1/24 Airfix RCAF Mustang IV…finally done

[R Palimaka]

16 hours ago, airscale said:

 

 

bloody hell, I like looking at it too - I need one just like that in 1/18

 

superb work, love it

 

Peter

 

 

Thank you so much Peter, that's very encouraging coming from you! It was your instrument panel set for this kit that convinced me to put more effort into the model. Once I saw it I wanted to make sure the rest of her stood up to your efforts.

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

[Kevin H.]

On 11/8/2016 at 6:16 AM, R Palimaka said:

Spent last evening attempting to print my own decal for the tiger crest on my ink jet printer. The experiment nearly worked, but the large black disc in the background came out dark grey, with very tiny crackles like the bottom of a dried puddle. Also the black stripes on the tiger were more greyish, and also had minute cracks. It was almost passable, but once I noticed I couldn't ignore it. The orange and yellows seem quite good. Obviously the dark inks don't like the decal paper. I'll rethink it and try again tonight. I have proper sized roundel decals, and I can mask and spray most of the rest of the markings, but I would like the tiger crest to be nice and crisp since it is so prominent.

 

And after deciding I would try not to get too involved with precise details, I found myself sorting out what kind of signals equipment this particular Mustang had. From the research I've done on RCAF Mustangs, over time you can see several variations of radios, IFF and radio compass fits behind the seat armour...and that also changes what panels are in the cockpit. I also have drawings of the target towing gear that was installed, and the pull handle in the cockpit which released the target. And trying to determine what colour the interior was...matte black or interior green...RCAF Mustangs could be either.  It's all a bit of a rabbit hole, but it's a fun rabbit hole.

 

I'll try to put up photos tonight, I had problems with Photobucket again last night.

All most all r.c.a.f. mustang had Matt black cockpit areas even around the cockpit fuel tank area, as these where overhauled before being sent to squadron use.

[R Palimaka]

Although that's what should have happened, the evidence shows otherwise. After overhaul and IRAN at depots and facilities in the States, even with Mustangs that went to USAF and ANG units, matte black was not always applied to the cockpits even though it was called for in the tech orders. Cockpits weren't repainted at MacDonald Bros. in Winnipeg when the aircraft went through for winterization and modification to RCAF requirements. There are a couple of long discussions on the P-51 Special Interest Group regarding post-war interior finishes.  I've been working to sort out a pattern for the RCAF deliveries based on production batch/serial number/overhaul facility/date received. All I've managed so far is a headache. :-) 

 

Canadian examples came from several sources in the States. The photographic sampling I have so far, although not exhaustive, shows more interior green cockpits than black, including 9253. 

 

I wish there was an easy way to tell, even after 40 years researching RCAF Mustangs.  Best you can do is rely on photographic evidence and make an educated guess. 

 

Richard

Edited March 29, 2019 by R Palimaka

[Kevin H.]

On 11/22/2016 at 6:55 AM, R Palimaka said:

Tonight I will also be adding the cooling slots on both sides of the radiator doghouse section, a post-war modification:

No those were not a post war mod, they became standard for mustangs in 1944. They were for use on mustangs in the tropical enviroment but were seen all over the world.

[R Palimaka]

On ‎1‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 9:17 PM, Kevin H. said:

No those were not a post war mod, they became standard for mustangs in 1944. They were for use on mustangs in the tropical enviroment but were seen all over the world.

?  I'm sorry, but that's not correct. That modification was not introduced until after the war, and again, not universally. For example, viewing photos from the period of the Korean conflict you will see USAF or SAAF Mustangs from the same production blocks, both with and without those gills. The same with the ANG in the States. The same with RCAF Mustangs, some have them, some don't. And there were four different patterns that I've found so definitely not standardized. 

 

If they were made standard in 1944, you would see them on wartime photos of Mustangs in the Pacific, CBI and possibly Italy, or even the ETO starting in late 1944 and through 1945.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by R Palimaka
Edited to reduce grumpiness.

[Gazzas]

Beyond words!

[R Palimaka]

Way overdue for an update, but again it's just baby steps heading toward painting and final assembly. It's getting all the smaller pieces ready, and making sure they fit the way they're intended to. 

 

Biggest task is repairing and replacing all the panel line and fastener detail that was lost in filling and modifying the shape of the nose. Had to laugh when I saw that right after I finished this, ModelMonkey announced that a corrected replacement nose was going to be offered. Oh well, it was a good learning experience. The fastener and rivet detail, and the replacement inspection plates are all Archer resin decals. They are easy to work with, and although I used the appropriate looking 1/32 versions, I see he has released 1/24 scale sheets. 

 

Under a first thin coat of primer:

 

 

 

Once it is cured and set, some of it will be gently sanded back to look more flush.

Edited April 24, 2019 by R Palimaka

[R Palimaka]

Continuing on with refining the panel lines, etc, before painting. I had to deal with a couple of nasty sink "trenches" along the wings, near the ailerons. While I was at it I drilled and filed out the square outlets in front of the cartridge ejection chutes.

 

 

Finally, for today, I replaced some rivet detail on the landing gear covers, which will be sanded back slightly and primed. 

 

Clam shell doors, the one on the right has it's first thin coat of primer:

Edited April 22, 2019 by R Palimaka

[R Palimaka]

The next big step is priming for the NMF finish, and the filled and painted wings. In preparation I've been filling and polishing out scratches and poorly scribed panel lines to try to get it as smooth as possible. 

 

Along the way I've managed to break off the tailwheel leg (I knew it would happen eventually), which I've decided to leave off for now. I've drilled and pinned it, so that when it does go back on I'll probably epoxy it together with the metal pins. Somehow I also managed to break one of the arms of the radio rack inside the cockpit. That was an exercise in frustration trying to replace that, but I got it done, painted it matte black and no one is the wiser...except all of you I guess.

 

Some of the smaller parts being created/refined include the rocket stubs (slotted shoes added to the bottom of the front mounting), new fuel filler caps, detailing the bomb racks, new landing light scratch built and painted, and an attempt to rebuild the sliding portion of the canopy. The exhaust shroud, and the exhaust pipes themselves had to be reduced in height and depth to fit the new opening that was reduced to the correct size. The painting of the airframe and attaching the canopy are the two steps that really concern me. 

 

The other little bit that I have yet to do is sculpt and polish some wingtip navigation lights out of the toothbrush handles. The colours seem a little weak, but maybe with a bit of clear paint they will look better. 

 

 

Yes, I have four windscreens, because I know that is going to be a bugger to do neatly. I will likely have to sacrifice a couple before I get it right. 

 

That's it for now...next time it should be a primed and ready airframe with all the detail bits finished and ready to attach.

 

Richard

Edited April 21, 2019 by R Palimaka

[LSP_Kevin]

Impressive progress, Richard! You're tackling this kit's challenges with aplomb. I attempted to build one when I was a teenager, and made an absolute dog's breakfast of it.

 

Kev

[R Palimaka]

Thank you Kev! It's definitely not state of the art but they surprisingly got some things very right, which unfortunately don't quite balance out the challenges. Especially for a teenager looking at a huge droopy-winged Mustang sitting on it's spindly tip-toes...with glue all over the windscreen. I did the same. 

 

Richard

 

[LSP_Kevin]

1 minute ago, R Palimaka said:

Thank you Kev! It's definitely not state of the art but they surprisingly got some things very right, which unfortunately don't quite balance out the challenges. Especially for a teenager looking at a huge droopy-winged Mustang sitting on it's spindly tip-toes...with glue all over the windscreen. I did the same. 

 

Richard

 

 

I never even got as far as the wings! I couldn't get the fuselage halves together, and ended up binning the lot.

 

Kev

[Shoggz]

My first attempt at the 1/24 Spitfire ended exactly the same way!

 

I have one of these in the stash, but I know mine will be very inferior to yours Richard...

[R Palimaka]

Thanks Richard (Shoggz). I think much of the incentive for putting in the effort is loving the aircraft involved. I know that the Mustang bores the hell out of a lot of people, but it is my absolute favourite aircraft by far. Now that ModelMonkey is soon going to release some corrected/upgrade parts for the Airfix Mustang I'll be doing another one after this...with maybe something easier in between. The parts he's working on should eliminate many hours of the work I had to do this time.

 

And oh yes, I had the same 1/24 Airfix experience as you and Kev...it was a FW 190 that defeated me back in the day.

 

Richard

[R Palimaka]

Whoa...two months since the last post. I've had some bench time, but I've hit the "4/5 finished" syndrome that was discussed in General Discussions. However, I've been practicing with the airbrush on a couple of "paint mules", with some instruction from a talented friend, so I'm at the point where I am confident enough to get started painting. I've also built a "red-neck" paint booth out of a large plastic storage bin, an extraction fan and furnace filter. Not pretty but it works. (probably cost as much as buying a booth off the shelf, but it's the principle of the thing) And yes, Alclad really does stink! (smell wise that is).

 

In the meantime, I've completed all the little details for final finishing:

- Canopy and windshield are polished and Future-dipped, ready for attachment. Windshield location on fuselage shimmed and filled to better fit the clear part.

- Zero-length rocket launchers detailed

- Bomb racks detailed

- new fuel caps made, filler locations drilled out for the caps

- more piping and retraction links crammed into wheel wells, and hinges and hydraulic jacks for clamshell doors built ...I think I'm done in there!

- wingtip navigation lights carved and painted (how can two tiny lights take so long to make!?)

- appropriate antennas researched and made

- landing light built and wired (no, not meant to work)

 

I've spent much time priming and polishing, trying to correct any blemishes and reduce the prominence of the rivets and inspection panels. I think she's ready now for the final primer coats, black on the fuselage and dark grey on the wings.

 

I know, without photos it didn't happen. I'll try to get some photos up shortly, but it's the Canada Day holiday weekend and summer finally decided to arrive.

 

Richard

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by R Palimaka