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1/24 Airfix RCAF Mustang IV…finally done


R Palimaka

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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

 

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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

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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

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  • 2 months later...

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 by R Palimaka
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Thanks Barney! It's getting closer to the finish.

 

As for your spare Mustang, I still have a couple in the stash...and schemes in mind for them. But, I would consider another, just in case. It's no longer available on the Airfix site. Send me a message and let me know what you'd like for it.

 

Richard

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  • 1 month later...

Yep...just as I remembered after re-reading about all of your work....amazing!!!  And life is too short for me to go to the lengths you have with this kit.  I am doing this stuff on my 24th Mosquito and I think one is enough for me.

 

I will just enjoy your work and gain inspiration for wrestling these big Airfix beasts through this build

 

Keep up the awesome work

Anthony

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2 hours ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Yep...just as I remembered after re-reading about all of your work....amazing!!!  And life is too short for me to go to the lengths you have with this kit.  I am doing this stuff on my 24th Mosquito and I think one is enough for me.

 

I will just enjoy your work and gain inspiration for wrestling these big Airfix beasts through this build

 

Keep up the awesome work

Anthony

 

Thank you again, Anthony, for the very kind words!

 

I just did the same thing with your thread and realized I hadn't looked at your updates for a while. What you are doing with that Mosquito is stunning. So maybe your build just did the same for me, and now that cooler weather might be returning I can get started again. THe summer has been very humid and I was a little anxious about what that would do to airbrushing and spraying paint...ok no, that's a lie...I've been sailing and enjoying the outdoors, and airshows. :)

 

Thank you, and time for both of us to get back at it!

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

Edited by R Palimaka
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1 hour ago, R Palimaka said:

 

Thank you again, Anthony, for the very kind words!

 

I just did the same thing with your thread and realized I hadn't looked at your updates for a while. What you are doing with that Mosquito is stunning. So maybe your build just did the same for me, and now that cooler weather might be returning I can get started again. THe summer has been very humid and I was a little anxious about what that would do to airbrushing and spraying paint...ok no, that's a lie...I've been sailing and enjoying the outdoors, and airshows. :)

 

Thank you, and time for both of us to get back at it!

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

We have had the opposite...cold and wet.

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Richard:  Sorry to be so long in responding about the Mustang kit but computer problems and health situation have caused the delay.  Apparently the guy that I had bought the kit from had started painting and test fitting bits and cutting sprue.  The box has fallen apart and is in no shape to ship.  It is really an ugly mess!

 

Regards Barney

 

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20 hours ago, Old Dog Flying said:

Richard:  Sorry to be so long in responding about the Mustang kit but computer problems and health situation have caused the delay.  Apparently the guy that I had bought the kit from had started painting and test fitting bits and cutting sprue.  The box has fallen apart and is in no shape to ship.  It is really an ugly mess!

 

Regards Barney

 

 

No worries at all Barney, and I'm really sorry to hear about your continuing health issues. Don't worry about the 1/24 Airfix Mustang, I checked my stash and discovered I have three more of them! As much as I'd like to give it a loving home, I've got enough to keep me busy with Mustangs for a while. ;)

 

Richard

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