xmh53wrench Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) Well i thought I would go ahead and give this a go. After much thought on what my next build in 1/24 would be, I decided I wanted to take advantage of the Airfix P-51D/K boxing that also includes parts to create a F-6D/K. I really wanted to build something military with a Hamilton Standard Cuffless "Paddle" propeller. So after an evenings worth of research I managed to figure out that there were 3 blocks of Texas built Mustangs that were factory equipped with the paddle style prop. P-51D-25-NT serials 44-84674 thru 44-84989 45-11343 thru 45-11542 P-51D-30-NT serials 45-11453 thru 45-11742 Out of these blocks of Mustangs some were pulled for retrofitting to the Recon role as F-6D. And lo-and-behold I managed to find a picture of a line up of post war F-6D aircraft, complete with Dallas canopies and HS cuffless paddle props. The photo was a Wiki find and claimed to be dated for November 1946. The buzz code on the sides prefixed by FC denote reconnaissance aircraft, so that would make them F-6D and the tail numbers fall within the serial blocks I had found. So little by little I will chip away at this NMF build, and I am tending to believe the checkers on the nose and tail are blue and white (unless I can figure out, or somebody tells me otherwise). Pics of the conversion parts to follow, and still not sure of which aircraft in the pic to build....sure wish I knew exactly what 664 says on the empanage sides. Who knows, maybe some other pics will turn up. Edited March 21, 2014 by xmh53wrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 What, your doing a P-51 in 24th????? Im shocked! J/K Lou...........it looks like a really unusual build this one. Love the cuff-less prop too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Lou Looking forward to the project, especially creating the NMF as in the photo. Keep 'em coming Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loic Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Seams someone has a crush for poneys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 I am not predictable, am I Ok, so, as promised here are the extra sprues that come with the D/K boxing from Airfix. This is minus the Aeroproducts cuffless prop as I used it in creating the counter rotating prop on my Precious Metal build. And now with the official start underway, I have performed some simple but needed surgeries to the fuselage. Little things that I think will make a difference. I opened up the filtered air intakes... And I also have opened up the small air intake scoops on the sides of the belly scoop, the engine oil vent, the aft fuselage lift points and the flare gun hole. I have carefully carved the louvers in the oil cooler access panels as seen in the picture, and have given the entire interior of the fuselage a quick coat of rattlecan silver. Something I also have never done in my builds so far is I have added the strengthening beads on the sides of the instrument panel glare shield. Next up is some card work in the tail gear area, prepping the rudder for install, fabbing a mainspar for the wings, basic engine assembly and paint and getting the propeller painted and assembled. I will probably throw some putty one the wing sections as some prepatory work to makeing them smooth as well. Stay tuned... Martinnfb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Oh ya, I have also added a new tool to the modeling desk. I spent a few lunch breaks and designed and routed out a pair of stands. They seem a bit big, but at least I have something to keep my planes off their landing gear or belly scoops during the build. Bit more refining maybe.... Lars Befring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironwing Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Louie, Jeepers man, yore just a dynamo over there. Looking forward to your next creation. Love the stand. I have prop blades. If you need them. Gimme a shout... Cheers Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thanks a heap Geoff!!! Well this is what Ive accomplished this evening. Lars Befring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Chipping away at the main spar. Unfortunately in my haste and excitement during my last Airfix Mustang build I made no notes on what i did for this stuff....bit of note taking this time. Lars Befring and Martinnfb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 Some progress today. Did some research and it seems by 1946 the pilots may have been wearing an anti-G suit and a bit more modern flight jacket. So I decided to paint him up to more represent that. Prop is done and pretty happy with its outcome. In the process of detailing the engine, firewall and belly scoop area. I gave the radiator intake a similar treatment as my Mustang IV, also shortend up the main landing gear, as I have decided to display this one in sort of a taxi-in/out look, with the flaps and clam shell doors up, and obviously the pilot in place. Thanks for looking in.... Girlscanplay2, Martinnfb and Sparzanza 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Lou I tip my hat; how you keep those gorgeous Mustangs coming along at that pace is simply amazing. Nicxe work on the Airfix 'Stang prop and and hub - love the gloss finish. Pretty cool about pilots wearing a G-suit back then Keep 'em coming Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Great work Lou; prop looks amazing. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Thanks for the compliments on the prop guys..... Funny, because it fought me most of the way. I had used the exact same painting proceedure on it that I had on all my black props (MM spray 37038, followed by a coat of Rustoleum Crystal Clear, decals then Testors Dull Coat, but I guess the plastic was different, because it would have nothing to do with the paint I was applying. So after sanding it all off two times, I just sprayed some Krylon Gloss Black, applied the HS decals, and hand brushed the silver and yellow. When it was all dry, I hit it with the Testors Dull Coat. The spinner is airbrushed MM FS15050 Blue Angel Blue, as I thought Insignia blue was just too dark, with a few coats of Rustoleum Crystal Clear as a top coat. Studying the photo from 1946 a few things stand out. I have to remember that these Mustangs were only a year or so old. So there were probably in pretty good shape, noted by the fairly crisp reflection of the tail on the horizontal stabilizers. So again I am going to welch out on a bunch of weathering, and focus mostly on some differences in sheen on some panels. I may scuff up the upper/inboard areas of the wings where ground crews wouldve spent their time, and I see some chipping of the OD glare shield. If I get brave I may try my hand at a bit of exhaust soot. I also see these aircraft did not have the standard radio antenna and it almost appears as though they had some sort of wire that goes from the leading edge of the H-stab to a black spot just forward of the insignia. Looks like more research is in order. Here is another shot of the Hamilton Standard Cuffless prop.....Thanks again ya'll!! Girlscanplay2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 HEY GEOFF!! Can you speak to this? "Building the P-51 Mustang" by Micheal O'Leary Pg 160 (Summary of Changes) "Unless otherwise noted, all changes noted herein begin with the first P-51D airplane of block 20 and continue through all subsequent contracor's blocks at Inglewood and Dallas...... Serial Number P-51-D-20-NA AAF 44-63160/64159, Inclusive P-51-D-20-NA AAF 44-72027/76626, Inclusive P-51-K-15-NT AAF 44-12553/13252, Inclusive MCR C-359-1 Priming of Metal Surfaces Because of corrosion difficulties, a minimum of one coat of zinc-chromate primer was applied to all interior metal surfaces of wings, fuselage, and control surfaces. This change became effective in production on and after airplane P-51-20-NT AAF 44-12553 (P-51-D-20-NA airplanes not affected)" Does this mean what I think it means? That Texas built late block Mustangs were infact primered? Do you think this would include the firewall, wheel wells, and gear doors? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Paul Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 HI Lou! Your mustang is really looking great! That's what I read into it when I did my Block 20 Iwo based Mustang. Also, by 46 a good number of the mustangs had more black in the pit. I am not sure if it was just stateside Stang Guard units but they had black side walls in the pit on a lot of them. To bad ya cant get a bit better angle on one of those pics to help. Keep up the great work! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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