Bruce_Crosby Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 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. Untitled by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Both wing uppers almost done New Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Marking out the ejection ports New Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Template in place. New Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr And a few minutes later, the ports. New Mustang by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Well, it's a start! Regards, Bruce Crosby Out2gtcha, Gazzas, Thomas Lund and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Gonna watch buddy!Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Hi Guys, the fun and games ... That's why we're all here Bruce ! Go man go :popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzas Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Bruce, Nobody said there was a Mustang limit! Glad to see a B-model in progress. Gaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigant Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Taking notes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 YESSSSS............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 6, 2018 Author Share Posted May 6, 2018 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 Out2gtcha and Bomber_County 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 6, 2018 Author Share Posted May 6, 2018 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. Wings 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. Motor by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Finally the bits taped together to check fit. This was actually photographed before I started the priming. Tape Queen by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Hope you like it. Bruce Crosby rafju, Jim Barry, MikeMaben and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben L. Hernandez Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 (edited) 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 May 6, 2018 by Reuben L. Hernandez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 7, 2018 Author Share Posted May 7, 2018 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 Tolga ULGUR and MikeMaben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 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 More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 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. Mustang Mods by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Mustang Mods by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr A frame by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Still lots more to cut and add but you get the idea. Regards, Bruce Crosby Out2gtcha, TorbenD and Shaka HI 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Looks great so far! You are indeed a brave brave man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 Hi Guys, A few bits more added to the frame and a test fit before anything else is added. Frame Fitting by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Regards, Bruce Crosby Out2gtcha, Shaka HI, LSP_Kevin and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce_Crosby Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 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. AA by Bruce Crosby, on Flickr Regards, Bruce Crosby quang, Out2gtcha, Shaka HI and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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