty work Kent. This'll be a real head turner when complete. Matt

Gaz I've built one of these G-6s (well, mostly) and there's a couple of things I'd add. There are mistakes in the instructions relating to the nominally early and late versions. Keep your wits and references about you when checking which parts are for your aircraft of choice. You can build a G-14 from this kit with no additional parts by the way. There's nothing wrong with the wing mounted wheel bumps on this kit. This aftermarket is produced for the subsequent G-10 Erla as it only supplies the large wheel bumps and both schemes I believe require the small ones. The MG131 beulen are a weak spot. They are too something (I cannot recall if they're too small, big, fat or thin ). I used spare Hasegawa G-6 ones which look better. I also used Hasegawa prop blades as they looked better I suppose a Henri Dahne would be the ultimate upgrade here (lovely work). The 'pit is pretty good in my opinion. A little bit of extra detail scratched in would help and as Thierry says, get some replacement seatbelts (Radu's are still the best). Get rid of the horrible, totally un-prototypical 'hinges' that attach the canopy. The canopy was attached by pins at either end which were invisible. Watch out for the fit of the rear bulkhead behind the pilot's head. It should sit flush with the fuselage sides (if you see what I mean), there's no ridge around that part. Here's an image that shows: https://www.flickr.com/photos/28092068@N03/27443678928/in/feed U/C is a bit of a tricksy assembly and may be quite weak, you have brass so no worries there. Elevators and ailerons have oversized 'disks' on them that represent something barely visible on the real machine. Quite tricky to remove without damaging adjacent details. A2Zee did these as part of a set, not sure if that is still produced under the new management..? Raised area at wing to tip join is a bit of a gross exaggeration of the tape used to seal the joint (often seen as white/pale lines on this area). Sand right down, probably best represented with decal or paint..though I'm sure many aircraft didn't even display this feature as tape was painted over by camo? Hope that helps. Mike and I did a review/guidance notes on this kit a few years ago. Not quite sure where it is and know that most/all images were bludgeoned by good old PB, bless them... Matt

I have just resurrected an old build of this kit. It's a conversion to a Suez F5 (the popular WP130) from the F6 kit. My observation which may be helpful, is to re-enforce the main fuselage seams (plastic tabs maybe). This isn't for fit purposes (the kit fits very well) but rather to prevent flex and opening up of those seams. Time and careful 'fettling' of the wing to fuselage join, especially at the intake end, will pay dividends in avoided filling and sanding. True details 'pit is nice and certainly used to be surprisingly cheap. That said, the Revell 'pit is pretty good and needs only a little work to make it look good - they get the side consoles right (not running to rear wall of 'pit) something others got wrong, including Airfix's CAD for their new 1/48th kit... It's a nice kit, that seems to be rather under-rated. Matt

Lovely build, lovely finish and excellent photos. Matt

Looking very sharp Jan... That's a very nice scheme. Matt

Nice to see this one progressing Tolga. Happy birthday as well.. Matt

Nice one. Matt

Very nice Jan. You're a bit head of me... Trying to put off the NM finish I think.. Matt

It does become a G but I don't think it has to have the wing extensions (that may in fact be the difference between G-1 and G-2?). Matt

Hi Erwin Nice Hurri. Good to see the master of brush painted finishes back building here. Matt

Still liking mine.... Just attaching the wings... Matt

It's a nice blue, but looks too light compared to the actual a/c on P.1.. even with a bit of scale effect... Matt

Beautiful detail and finish... Matt

For me, a set of placards for the 'pit. Even though Revell give you a few, the Mustang 'pit is so crammed with them that it looks plain bare without them. I cheated and used stuff that was just the right shape which without the aid of a microscope looks fine. The wheels would benefit from some resin. As 1:1 says, the seam runs right through the tread pattern and my attempts at aligning and then tidying aren't that great. If I'd been more careful assembling them I may have got a better/acceptable result from the kit pieces. Matt

Lovely DIII Gaz. You'll love the WNW Albie, as Michael says, the engineering is on a different level. Not worrying about the basic fit and alignment will allow you to concentrate on the smaller things. That said, the tolerances are somewhat tighter than Roden's, so keep an eye on paint build up on joining surfaces (this is all mentioned a lot on the many online builds you'll be able o find. Matt

one of the machine gun wing inserts was off the sprue and broken in half. This is one of the solutions Radu offered to improving the fit of these parts (not breaking it, but cutting that part in two along the panel line...) Revell boxes seem to rely on the contents for about 75% of their rigidity.. Matt

Indeed, very nice work Jan. There's going to be a lot of Mustangs finished around here soon... Matt

Nice one Iain... Love the exhaust finish... Nice of you to show us the products you used to achieve the result. Matt

I had a bottle of Micro Sol where the cap actually broke in two, horizontally. I think as this stuff is basically a vinegar like substance the acids, as kevin says, denature the plastic and make it brittle. The stress within the screwed down cap forced it to basically snap. I decanted mine to a glass bottle. By the way, where'd you get the nifty funnel/strainer..? Matt

This may interest you Tolga http://scottsmodels.tripod.com/hasegawa_hellcat.htm Matt

I managed to buy an etch set from the Koster FW 200, it has a useful set of parts, not least the search radar dipoles. Don't Vector make the engine the 200 used (is it a Bramo - poss same as the Hs 126). I suspect one reason is that you don't see many made. It's one of those purchase and stash kits - I have one in a pile somewhere... Matt