Kit: Tamiya P-51B
61042
Addition:
Construction:
I decided that I
wanted to build another Tamiya P-51B to replace the one I built about five years
ago, I was not happy with the finished outcome. I sent Calum an E-mail and placed
an order for two P-51B's and two more P-51D's, seem to be going though a Mustang
stage. When the kits arrived in the post I went to work I normally have around ten
kits on the go at any given time and starting this was no exception. The last
P-51B I built, I used the Eduard cockpit set. This time I wanted to use the
Aires P-51B cockpit set. With that in mind I sent Craig at Aeroworks and E-mail
to order the Aries cockpit. While I waited for the cockpit to arrive, I set to
work on stripping the decals and paint off my old P-51B, ready for a
new look. When the Aires cockpit arrived in post I started the
build. I set to
work on making room for the cockpit to fit in the kit, I removed all of the
detail on the insides of the fuselage halves with my sanding drill, once
completed, I re-scribed the entire kit like I do and then started on the
Aires cockpit. I painted the cockpit in Model Master Cockpit Green with
black boxes, with a dry brush of sliver over the top. The cockpit was now
ready to dirty up, I used the Tamiya weathering Master set B great stuff, to add
some depth and life to the cockpit. Once I was happy with the dirty grimy
effect I sealed the weathering wash by airbrushing some matt clear
over the cockpit. Now it was time assemble the cockpit with the fuselage halves,
unlike other Aires cockpits that I have used, this one went together and fit
into the kit with little fuss. In the past I have found that with an Aires
cockpit I normally have trouble assembling the two halves of the kit together
and end up with a substantial gap around cockpit halves. But in this
case the kit halves joined almost seamless and the rest of the build went almost
flawless.
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images below to see larger images
Paint:
I painted the
overall kit in Model Master Aluminium Plate followed up with Model Master
Olive Drab 34087 and Neutral Grey FS3621. After the paint had dried, I gave the
kit a wet rub to expose some of the Aluminium Plate underneath and then
airbrushed a layer of Gloss clear ready for the decals. I liked the decal scheme
Shangri-La and since I was building this one to replace the other kit also
Shangri-La, I went with the same decals. Shangri-La was flow by Capt. Don S.
Gentile 336th FS/ 4th FG 1944. Once the decals were applied, I covered the kit
with a layer of Gloss clear to seal the decals and prepare it for the pastel
wash. Now that the panel lines were highlighted, I sealed the Pastel in with an
other coat of clear followed up with a coat of matt clear. I then used the
Tamiya weathering set B to add exhaust stains, gun stains and to dirty up the
wheel well, and sealed them with a light coat of matt clear.
Finish:
It was time to add the finishing
touches landing gear + doors and cockpit window. The first P-51B I built I
stuffed up the cockpit window and could not display it opened, I made sure not
to make the same mistake again this time.
Thanks:
- To Steve Bamford again for all
his work with the ARC
- To Calum for all the kits I
have received off him lost count. Pay Calum a visit at www.gibstuff.net for
a great look at kits for sale, kits Calum is building and photos of aircraft
and ships.
- To Craig from Aeroworks for
the Aires cockpit and Ultracast seat drop Craig an E-mail for a product list
for mail ordering aeroworks@iprimus.com.au
Alan
Click on
images below to see larger images
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