Tamiya 1:32 F-51D Mustang RCAF (Part 20)

Tamiya 1:32 F-51D Mustang RCAF (Part 19)

 

Well, this is the final build post for this F-51D Mustang. It's been a long project, and I'm excited to be done with it and to move on to something different. But before I start planning too far ahead into the future, let's add on the last pieces and complete this pony.

One of the first things I did was separate the rockets from the pylons. This was pretty easy to do, and the real challenge was keeping all of the pylons in order. They all go into specific spots under the wings, so I carved a number into the top of each pylon to make sure the parts went into their correct place.

One of the last hurdles with this build was to create a teardrop antenna. And I thought of a few ways to do this: I could build one in the computer to be 3D printed, or perhaps sculpt one using Milliput. 

Ultimately, I decided to carve one out of styrene. I took some 1.0mm styrene sheet and cut it into small sections. I then glued the 8 panels on top of each other with Mr. Cement. I used a good amount of glue to ensure a proper join, and then the pile was clamped together while it dried.

Once it was dry, I made a teardrop shape in the rough outline I needed to create the antenna.

It took a good part of my evening, but I slowly sanded down the shape and profile of the antenna. I added a thin piece of styrene to the bottom to act as an edge, and this is on the real aircraft, though exaggerated a bit with my part.  

I then coated the entire part with Mr. Surfacer 500 to fill in any final gaps that might remain. After the Surfacer had dried, I gave it a final sanding and polishing, and the antenna was now ready to be painted.

The top section of the antenna was painted with Mr. Color 92 Semi Gloss Black, and Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver for the bottom. Once the paint was dry, I superglued it to the Mustang.

I'm quite pleased with how this part turned out, and it looks pretty accurate to the antenna I saw in my reference pictures. 

Flipping over the aircraft, I added the ailerons and then the landing flaps. Don't forget at this stage to add on the small polycaps to the ends; these will help the landing flaps stay in place. Once everything was in place, I glued on the small cover plate that holds everything together.

Next, I added on the belly scoop, and with a few drops of Mr. Cement S everything was secured in place. I then tested out the landing flaps to make sure they could be positioned properly.

It took a bit of wiggling, but I was eventually able to "persuade" the radiator flap into place. Now I can easily pose it open or closed.  This part simply clips into pegs, and then the photoetch arm prevents the part from being pulled off the model.

The rudder and stabilizers were added next, and they fit in with little fuss.  One thing that was a challenge while researching this project was whether the elevators were White or Silver, and it varied between the Mustangs of 403 Squadron. 

In the one color photo I found of PR 591, you could faintly see a white blob on the elevators, so these were painted white to match the rudder.

Moving back to the underside of the aircraft, I added the rocket and drop tank pylons as well as the pitot tube. Without the attached rockets, I had to take care to make sure that the pylons were all aligned correctly.

The exhaust stacks were first painted with a base coat of Mr. Color 61 Burnt Iron. I then used Tamiya XF-84 Dark Iron to lightly paint the edges of each of the stacks to add a bit of weathering. The stacks were then glued to the model with a drop of Mr. Cement S.

With everything now glued to the model, I could at last remove the maskings from the canopy sections. Everything looked really great and clear, with some minor bleeding from the earlier panel wash. To remove the excess paint, I used Mr. Paint Remover and carefully brushed off any unwanted paint. 

I would like to mention that Mr. Paint Remover is safe to use on clear parts, unlike the Tamiya Paint Remover, which will fog the parts. I learned this the hard way on an earlier project this year. 

To restore the clarity and the shine to the clear parts, I used a cotton swab dipped in Novus 1. Novus 1 is a fantastic product that will remove fingerprints and debris from your clear parts. It also has an anti-static quality, making the parts less attracted to dust.

And just like that, we are all done with this RCAF F-51D from the 403 Calgary Squadron.

I'm very pleased with how this project has turned out, and as you've seen over the past few months, this is a very intense project with a lot of parts and details. One of my goals was to create a Canadian P-51D Mustang, and another goal was to try and document as much as possible with this build in the hopes that the project wouldn't seem as daunting and overwhelming to anyone considering this kit for themselves. 

I know that I've mentioned this a few times now, but this is the 3rd kit I've built, and not once was I ever bored with the project. It's a big kit to take on, but at the same time, it's incredibly satisfying to build, and I hope that you might consider this kit for a future project. 

There are many RCAF P-51D schemes to choose from, and I was inspired to build this one because of Herb Spear, who flew for 403 Squadron.  I wish that I could have had the chance to show him this project, and I hope that he would have liked it.  

And thank you for following along with this journey. I hope that you have found these posts useful and will consider building one of these for yourself. 

I think now I'll take a short break, and just sit back and admire this Mustang on my desk. There were a few times through this build that I did question my motivations, mostly on the 403 Squadron markings, but seeing it here completed, I can assure you with confidence that it was all worth all the fuss. 

See you on the next project.

Tamiya F-51D Mustang RCAF (Part 18)

 

In this post, I'm going to be adding a panel line wash to highlight the details on the model. This stage is optional, and oddly controversial in some modeling circles. But personally, I really love the effect that a panel wash adds to a model.

I'm going to be using Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color Black. I've used several of the Tamiya Panel Line Colors throughout this build already, but there are several other versions out there, such as AK Interactive Panel Liner. And Mig Ammo Panel Line Wash.

All of these are enamel based paints, and they need to be applied over an Acrylic or Lacquer gloss coat. I sprayed the model beforehand with Mr. Color 46 Clear. The Clear Gloss with protect the underlying paint, as well it will make it easier to remove the excess wash from the model. 

These panel liner paints are pre-thinned so that the paint will flow easily into the panel lines. All they need is to be shaken thoroughly, and they are ready to be applied. To help with this, I've added one Steel Mixing Ball from The Army Painter (TL5041) to each of the bottles.

Under the cap is a small brush, the same one that you get with the cement bottles. You can use this brush to dot along the panel lines, and capillary action should allow the thinned paint to flow freely along the recessed panels.

It's a very satisfying process to watch, but sometimes it might not flow that smoothly. And this can be from a few reasons, such as the panels weren't deepened enough by the manufacturer. Or the paint might be too old and not able to flow freely. You may have also used too much paint on the model and unintentionally filled in the panel lines and other details. 

Because of all the small recessed rivet details, I've decided to paint the entire model using a brush. This will allow the paint to flow everywhere, including the panel lines. This will require more cleanup later on, but it will be a lot quicker than using the small brush inside the cap. 

After I've painted the Mustang, I've left it alone to dry for 24 hours. This will allow the paint to properly dry out, and it will be easier to remove the excess paint from the model while keeping the wash inside the panel lines and rivets.

To clean the wash, I'm going to use Tamiya X-20 Enamel Thinner and a bunch of cotton swabs. Any kind of Enamel Thinner will work for this; I just like the quick drying time of the Tamiya Thinner. It is smelly, so if that bothers you, or you work in a closed room, consider using an odourless enamel thinner. 

I've dipped the cotton swab in the Tamiya Enamel Thinner. You don't need a lot of thinner for this process; the end just needs to be damp.

I'm gently brushing the cotton swab over the model, and rotating it as I move around. The cotton absorbs the excess paint, and I'm left with the wash remaining in the recesses. 

How much wash you remove is completely up to you. You can remove it all for a factory clean look, or you can leave it a bit dirtier, like I'm going to do here. I'm leaving little bits of the wash behind as it gives the Mustang the appearance that this is a well used aircraft.

Clean up took a good portion of the day, and many cotton swabs were used to clean everything up.  If you are having trouble removing all the wash, leave that section alone to dry for a little while. Once the Enamel Thinner evaporates, the paint will once again be dry, so you can go back and clean up more of the wash.

Now that the wash is removed, I'm going to cover the model in a final clear coat, and because this is a bare metal finish, this can be difficult. 

You will find some models that will greatly advise against adding a clear coat to a metal finish, as it can greatly alter the color. From my own experiences, I've seen a gloss coat overwhelm the color and it becomes too bright. It highlights the silver and produces an unrealistic appearance.

And adding on a flat coat can really dull up the silver, and turn it grey. This can be a useful effect depending on the subject, but it's not really an effect we want to have.

I've found that using a Semi-Gloss Clear does a wonderful job at keeping the originality of the silver while also protecting the finish.  In this case, I used Mr. Color 181 Semi-gloss Clear, and it did dull the silver, but just barely. Not enough to really change the overall effect of this color.

I'm not quite done with the Tamiya Panel Line Colors. These paints are also very useful for creating exhaust stains on models. 

I've added a few drops of Dark Brown into my airbrush, and I've lowered the pressure on my compressor to about 15 psi. I want the paint to flow on softly, so I spray very quick, thin passes going from the front, down towards the back of the aircraft. 

Once I'm done with the Dark Brown, I wanted to add some more color to the stains. So I lightly sprayed some Grey on top, and this greatly added to the effect of the exhaust stains. Depending on the subject, you can try adding various colors and layering them together to create a unique final color.

And because this is an enamel paint, if you aren't satisfied with the effect, or you want to try again. You can easily wipe it off with Enamel Thinner and try again.

I would like to add that this paint, sprayed on like this, is incredibly thin and fragile. It's very easy to rub off or damage, so I carefully and lightly sprayed on some Mr. Color 182 Flat Clear to seal everything in.

I've been collecting the Tamiya Panel Line Accent Colors for a few years now, and I just wanted to take a moment to show you how the various colors look on different subjects, and you can see how they can affect the outlook of your model.

I use Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (Dark Brown) on military subjects that are multi colored, or more earthy tones.  The Dark Brown isn't as harsh as Black, so it helps the panels stand out, while at the same time it blends in more with the rest of the model.

For gray subjects like this F-14, or many sci-fi models, Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (Dark Gray) does an excellent job at highlighting the panel lines, and not being too dominant on the rest of the model.

For darker subjects like this, all Navy Blue F4U Corsair, I've applied a light coat of Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (Gray).  This time, it's quite a subtle effect, but the subtlety of the color allows you to appreciate the lines and the design of the subject.

And finally, for silver finishes, I use Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (Black). The black will stand out against the reflective nature of the silver. This is quite a dominant color, so this is why I usually use it on metal silver subjects.

I've seen modelers asking questions about these washes, mostly how they are applied and cleaned up. So I hope that this post will help answer any questions you might have. And that you might consider using these on your next project.  They do last quite a while as well. The first bottle I ever bought lasted over 10 years before I had to toss it out. 

And you can mix your own as well if there is a specific color you want to achieve. All you need is some Enamel Paint and thin it down with Enamel Thinner. I have done this multiple times with the Tamiya Enamel Paint range, but you can also use Testors and Humbrol enamel paints for this process.

Well, this Mustang is nearly completed. Almost everything has been given a wash and a final semi-gloss coating. In the next post, we're going to begin the final assembly of this Post War Pony. There is going to be quite a lot to do to get it completed, so stay tuned for that.

To be concluded...

Tamiya F-51D Mustang RCAF (Part 17)

 

I decided to keep on painting a few more of the details on the Mustang before adding on the rest of the decals. 

I started by using a circle template to cut some holes to go around the fuel caps. There is one on either wing and one on the fuselage at the back of the canopy. The fuel caps were painted with Tamiya LP-50 Bright Red, and they nicely stand out on the model.

I carefully masked off and painted the fin flash onto the tail. This was fairly easy to do given the shape, and I used the same colors as the roundel. 

I started with a base layer of Mr. Color 62 Flat White, and then I masked the center line with Tamiya 1.0mm masking tape.

The red side was Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red, and the Blue was my custom mix of Tamiya XF-8 Flat Blue, and XF-17 Sea Blue (8:1).

I sealed the fin flash with a gloss coat to protect the paint. I used Mr. Color 46 Clear, as it is a nice gloss to work with, and it has a very hard finish.

The last stencils were the numbers just above the fin flash. The numbers are a bit bigger than they should be, but this was the smallest we could get the cutter to create with this design. 

The numbers were painted with Mr. Color 92 Semi-Gloss Black. After the paint had dried, I carefully removed the maskings to reveal the completed tail section.

I'm very pleased with this result, and that the vinyl didn't lift any of the paint. Now that the tail section is completed, I can move on to the decaling process.

Decals can be a difficult process, and oftentimes, even with the best preparation, the decals can have a mind of their own. Tamiya decals, though beautifully printed, are on the thicker side and can have issues conforming to the surface of a model. 

Tamiya makes their own decal solvents, beginning with Mark Fit, and then more aggressive Mark Fit Strong, which I personally never found to be that strong. And the latest version, Mark Fit Super Strong.

I really like this solvent as it's quite aggressive, so you do need caution, but it can produce wonderful results on tougher, more stubborn decals, and give a painted on effect.

Micro Set and Micro Sol have been a modelers best friend for many years now, and they are a much slower-acting solvent. Usually, I'll use these on thinner decals, starting by applying a thin layer of Micro Set onto the model. And once the decal is set in place, I'll brush on a layer of Micro Sol to help melt the decal and conform to the surface.

There are many other decal solvents out there, and it can be difficult to know which solvent is the best. Sadly, I can only speak from my own experiences, but give different brands a try and see which you find works best for your modeling needs.

Since I painted most of the major details, I'm really only going to be applying the stencils to the model. And these tiny stencils run the risk of losing their adhesive backing due to their small size.

To remedy this situation, Tamiya had created Decal Adhesive.  Decal Adhesive is basically a glue that you apply to the model first before you add the decal.  The newer version with the blue label is the Softner Type, which is designed to melt the decal after it's been laid down.

I've used this a few times now, and I haven't really seen any grand results from it. However, I strongly suggest trying out the basic Decal Adhesion, as it has saved me many a tiny decal over the years.

And on a last note, this stuff does react quickly, so if the decal is set and in the wrong place, simply add some water to the decal, and the Decal Adhesive will eventually let go, and you can reposition your decal.

Some of the tools I use for decaling are Tamiya Decal Scissors (74031). These are fantastic small scissors with a lot of control, and I mainly use them for trimming away excess carrier film from around the decals.

Pointed Tweezers are essential for not only grabbing the decals from off the paper backing, but also getting the decals positioned in difficult places. 

This is my decaling brush; it's a brush that was included with an Airfix starter kit, and I only use it for decal solvents.

A hobby knife with a brand-new blade. In this case, it's an Excel #11 blade, and a new blade will make cutting out the decals much easier.

And lastly, some cotton buds, so that I can roll out the excess water from the decal and gently press the decal to the surface.

To help the solvent get under the decals to provide a better reaction, I'm carefully stabbing at the carrier film on the stencils, adding small holes with a shape sowing knife.

Once I was satisfied with the placement of the stencils, I went over each decal with a good amount of Tamiya Mark Fit Super Strong. Once all the decals on the wing here were coated, I put the model aside for a while to let the solvent do its job at melting the decals down to the surface.

Here on the red band on the landing flap, I've added the decal solvent, and the decal has started to wrinkle. Don't panic at this stage, as this is exactly what should happen. Leave the decal alone, and don't add any more solvent!

Currently, the decal solvent is working and melting the decal. This is part of the process, and soon the decal will level out again.

I wish that I had more to show you about the decals for this post, but there are just so many stencils to add on to this model. It's slow and tedious work, but incredibly rewarding to see all of those stencils around the Mustang.

 Usually, when I'm working on an aircraft, I'll start adding the decals to the tail and then work my way forward to the nose. This way, I can hold onto the wing and not disturb any of the fuselage decals. Once the Fuselage is done, I'll then move on to the lower side of the wings and lastly the top.

The decals will finally be sealed in with a gloss coat, and this is to protect them when I handle the model, which is very important with the next step, adding on a panel wash. 

This kit is almost done. In the next post, we'll be adding a panel wash, as well as some general weathering to the model. And after that, it will be time to put everything together, polish up the clear parts, and sit back and enjoy the completion of this long project.

-To be continued...