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davecov · Posted: Sun 21 Jan 2007 12:50 pm Post subject: DaveCov's Build

Progress of my build will appear here.

This will be a quick build using the HobbyBoss P-51D Mustang IV. I started it a couple of hours ago and I hope to get it finished by the deadline in 10 days time.

For those of you not familiar with the HobbyBoss kits, the mouldings are very crisp and the parts come in plastic trays which give a lot of protection. See the box-art and contents here. There are also open and closed cockpit canopies for both kits too. What is not obvious from the pictures below is that the fuselage is a one piece moulding complete with cockpit detail and seats. The decals are also crisp and come wrapped in cellophane.

Hard to believe that this is just two kit pieces!

I had a lot of problems getting the fuselage to sit within the wings correctly. It took about twenty minutes to get it to fit properly with the judicious use of a craft knife and some brute force.

Spinner and prop assembly. Note that the pin and locating holes are not perfectly round but squared off on one side.

Finally got the wings to fit, fitted the tailplanes and then painted the cockpit and wheel wells with H78 Matt Cockpit Green. The spinner and prop have only been dry-fitted to fuselage whilst painting prop.

Underside showing some damage to the wing trailing edge where it meets the fuselage - caused by too much brute force! Note also that the inner undercarriage doors are moulded closed. As it is a quick OOB build, they will have to stay like that otherwise the wheel areas would have been drilled out and plastic card doors fitted.

I have also painted the undercarriage legs and doors and the exhausts. Next step is to paint the fuselage with an undercoat of H64 Light Grey.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Sun 21 Jan 2007 16:01 pm Post subject:

I have now painted the fuselage with an undercoat of H64 Light Grey. I have also painted and assembled the main undercarriage and fitted the tailwheel in place.

That will be it for today as all the paint needs time to dry properly before I do any more. The parts shown in the picture will not be fitted until the painting of the fuselage is completed and the anti-dazzle panel painted.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Mon 22 Jan 2007 11:08 am Post subject:

It's now been 24 hours since I started. On the painting side, the overall silver finish has been applied as has the anti-dazzle panel on the nose. Exhausts and undercarriage have been fitted.

Just need to paint the canopy framing and fit in place (dry-fitted here), paint the green portions on the spinner, three coats of Klear and then decals.

I also need to touch up the tyres as some silver paint got onto them. I had used a Tamiya painting stick for the undercarriage parts and the silver came off as soon as I touched it. I should have Kleared the parts before glueing in place.

Should be finished by tonight......

Dave
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davecov · Posted: Mon 22 Jan 2007 21:21 pm Post subject:

Propellor and spinner have been painted and assembled. Canopy has been painted and fitted and all decals applied. Strangely, the instructions show "Stinger VII" each side of the nose but only one was included.

There were other problems with the decals. For example, the upper wing decals were too short! Another problem was that many of them were wrongly numbered and did not match up with the instructions.

The decals that fitted underneath the wing were also ill-fitting, the ones forward of the wheel well being particularly bad. I will have to touch up the gaps with some paint.

Final bits to do are to touch up the propellors and paint the tips yellow. Also, the wheels need touching up. Should be finished by tonight.

Dave
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Owen · Posted: Mon 22 Jan 2007 21:49 pm Post subject:

Those Decals look nice and solid. As does the kit.

Again, one of your best floaty things yet

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davecov · Posted: Mon 22 Jan 2007 23:57 pm Post subject:

Propellor tips have now been painted as have the guns. The wheels have been touched up too. Now I can say it is finished. Another non-floaty type bites the dust!

I must admit that as it was such a fast build (38 hours from start to finish), I don't really have any feeling of satisfaction! Perhaps if I had spent my average length of time and not just on an OOB, then it would have meant more to me. Still, at least I can say that I participated in the Group Build!

Dave

farmroad38 · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 12:14 pm Post subject:

Looks good Dave. You're just trying to embarrass those of us that can't manage to build one in the full two months, though, aren't you

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Adrian

davecov · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 12:17 pm Post subject:

Yep!

Dave
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Ratch · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 14:55 pm Post subject:

Instant modelling

Dave's lightning build

It looks fine from here

What d'yer think kids/novices (the intended market) would make of these kits

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Owen · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 15:52 pm Post subject:

I think it looks pretty good. The only Criticism I'd have of the kit is that the undercarriage doors closest to the fuselage are moulded on. It'd be better if these were fixed on really as it would give a bit more detail.

I think your build Dave is very nicely finished though. I'm tempted to get a couple of these kits because they do look nice!

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davecov · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 18:08 pm Post subject:

davecov · Posted: Tue 23 Jan 2007 18:25 pm Post subject:

hippo · Posted: Wed 24 Jan 2007 11:00 am Post subject:

davecov · Posted: Wed 24 Jan 2007 11:04 am Post subject:

Probably, although I like them down.

Dave
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fluff75 · Posted: Wed 24 Jan 2007 19:58 pm Post subject:

Just came across this in Tom Cleaver's review of a 1:48 scale Tamiya P-51 kit.
"Wheel doors: the Mustang was designed so that the wheel doors are up when the engine is running, so as not to block air to the radiator and overheat the engine. When the airplane was switched off, if the hydraulic pressure system wasn’t relieved, the main wheel doors would remain in the “up” position and gradually “creep down” - with a differential “creep” between doors. If the hydraulic pressure system was relieved, then the doors would come down all the way. Myself, I have come to like attaching the doors at the “differential creep” just because they then look different and some idiot will come along and tell me “you did it wrong” at which point I get to tell him he doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does. If you are someone for whom a collection of chrome-plated plastic pots on your mantel is important, just assemble the gear doors all the way down, the way “everyone” knows is “right.”
So it seems that the Hobbyboss kit is OK but you can still make you P-51s with the doors down!
Ron.