Peterpools

Sure wish it had worked out for a bubble, but a car door it is and will surely look mighty good. Always fit issues seem to compound with kits that have so many intricate assemblies. I guess, it's just part of the game.

Still looks mighty good, especially for your first time using an air brush. Leaving a part(s) off that don't fit - happens to us all.

Carl Great idea and looking forward to following your build. These days, I'm starting to get the erg of doing some inflight builds myself.

Gaz Sorry to read about your wrist issues - and of course, hoping all will be well. Just don't push and overdo it. Yup, it's all the small details that we seem to miss until then they appear just before the painting stages. Nice going on catching and fixing the step by the front windscreen. I see those nasty sink marks on so many props over the years, it's almost like a " must check and repair" part of the build.

Oliver It's all in the builder's eye and all that is important is that the final colors are what you had visualized at the stary of the color coats.

Thanks Kev Diane still has more doctor appointments coming up this week and we're waiting for dates for the hopefully last diagnostic procedures and then a planned course to deal with what they find.

ROB OMG, I would never have the patience or stamina to apply all the masking a Kabuki tape. I know it's going to be well worth the time and energy. Of course, I right with Gaz as well.

Thanks Rob, very much appreciated. Getting older just seem to mean a lot medical issues to deal with and we have been very lucky to have the best of doctors and superb medical care.

Thanks Dennis Much appreciated and the way things have been going this year especially for my wife medically, I've bitten off a build schedule that doesn't look like it's going to happen. So maybe I should reevaluate the idea and say: four Mustang builds over the next few years.

Hi Chris Un fortunately, this past week, more medical issues to deal with but we're working through them -and of course, bench time comes last. Just so glad Tamiya ditched the toy like features and the replaceable/optional gear position idea. Granted it was a nice, solid and secure way to initially install the gear but that's where it should have ended. Since the gear needs to be installed now to obtain a nice, clean fit of the leading edge cover, it makes painting and finishing the gear a lot harder for me. The radiator under the belly just has known fit issues and take a lot of work to obtain a neat, certainly a blemish on Tamiyas' reputation for fit but it is what it is. With all the Tamiya Mustangs I've built in the past and builds followed, all had issues with this assembly. As far as the engine covers go, I never keep them as removable. Of the three Tamiya Mustangs I've built; one has the engine cowling panels off and the other to on. So this Mustang will be off and it evens out the playing flied. Just seems, anything movable and repositioned over time and they break or cause damage. Once a model is in the display case, I never touch them and they remain nearly dust free and escape from me breaking off small parts.

Some mighty fine work - looking good.

Bill Looking mighty good and enjoy your trip to Alaska.

Some mighty nice modeling and the air brush work- perfectly done.

Beautiful work - so very nicely done

John Just catching up and just love how she looks.

John Gorgeous Mustang - she looks awesome. Enjoyed the build and as always, your paint and finish work is perfect.

John Trying to catch up and in the few days I've been away, geez, she is done. Cammo work looks spectacular and what a stellar build. BTW, Nice avatar - looks pretty darn good.

Oliver Nice work on resolving the primer issue. The Model Air/Vallejo OD actually looks pretty good on my monitor and not too greenish, but the final verdict is how it looks 1:1. I have a zillion bottle of OD paint myself and not one is actually the same shade. Just go with your best feeling as colors and paint can drive you crazy.

Gaz Nice to see you found some bench time and the figure is taking shape nicely. Sorry about the wrist issues you are experiencing and just hang in there and all will be well... just takes time. I know the pain and frustration. Yes, it does always seem, the more the doctors and tests, the more they find. This past month my wife and I seem as if nearly all our time as been devoted to doctors, specialists, specialized testing and a hospital admission with procedures. Just seems the older we get, the more of our time and energy is devoted to trying to stay as well as we can be.

Kev Haven't been on the forum in a few days as medical issues for my wife and myself have been front and center and just everything else has been on pause. Absolutely brilliant paint and decal work - so perfectly done. A flawless build to my eyes, and of course, I fully appreciate all the detailed photographs. Seeing Johns paint work and yours done with MM enamels, I only wish there was a vendor here in the states that sold a full range of enamel colors as in the old days; I sorely miss them. I've contacted a number of overseas vendors and none will ship paints to the US.

Rob OMG - your 1 Man Army Masks have been applied with miliary precision and perfect to my eye. I can only imagine how much harder it was then you are letting on to. When done, no question the finished appearance will be up to museum standards. 🏆

THE WINGS Bench time had been on the backburner as my wife, Diane had been hospitalized for three days nearly two weeks ago, requiring a surgical procedure and glad to report, all is fine now. And of course, I still have my medical issues to deal with as well. Once home and settled, bench time has been tight, mostly late night, allowing for some slow progress. The Wings I followed the instructions’ build sequence and almost no issues, except for a not so great fit of the leading edge MG parts. Just makes so little sense that nearly every manufacture uses some sort of leading edge plug for the MGs and the fit is either pretty poor or in the case of the Mustang, requires the inside wing components to mesh together perfectly and that never seems to happen. Yup, I’m still cleaning up the bottom wing portion. Why no just mold the leading edge MG insert as part of the wing and then have separate MG barrels? The main gear bay was built up following the instructions – part fit was good and a bit iffy in a few spots. The gear bay was primed with MRP Black Primer and followed up with MRP Yellow Zinc Chromate. Details were highlighted with Tamiya Dark Brown Panel Line Wash; the effect is very subtle and the ‘hidden’ details do appear. In order to finish up the MG leading edge parts and knowing I am not nor never have changed a finished Mustang gear position from down and locked to up, for in flight, I'm in the midst of building the gear and after screwing the gear solidly into place, the leading edge gear cover will be permanently glue on. Then the underside of the wings can be cleaned up and finished. Ailerons were assembled and are movable, requiring their share of s/s rods and hinges that needed to be installed. Patience and a semi steady hand; done. Flaps assembled traditionally, no real issues and built to be in the lowered position but are still movable. I decided to close up the MG bays, installed all the detail parts, which I normally do whether they will be seen or not. There still is the notorious bad fitting radiator assembly to deal with and then all that should be then left to do on the wings before attaching them to the fuselage is the final sanding and polishing as a prep for the painted aluminum lacquer finish.

🤞🤞

Dave Right with Rob - looking mighty good and it's always the turning point of a build when it's time to move into the paint shop.

Waited way too many years not to take the plunge.