R Palimaka Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) Shawn...I also have the BarracudaStudios PE for the pedals, from his cockpit improvement set. Although they are 1/32 they have very strong relief on them and really show up nicely. We'll see how well I can blend them in. Thanks again for the suggestion. Edited February 20, 2017 by R Palimaka Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Thank you for the encouragement Peter. I am thoroughly enjoying this, despite the kit's shortcomings and "oh, so close but not quite" detail, and almost complete lack of after-market. Remarkable really for the time it was released. I love the aircraft so I'm willing to invest the time...although that's getting shorter as the deadline approaches. I've kept all my notes and templates, and call me crazy but I'm getting organized to start another one. Richard Martinnfb and Shaka HI 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Oh man, realized my last post was Feb. 20!! Since then I've been in the States for work and to Cuba for fun, and have started rehearsals for another play. With the deadline coming up I better get back at this! I haven't been completely idle though, I've built new radios and cockpit accessories and panels, started the wiring of the cockpit walls and building the instrument panel. The landing gear are done except for the torque links, still trying to figure out a way to represent them. I've also had to build a new rudder...I went a little too far with the filling and sanding. I'll have more photos on Sunday once I get some things completed. Richard Edited March 30, 2017 by R Palimaka Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnguy68 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Hi Richard: I appreciate you sharing your efforts here. I'm in the early stages of the same kit (having finally hauled it from the stash) so your diary is timely. Until I saw your work with the landing gear bays, I was going to do mine wheels-up, but you've given me some small measure of hope. Any insights you can share on the dimensions for your spar or boxing in of the wheel bays would be gratefully received at this end.I am planning on doing mine in the 402 Sqn livery, but my plan (until convinced otherwise) is to use foil for the finish, although your comments about the aluminum lacquer on the wings got my attention. Am I headed down the wrong path? -Mark R Palimaka, Martinnfb and Shaka HI 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) Hello Mark, I made the wing spar using the template printed in the old (1974?) Airfix book on building their 1/24 scale Mustang. I made it out of thick plastic card stock, and doubled it for strength and rigidity. The ribs in the wheel well were basically a progressive cut and fit...it took a while but it was done over two evenings. With those I started with a basic shape and cut and sanded them to their proper size based on their position in the wing. The length, height and cut-outs for the landing gear legs were slightly different on each one as you move outboard in the wheel well. I can send you a copy of the templates in the mail, and a drawing I made of the position of all the stringers and ribs, the square openings in the roof of the wells, and a map of the wiring and piping (not a complete map of everything, it's really busy in there!...just enough to make it look busy and authentic but still based on photos). I'm not computer literate enough to draw them and email them in the proper size. You may be in luck with the 402 Squadron aircraft, unless you're wanting to try foiling. It seems that most of 402's Mustangs were sprayed over all in aluminum lacquer paint. That would certainly be easier than foiling a kit. The wings on all RCAF Mustangs were primed and painted with aluminum lacquer. If you're determined to foil it, you may have to try another squadron, and then the issue of decals and markings becomes a problem. But if you do a simple scheme like 420 Squadron from London, that makes it easier. However I managed to print my own decals successfully, including the large 424 Squadron Tiger emblem and RCAF style stencils, so it is possible. I must be nuts but I'm planning to do another one after this with the 443 Squadron blue-grey lightning flash and trim as in the photo at the beginning of this thread. That particular aircraft had all the RCAF specified modifications, ie. radios, winterization, etc. I want to try to incorporate all those equipment changes in the next one. And then after that I'd like to do the Polish 303 Squadron Mustang my father serviced. And then right after that...Airfix will probably release a new-tool state-of-the-art 1/24 scale Mustang as beautiful as their Typhoons! Good luck with your build! I hope you'll consider posting your progress here on LSP, and if you need help with photos, markings or details let me know. Send me a message with your address and I'll send you all those drawings. Richard Edited March 31, 2017 by R Palimaka Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnguy68 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Richard: Thanks for the detailed response, and I will gladly take you up on the template details (message to follow). Thanks also for the thoughts on the foil. I guess I will save that effort for another kit, although I admit I was looking forward to the challenge. I'll go ahead with the 402 Sqn livery in the meantime. (Maybe I'll stick with my 1/48 417 Sqn CF-104 as a foil project). Really, I just want this "correct" enough to display. I'm probably not going to drop the flaps or anything quite like you've tackled, but a little dihedral correction and a decent LG bay and Gun Bays should be manageable. I share your thoughts on the future kit release and I'd love to see what they do with it. Looking forward to the next round of photos. Thx again from just down the 401 Shaka HI and Martinnfb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dog Flying Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Hi Richard: Welcome back! I was wondering were you had gone to. If you want the 443 Sqn decald, Big Jon has them on file at the Modeldecalshop in the stle of my 1:32 Mustang and he was able to colour match the lightening bolt. Only one of 443 Sqn birds had the blue canopy skirt and that was s/n 9600 which was flown by the CO, W/C Barker. Regards Barney Martinnfb and R Palimaka 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 (edited) Bit of a setback last night. The usual, in a hurry working late (and tired) and accidentally knocked over the bottle of liquid glue on one of my separated flaps, and the elevators and rudder I rebuilt. Felt so dumb!! So this is now the third rudder I'll have to do. Fortunately I had spare kits...I won't tell you how many... The surface detail on the flaps and elevators is ruined. The elevators will have to be started from new The flap I think is salvageable, but now I will need to sand and rivet/rescribe both of them so they match. More time... Richard Edited April 3, 2017 by R Palimaka Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Thanks Barney...once I get started on the 443 Squadron aircraft I'll contact you for his info. That will make life a whole lot simpler. Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Great stuff!!! Amazing build, I just love these old kits! Martinnfb and R Palimaka 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 (edited) So, I think I've made it back from the liquid glue spill disaster. Hopefully I can pick up the pace to make the deadline, but not sure. Built a new rudder, two new elevators and re-skinned the flaps to cover the damage from the liquid glue. I picked up a great tip from someone in one of the other builds...I used furnace tape for the rib tapes on the rudder and it worked perfectly, thin but visible enough to see and very subtle. Thank you whoever that was. Under a couple of layers of primer it looks good to my eye. WIth another theatre production I haven't had much extended time to build but I am moving forward when I get an hour or so in the evenings. I've been building little components in addition to repairing the damage. I keep running down interesting rabbit holes. Today I spent almost an hour building a flare pistol receptacle...the thing on the port side wall! Now I'm working on the zippered cloth bag that holds the pistol and flares. I'm finding that I like the problem solving and trying to figure out if I can build these things. Makes for very slow model building though, and I'm learning new swear words, or inventing them. I'll post pictures of some of the things I've been doing later tonight. Time to get serious so I can catch up to Carl (BloorwestSIR)...or Shawn M! Richard Edited April 18, 2017 by R Palimaka BloorwestSiR, Martinnfb and BradG 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) Just a few photos of some of the little progress I've made. First up the new radios and IFF, the SCR-522 and the SCR-695. In the real aircraft, the battery was moved to the engine firewall to make room for the SCR-695. Both were based on the kit radio which was skinned with card and details added to match photos. SCR-695 Edited August 8, 2017 by R Palimaka Greg W, Sparzanza, Shaka HI and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Some of the other cockpit bits, finally sanded and primed, ready for paint and decals/photoetched placards. Martinnfb, Sparzanza, williamj and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) New pilot's seat primed, ready to paint and attach the belts: Edited August 6, 2017 by R Palimaka Sparzanza, williamj, Martinnfb and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) And finally, the new rudder (third one...first one I sanded too much, the second was destroyed by the liquid glue...hoping third time is a charm) Edited August 6, 2017 by R Palimaka Sparzanza, BradG, Shawn M and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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