AndrewR's Frog Mustang II in 1/72 **finished**

[AndrewR]

One advantage of mixing the colours is that nothing comes out the same. I should have mixed a bigger batch of the green though!

I have a cunning plan to deal with the wing overspray

[AndrewR]

A little bit delayed owing to marking and a certain hyperactive youngster...

Propeller and spinner assembled and put in place.



Exhaust manifolds painted with a mix of copper (which in Vallejo Airspeak is "rust") and grey.
They might need another drybrushing with dark grey or black, but aren't too bad.



I think we could be onto decalling next. I wonder how the old Frog decals will pan out. I might give them a spray with some decal fix first.

cheers

Andrew

[jssel]

Now that is what I am talking about. Way to go Andrew.

[splash]

That's looking so sharp it's hard to believe its the old Fog kit.

Fingers crossed the decal behave.

Regards Splash

[AndrewR]

That's looking so sharp it's hard to believe its the old Fog kit.

Fingers crossed the decal behave.

Regards Splash

Thanks Jeff, Splash

I can feel the need to get the Academy kit, and do the cannon-armed version too. I even have an actual aircraft to model, with a Canadian connection.

On the other hand there are at least 20 kits already in the build queue, without counting GBs coming along.

Midnight edit: The decals got a spray of fixative. That was the sum total of the modelling today!

Cheers

Andrew

[ShaunW]

Midnight edit: The decals got a spray of fixative. That was the sum total of the modelling today!

Which is more than I managed - I've got the usual work rush on before the Christmas holidays

This Mustang is indeed looking very sharp and I hope those creaky old decals behave for you!

[SteveC]

That looks really smart, Andrew.

Steve

[PaulBradley]

Very nice, Andrew.

The exhausts - a light drybrush with light grey to replicate the deposits build-up would be better than black. Not on the first stub though - the deposits build up from the second stub on back. Check out some colour photos of modern warbirds to see what I mean.

[AndrewR]

Very nice, Andrew.

The exhausts - a light drybrush with light grey to replicate the deposits build-up would be better than black. Not on the first stub though - the deposits build up from the second stub on back. Check out some colour photos of modern warbirds to see what I mean.

The black was for contrast where the holes should be - they are completely closed up at the moment

I usually use a medium grey on the stubs, and then some sooty particles with pastels on the side of the fuselage. The exhaust pattern seems to be a little "up and under" on the Allison engined P-51s from what I can see on pictures.

cheers

Andrew

[PaulBradley]

Yes, it is. I used to work with one of these at Planes of Fame, and remember cleaning off exhaust residue with petrol...

[ShaunW]

So, if I'm following this correctly, matt black drybrushed with a bit of silver doesn't cut it for exhausts anymore then?

[AndrewR]

So, if I'm following this correctly, matt black drybrushed with a bit of silver doesn't cut it for exhausts anymore then?

Welcome to the 21st century

Actually, I've often just used a mix of dark brown and gold, plus a drybrush with grey, and that works for me.

I don't think you have to be too elaborate in 1/72 scale.

[PaulBradley]

dark brown/brass/a little black mixed, maybe a touch of red, and dry brush with tan is how I go about it.

[AndrewR]

Finally, I have an evening where the youngster goes to sleep quickly and I've finished the marking

On with the original Frog decals. There was a bit of yellowing on the codes, which were printed in one piece with the fuselage roundels, so I cut them apart and trimmed some of the film off.



It turned out that the "N" codes were the only ones that gave much difficulty - both broke on the diagonal stroke of the "N". I managed to herd them into reasonable positions, although the port fuselage N looks a little narrow now!



A tiny sliver of yellow came off the port fuselage roundel, and an even tinier sliver off the port underwing roundel and that was it. I wouldn't say that they're the thinnest or most opaque decals around, but not bad. I've used far worse!



The art shot with the sepia effect.



Matt varnish tomorrow hopefully.



cheers

Andrew

[PaulBradley]

very nice.