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1/18 P51C Mustang "Lopes Hope the 3rd"


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16 hours ago, Antonio Argudo said:

Hi Peter,  about the Wing finish All  Mustangs even Allison engine models had their wings treated, this diagram by John Terrell is very illustrative, also attached is the NAA prodeceture, hope it helps!

cheers

 

finish10.jpg

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wow! If ever there was a perfect answer Antonio, that is it!

 

Thank you so much - now I know what I need to do :)

 

Just found a big hole under each wing that are spent cartidge ejection chutes (not the little slots on the D model above) so having to make that structure and embed it in the wing before the panel I have made can go on top of it...

 

Peter

 

 

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Hi Peter

I have some time after the end of my project. I marked only likes in your threads so far, but now I have to express my admiration for the wonderful work you do, and this does not apply to your highest level of quality of the model, because it is obvious, but the content you give us. I treat you thread like a very good lecture and each new update is like new chapter in very good book. Your story is so addictive that readers not only express their admiration for skills, but engage and send a lot of interesting information. This should be the most important role of the forum, information exchange. Thanks to people like you, this role is fulfilling.

Thank you for sharing your knowlegde, tips, technics. And we All have results as the example above.

Good luck

Tomasz

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I completely agree with Tomasz. I want to "like" every post.

 

Your threads are pure pleasure and astonishment, everything you bring to it: your approach, your research, your skill, sense of humour and humility. It is very refreshing and one of the first things I check when I sign in. What I also enjoy is that you are not afraid to ask for help if you don't know something, and inevitably someone out there has a detailed answer to keep your project going. 

 

I have begun to look at your threads like a university-level course in the aircraft you are building. I absolutely love the Mustang, it's my favourite aircraft, especially the Mustang III (B/C). I thought I knew it well, but this thread is a valuable reference resource that has taught me plenty! 

 

Thanks, and carry on! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

afternoon ladies :)

 

just a quick update on the panel skinning on the P51 - not much to show panel by panel, as the process is pretty much the same but the lower wing is almost complete so time for a few pics..

 

..the C model has quite a large outlet for spent cartridges and a chute assembly that can be seen through the hole, so first up is the panel and the chute..

 

..I don't really know what the little slots are for - venting maybe..

 

WIP698_zps3ld71znj.jpg

 

..the two were assembled and a hole routed into the wing to make room for it..

 

WIP700_zps01fn1gti.jpg

 

WIP699_zpsc83kcxxc.jpg

 

..the panels that define the shape of the gear door opening were done next, with some structure along the edges the doors sit on when closed..

 

WIP701_zpse1xsripm.jpg

 

..and this is where it's at...

 

WIP705_zpsnsugwvzi.jpg

 

WIP704_zpsvuu7mpwx.jpg

 

WIP703_zpslxz1yz17.jpg

 

..the panel behind the gear opening will be left until all the filling of the leading edge is done as it has domed screws and is left natural metal as seen below and if I add it now these will likely get damaged by the sanding / prepping process..

 

WIP706_zpsvv1bp9df.jpg

 

..lower wing done otherwise..

 

WIP702_zpsofqxxfmb.jpg

 

..will do the upper wing next and I am on leave all this week so hope to get lots of it done..

 

TTFN

Peter

 

 

 

 

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'I don't really know what the little slots are for'

I believe they are for ammunition belt links.

 

WIP706_zpsvv1bp9df.jpg

Of all of the imagery I have studied, I don't recall seeing that return.  Not only that, but in the next 2 photos,

WIP701_zpse1xsripm.jpg

The dip in the ribbing makes an angle going backward,

WIP705_zpsnsugwvzi.jpg

that is matched up to the angle of the skin.

 

Good show, Peter.  Nice capture.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

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evening folks :)

 

..still plugging away on the wing skinning - the goal is to replicate what you see below on everything behind the mainspar as all forward of it is filled and smooth on the real airframe..

 

..some useful shots from aircorps restoration of Lopes Hope..

 

WIP709_zpsyktru3ob.jpg

 

WIP708_zpswyowwuk6.jpg

 

..there is litle point showing panel by panel, so here is one panel's story....

 

I start by making a tape template from household masking tape and burnishing it down to the edges of any adjacent panels with a cocktail stick followed by a pencil mark capturing the face edge of them..

 

..this is the forward gun access hatch..

 

WIP710_zpss1i0xlob.jpg

 

..then the tape is stuck on a sheet of litho and all the edges scored with one swipe with a scalpel.. the original drawing is scaled to fit this panel and cut out..

 

WIP711_zpsjrjwc9rm.jpg

 

..with the scaled printout stuck to the panel, any rivet detail, or openings are added  - rivets one, by one with an awl of different sizes..

 

WIP712_zpsdimkqwxc.jpg

 

any swarf is cleaned up, both surfaces made scrupulously clean and the panel is burnished face side down on hard acrylic sheet with a large metal rod - this gets all the 'pillowing' out where the metal deforms under pressure - afterall all we want is a nice round flat indent representing a flush rivet..

 

..the waste is simply broken away by using a hold & fold tool - where I can holding the part, not the waste - a couple of wobbles & it breaks away with a surgical edge..

 

WIP713_zpsarnyqibf.jpg

 

..the panel is then positioned and one edge taped down so it folds back on itself but returns to exactly the right position once the contact cement is added to both the panel and the wing..

 

..I mask around it to avoid having to clean up every time - the masking must be removed immediately or the glue starts to go off and if the tape is pulled, it pulls big rubbery sheets of adhesive with it..

 

WIP714_zpsaxwvhesk.jpg

 

..same process repeated on every panel..

 

WIP707_zpsearqinb6.jpg

 

..and now both wings are complete behind the spar - there are some slots added to the wing in front of the gun panels where I will let in a piano hinge..

 

WIP715_zpsdvocjeqw.jpg

 

WIP716_zpsbu0mpmfi.jpg

 

WIP717_zpscwf4hvle.jpg

 

WIP718_zpsvofptowb.jpg

 

..I have been thinking about how to skin the forward part and have decided not to do panel by panel with all the rivets like I did under the wing. I am just going to skin it in two big sheets  rolling around the leading edge with zero detail... the idea being that the original was filled smooth and the detailed panels will be almost impossible to do that to so why bother - there are two detailed panels on the leading edge - a panel to get to the gear leg mounts and the landing light so I will leave openings to add those (I stripped the old landing light panel off as I wasn't happy with it)..

 

..thats all for next time though..

 

TTFN

Peter

 

 

 

 

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