1/24 Airfix RCAF Mustang IV…finally done

[R Palimaka]

Thank you guys! The encouragement is appreciated! I'm working on the floor and port side console now. I cut almost everything off the console; trim wheels, flap, radiator and landing gear handles and the bomb release controls. Now I just have to replace it all somehow. I'm also building new radio equipment for the rack on top of the fuel tank.

 

I wonder if restoring a real one is this much work?

 

Richard

[Guyman1]

Very nice the seat is looking great.

[R Palimaka]

So here are some of the cockpit parts in the raw, they still need some smoothing and priming. I'll post more photos after it's all assembled and painted. Sorry about their huge size, I can't seem to get Photobucket to resize them. The large photos make them look more rough than they are...really.

 

The curved kit floor and was replaced with flat cardstock. Other additions: holes for the fuel gauges, a new canvas boot made of Milliput for the control column, thin card to represent the canvas covering the well under the seat (snaps will be added after painting...and of course none of it will be seen after the seat is in place lol), a new control column from tubing (unusually the kit part is too thin) and new rudder pedals to replace the very poor kit parts. Other items I forgot to photograph...a control lock was built from one of the discarded landing gear scissor links, and an air filter tank for the instruments goes into well in the middle of the floor. And I did build a relief tube too, very important!

 

 

The rudder pedals were converted kit parts. I cut the pedals off, mounted them upside down on the opposite cross bar and lined them with thin card and embossed them tightly onto the pedals with a dowel. Still needs some refining and smoothing but looks ok. The shadows make them look like they're leaning but they are straight! I'm trying to figure out a way to emboss the North American Aviation logo on them...but maybe that's probably going too far... 

 

 

The port console is not wide enough so I added a layer of thick card. Pretty much everything was removed and replaced: a new landing gear selector (out of scrap F-86 landing gear parts), trim knobs from punched discs (I filed knurls around the sides...severe AMS!), covering plates sanded off and replaced with card. There is a circular receptacle for the landing gear selector handle that had to be drilled in. Yet to be made are a flap handle and carburettor inlet levers, bomb salvo handles at the front, and Waldron placards to add once painted. Canadian Mustangs also had a guard added around the front of the landing gear selector to prevent the pilot from accidentally operating it with his boots or pant leg. (The blob peeking over the top edge of the console is the wad of Sticktac that I used to stand the console up a bit. 

 

Edited February 14, 2017 by R Palimaka

[Shawn M]

can you cheat and use 1/32 rudder pedals with the logo?

That said they are so far buried in the stang's cockpit no one will notice

[R Palimaka]

Thanks Shawn, that's a good idea. As you said, they're so far underneath that it won't really matter. And if I turn the rudder a bit,one of the pedals will be even further back. 

[Shawn M]

I may have pe pedals if you need them

[R Palimaka]

Thanks Shawn, but I'm good there. After your suggestion I went through my stash and found a couple of 1/32 PE pedals for Mustangs, one from Eduard and I think the other is from the Trumpeter P-51B. They are quite a bit smaller but if I mount them in the middle and blend them in with filler I think it'll work. Close enough for what will be seen down there anyway.

[R Palimaka]

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

[Guest Peterpools]

Richard

Very nice progress on the front office. Sure is a tough kit but you taking control vry nicely

Keep 'em coming

Peter

[R Palimaka]

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

[R Palimaka]

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

[cdnguy68]

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]

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

[cdnguy68]

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

[Old Dog Flying]

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