decisions, decisions... set! NAA P51B Trumpeter 1/32

[Greif8]

Outstanding work Paolo.  I had just the opposite issue with my wing/fuselage join.  The lower center area was very nearly perfect, while the wing root area needed some work.

 

Ernest

[mc65]

thank you!

I was able to carry out the work on this model a bit. having suspended them painting I have a little 'messed up the sequence, practically inhibiting almost completely the hairspray technique. patience, I consequently worked mainly with abrasives.

 

due to this inconvenience I had to alternate several times the scratching sessions with color retouching, however planned to obtain the patchwork effect of the historical photos.

 

apart from the endless tedium of masking the single screws of the nose section with maskol, I struggled a bit to make the OD variations in correspondence with the fuel caps, and some greenish tweaks to the wing root. these will then be shot in oil, but I wanted a sound base from which to start.

 

still on the subject of chromatic tribbles, in which I move as agile as a fish out of water, I gave up on plan A, which envisaged painting the checkerboard on the sides of the nose.

after a number of squares of masking tape finished everywhere but in their place, I turned to plan B: try to produce a red that was compatible with the decals. in this sense I asked myself why those who produce dedicated decals, also making a considerable effort of research, do not take care to indicate the right color to match the product. too easy?

in the end, helped by a friend much more capable than me, I arrived here:

 

Well. to avoid overspray with white, a very infamous color, I mummified the model and sprayed white and red in rapid succession.

 

the part I like most about this phase: tearing off the mask!

 

a light coat of future...

 

and after a restful night, I started the ordeal of the spectacular HGW stencils. here I struggled a bit since the sheet is designed for a D. I therefore had to photograph the various stencils with the macro to being able to read what was written there and try to understand if these were compatible with a B.

 

unfortunately it is necessary to divide also this work into several sessions, the HGW decals require at least 6-8 hours of rest before removing the protective film, which in some points conflicts with the standard decals.

also in several places the softner damaged the paint, I think it is better to touch it up before placing the nose art and the identifying letters, rather than walking around afterwards.

 

to be continued asap.

cheers, Paolo.

Edited April 15, 2022 by mc65

[mozart]

Love it! Bravo Paolo. 

[mc65]

I'm aware that for the most we are physically very distant, nevertheless I believe that you have perceived a disturbance in the force, in the last hours.

 

 

after waiting the prescribed time, I started to remove the trasparent transfer film from the HGW decals. as far as the stencils are concerned, everything is fine, while for the stars at the time of peeling these the white has come off almost completely and the blue has, on average, little grip. and that applies to all four stars.

 

the weird thing is that stencils and stars were on the same sheet, and I used the same technique for both types of decals. the only thing that changes is the size. there is nothing left to do but remove the residues trying not to completely destroy the underlying painting.

 

more or less successful, on the whole.

 

and in some places, obviously the more evident ones, less.

 

in the end I resumed the basic colors, and I had to choose whether to get to raw styrene and have a definitely smooth surface, or keep some imperfections, but retain the stencils.

 

I chose the last option, trusting in luck and a final matt clear coat.

 

not having the kit American insignia (it has only English options) I ordered an Eduard decals set, and in the meantime I used those of the Revell P51D.

doh, a dejavu.

 

well, if i wanted a worn look for this model I have to say I was satisfied.

enough for today, also because I'm understanding that it will be better to install at least the windshield, before continuing with the special signs for this aircraft.

 

cheers, Paolo

 

[LSP_Kevin]

That's a pity, Paolo, but you've recovered nicely!

 

Kev

[Ayovan]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh I hate do overs. Nice recovery though, Paolo

[mozart]

Soul-destroying when something like that happens but you’ve made the best of it…..well done Paolo. 

[Greif8]

Outstanding work and great recovery on the decals Paolo.

 

Ernest

[mc65]

thank you pals, actually I would say that I am trying, to recover: the new decals have a really thick film, I must first convince these to adhere to the deep rivets of the fuselage, and then try to make the step disappear, which is now quite evident. then there are also several halos due to the softer, but I count on solving them easy, some I don't even mind! 

the current situation is this one:

 

to place the kill's cartouche on the fuselage I must necessarily glue the windshield in place, which I had postponed because I did not want to struggle with the details inside, but now it's time!

apart from the rearview mirror and backup collimator, which are in the windshield, on the glareshield there are two handles, a LG light, a test button for the same, the refraction collimator, and four defrost/heating vents.

here is a (nice) photo of a restored specimen in which they have mixed things up a bit, but mostly the cockpit layout is correct.

 

and here my poor emulation of the truth in progress.

 

But I am having a doubt: all indications say that the upper part of the glareshield was black, which for a D is undisputed, but for a B?

here another example being restored. to me, it's green.

 

so, what do I do?? green or black?

 

another perplexity, the cartouche is positioned immediately below the cockpit, but there should be the hole for the signal flares, and instead in the photos there is no trace ... huh? 

[mozart]

If it’s any help Paolo, on the North American T-6/Texan/Harvard, the factory spec. in documentation from 1944 calls for a dark green anti-glare panel, so in your position I’d go with that. Same company, same philosophy. 

[mc65]

thank you very much, Mozart!

starting from this consideration, I deepened my research and I came to the conclusion (without any objective certainty) that the color in question may be the color initially given to the interiors of aircraft built in the States, the much discussed bronze green already present on the seat of this airplane. somewhere I read that it could have a bluish hue, so I added a little trace of it.

 

and here it is. I don't touch it anymore. it started with a coat of temporary black to facilitate sanding of the seam, then with a definitive black, then in interior green ... just enough!

 

and to avoid getting any other ideas, I finally glued the windshield in place. I must say that the fit is perfect. it looks like a constipated area, but several details are still missing that I am preparing gradually!

 

one thing that the more I looked at it the less I liked was the tail wheel, apart from the inaccurate fixing system in the fuselage, it is designed to stay in line with the fuselage, something more unique than rare, in a tailwheel. thanks to the fact that it remained in my hand (I had not glued it, but only positioned between the two semi-fuselages) I took the opportunity to cut the fork and insert a pin. now he is free to spin as much as he likes.

 

now that the windshield is in place, I can put on the last decal. I am still puzzled about the flare hole, but the position is well documented, there is little to discuss about!

 

let's see that I combine in the next ones, I'd like to close the decals chapter to move on to weathering and the like.

cheers, Paolo

Edited April 20, 2022 by mc65

[Neo]

Nice progress im just catching up.

 

Ive used the HWG transfers on my F4U and had horrible experience with the stars and bars, mine because ultra brittle and broke appart on the raised surfaces,fortunatly i was able todo some touchups and save them.

 

Great recovery

[mc65]

here I am,

in the last few days I have tried to make the fim of the decals disappear, which required long drying intervals of the clear varnish.

the attempt was to minimize the thickness of the clear coat, alternating layers of clear gloss with sanding sessions, but without much success.

 

here after sanding to the bones and adding a clear matt layer.

better, but not great.

 

in the end I lost my patience and went to the hard way: heavy layer of futures, 24 hours of pause, abrasive pads gradually finer and finer, but with the heavy hand (in some places I damaged the background color) then clear matt layer.

 

the same procedure obviously also went through the whole plane. let's say well, but not very well yet. I guess that this model is like this, amen.

 

on the sidelines I carried out some little things: installed the seat, equipped with headrest and rear bag in magic sculpt, equipped with electrical cables as in the reference photo.

 

referring to page 3 of this wip, I had mentioned the Quickboost engine exhausts.

after having checked and measured several times, I came to the conclusion that the exhausts without fairing are wrong, or in any case not interchangeable with the fairing ones, being more protruding by almost 2mm per side. considering that the false walls that I have installed in the engine compartment have a thickness equal to that of the engine, there is obviously something wrong. to understand, here the faired ones:

 

and here those without fairing.

 

the simplest solution, if I had noticed it before, would have been to reduce the volume of the fake engine by those 3.6mm overall. pity that now not only the compartment is closed, but also abundantly painted and equipped with decals!

the only thing that came to my mind, and that I put into practice before I lacked the courage, was to cut and angle the individual exhaust pipes. here is a comparative photo faired/not faired after surgery butchery.

 

present time these are only supported with vinyl glue, but I think that anyway it will not be a very clean job... but at least these will not protrude like anteater noses, and will have the right inclination. again, see page 3 for the photos of the real ones.

 

I'm starting to get tired of this model, I hope to be able to devote myself to weathering in the next sessions.

for today as a little reward I have installed the fuel caps.

 

cheers, Paolo

[mozart]

Oh the trials and tribulations of being a modeller! Well done once more Paolo. 

[mc65]

thank you again!

 

sorry for the absence, there were days in which I had some other things to do, but anyway I had to stop work on this damn model.

in order, I made two days of passion to extract the pump from the second well. pump replaced no more than three years ago and pleasantly dead.

indeed great invention, the chain hoist.

then I ran away for a couple of days in Ogliastra, about 180 km from home, to walk in a mountainous and wooded area that I did not know.

 

remarkable. especially that I got out alive, given my physical form.

 

but as I said, the works had to be suspended in any case, since the decals at a certain point highlighted a crackle effect as beautiful as it was unwanted. 

before whistling everything in the differentiated garbage I re-sanded the affected areas (only the wing signs developed this effect) and gave a new coat of future, leaving it to dry well for at least three days. once back home, and recovered the use of the upper limbs, I tried with a new coat of opaque. better, I would say.

 

on the sidelines I did a few other little things, as usual: I tried to cover the central band of the landing gear doors with adhesive aluminum,

 

started working on the landing gear itself,

and prepared navigation and signaling lights.

and now, if the devil stops putting his tail on it, I switch to oil weathering.

 

cheers, Paolo