Accurate Miniatures 1:48 P-51 Mustang

rverissimo · August 21, 2019

Hi all!

Let me present the first concluded build of this year.

This model was hunting my workbench at least 4 years, and it was the ideal time to conclude it .

The model it self is not bad at all and I've already built the RAF rendition of the Allison Engine P-51 almost a decade ago.

Some attention is necessary to guarantee a decent fit or we are going to have lot of troubles with joints.

In the end it will look like a early P-51 Mustang

The beginning (cockpit what else...)

All parts were removed from the spruce and prepared for primer and interior colour ( i opted to a zinc chromate green from Vallejo ModelAir range)

All small details were brush painted with vallejo ModelColor.

cockpit parts and radio rack painted with the base colours.

Cockpit (almost ready) . I opted to paint the seat metallic shade, as i checked some references that state that this would be possible. If it was correct or not, i liked the colour variation.

Electric wiring was added to the bulkhead in order to simulate misc cables. In the end.. if you look closely to the cockpit you'll see it, but some times i wonder why i even bother to add details that no one will notice !

I also painted at that time the exhausts ( Metallic enamel paint ( XF-56 Tamiya ) then highly diluted Brown and black from Tamiya (acrylic) via airbrush followed by located brown washes.

Several years later....

I decided that this model really needed to get out of my shame stash...

some Putty was required on the wings root and in the bottom end ( as pictures show) .

Once again i like to mention that this work was caused by the modeller that, despite several years of experience ALWAYS make the same mistakes...

Perhaps due to the fact that his beloved hobby is limited to improper hours usually after a day's work and parent assigned duties.

anyway

I've found out that i had in stock a set of Eduard Masks for this model and what better time to use them. The wind shield required some "blending" to the fuselage with tamiya putty and Gunze Mr Surface. A tedious but worth every second spent.

Spoiler

Handy tip. the nose / engine is a separate part. glue it to the fuselage half to guarantee a proper fit and alignment.

Gear bays and radiator outlet covered with Masking putty. Ready to paint.

All the fuselage had been sanded and polished with 2000/ 3000 sand paper. I'm a clumsy modeller, one of my trade marks is one of my fingerprints carved on the plastic due to excess glue. It's like a imaginary mystic entity drive my finger to precisely the point were the glue was.

Let the painting begin...

I prepare my favourite primer ( in this case Vallejo Grey primer ) and applied several light coats.

followed by another polish session with a 2000 Grit sanding pad . I work in a garage and it's not the most adequate place to perform such "cleaning" tasks.

Then i started painting the upper colour ( Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab) highly diluted and applied a panel at a time.

When i start painting i don't have a idea of the concluded model. All i know is that i wanted to replicate a machine operating in North Africa so... so worn colours were required.

I don't have the correct formula, but i added several tones of yellow and green to the base colour and.. i had fun...

The bottom colour was Neutral Grey from Tamiya, also in the same pattern. I apologize as i didn't take any pictures of the process.

How to complicate or spend one hour of modelling time to paint stripes

The combination of decal stripes and me simply doesn't work. So.. lets paint some yellow stripes.

Mark the stripes location

Outline the stripes

Mask the exterior

Add the base ( several light layers) white

Then yellow

Masks removed ( damage control at standby)

then i hurried up, painted the underside and sealed with a coat of clear gloss

Fast Forward some weeks and the decals already in place.

At this time i still didn't have a clue about the final look. so i did the logical and rational step.. i started weathering...

Oils spils were created with several Oils ( what a cliché..) from (former) Mig Productions range.

I kept chipping to a minimal using a silver pencil on the wing root.

Ochre Oil tones were used to give the wing a Dust look. I took some artistic freedom ( remember i was having some fun with my hobby).

The insignias were weathered with acrylic colours and washes.

the exhausts stains were airbrush painted with grey, brown and black colours all from Tamiya Acrylic range ( XF-19 / XF-10 and XF-1) highly diluted with Tamiya's acrylic thinner

Fast Forward some months...

ta daaa... final result !

Canopy, antennas, navigation lights, landing gear and doors, pitot tube and cannons added.