Jump to content

Not another Mustang!


Recommended Posts

Hi Guys,

 

After the fun and games of the Revell P-51D build, I thought I'd carry on the lunacy with Trumpeter's Model B.  Yes, I know it's got a bad press, the knives are out for it but it doesn't matter, I have one in the stash!

 

Except that as of yesterday it's no longer in the stash.  It's being actively worked on.  However, there's a lot wrong with it, poor cockpit for starters then the wings may not be the right aerofoil section and they are covered with rivets in complete contrast to their actual finish which was puttied and smoothed and painted.

 

So being an avid, nay, rabid modeller, I went online and had a look to see what's available and drew up a short list.  Then, realising I'm just a poor old bloke on a pension I shortened that list somewhat! So out with the Aires interior and wheel well sets, the Eduard etch, the Quickboost do-dads, the whole lot.  It's going to get seat belts and E-Z Line and I think I've got some Barracuda wheels in a box somewhere.

 

AND it will get some TLC courtesy of yours truly.  In fact I've already started, slathering the wings with Mr Surfacer 500 and vigorous sanding with Flory sanders.  Trumpeter missed the ejection ports for the wing mounted .50 cals so they have been scribed, drilled and filed.

 

Outer wing filled and smoother, inner wing still as Trumpeter made it.

 

41907739641_359dcc5905_c.jpgUntitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Both wing uppers almost done

 

41008204725_5b35f79728_c.jpgNew Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Marking out the ejection ports

 

40099913580_0dfe925cf6_c.jpgNew Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Template in place.

 

41907737761_2ee8973cb1_c.jpgNew Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

And a few minutes later, the ports.

 

41907726511_31c1cfe82c_c.jpgNew Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Well, it's a start!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

Change of plan already! Trumpeter don't give you an option to not fit the engine so it has to be built to hang the prop and exhausts onto it. The exhausts aren't too hot, not even lukewarm, so I bit the bullet and ordered the QuickBoost set from Hannants, plus the Aires wheel well set. So much for out of the box!

 

So how do I know the exhausts are naff? Because I fitted them. Or shall I say tried to? The shrouds over them just don't look convincing and the whole front end of the fuselage is a really stupid design. And the prop shaft is too long, leaving the prop clear of the fuselage by at least a millimetre. God Hand, snip, clean up, job done.

 

While I'm waiting for the bits to turn up I'm going to put some primer on the wing parts and try to catch any rivets that didn't get filled properly. That should be fun. Plus there's work on the cockpit and radiator that I can get on with. So when the parts turn up from Hannants I might even have a place to glue them into,

 

Here it's just gone 9am and I'm looking at the Revell Mustang. It's where I dumped it on Thursday night when I came back from our IPMS meeting, sitting on the arm of the sofa on a Zoukei-Mura base and it looks nice. Even better when the sun hits it, it seems to come alive. And yes, we do get sunshine here in the UK!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

I managed to get some Stynylrez onto the wings, rubbed down then resprayed with the aid of a Badger Krome airbrush at 25psi and a hair dryer.  All that splashing on Mr Surfacer was well worth the effort, as was the sanding.

 

41881193202_0f2a6cf7fd_c.jpgWings by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Here's the engine and the mounting frame.  None of this will be seen, it's a total button up job.

 

41025037715_9b4a9fba20_c.jpgMotor by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Finally the bits taped together to check fit.  This was actually photographed before I started the priming.

 

41923774051_de8560fc7b_c.jpgTape Queen by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Hope you like it.

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really looking forward to this build!!!

 

I know your building this mostly out of the box but FYI Mike West of Lone Star Models has a full resin cockpit designed for the Trumpeter kit which I just recently stumbled upon myself.

Edited by Reuben L. Hernandez
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

I've spent a few minutes going thru musings on the wing finish and interior colours. So my wings here are puttied and smoothed BUT you can see the panel lines. Done this way strictly for modelling purposes.

 

Interior: I'm going for a nice Interior Green. Wheel wells: Yellow Zinc Chromate. Laminar Flow sections of wings: Silver. Everything Else: Shades of Metallic Paints to suit the panels.

 

So it will be a NMF Model B. Might be a factory test flight without any codes just like the D, or might go for a Red Tails finish. I'll decide once the NMF is painted.

 

Well, that's the plan!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

Having fun with the Trumpeter Mustang - NOT!

 

I just get the feeling that Trumpeter don't have a test build department because the fuselage interior is a dog. I'm talking about the oil cooler and radiator areas which are abysmal. Nothing fits! Like the under fuselage ramp, which runs from the top of the radiator down to just in front of the tail wheel, has a dirty great big gap at the rear end. The housing itself need lots of trimming and fiddling to fit inside the fuselage and then the fit of the oil cooler and radiator is thrown out because they are too big.

 

So lots of filing and trimming and chopping. The radiator is actually assembled and will be pulled apart so I can just use the rear face. The rest of it can't be seen anyway.

 

So much for a quick build!

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

Still plugging away at the  Trumpeter B Mustang and its turning into a fight.  Currently making the A frame stiffener behind the pilot's seat.

 

Square section plastic rod and some plastic strip, but scratch builder style - cut oversize then trimmed to fit when the cement has set rigid.

 

The upper sides needed some beefing up too.

 

27104109257_7c35808191_c.jpgMustang Mods by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

27104112587_725aafb904_c.jpgMustang Mods by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

41973225651_d3d884ae4b_c.jpgA frame by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Still lots more to cut and add but you get the idea.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

Another change of plan.

 

I looked at the A frame shown above and looked at the references and realised I'd got it wrong. My first attempt had the main struts based on the cockpit floor/wing top whereas they should be part of one of the fuselage side frames,  So I started again and here's where it stands right now.  The horizontal arms still need to be trimmed and detailed, no big deal.  It just didn't look right the way I first made it. Left is the original, right is the new one.

 

41076647295_b59a323119_c.jpgAA by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr

 

Regards,

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...