Splash's Mustang IV ***finished***

[Ian]

I'm glad to see our colonial cousins are keeping the paint jobs subdued, muted and restrained.

[ShaunW]

My God, that paint scheme makes me feel more ill than eight pints of Old Peculiar

This looks to be a very nice kit and I particularly like the option to drop the flaps - a characteristic of the P-51 on the ground - without having to resort to a razor saw as with the ye olde version. This would make a nice stocking filler for Christmas I'm thinking. I can think of some better ways to fill stockings, but this is a family forum and I couldn't afford the divorce in any event.

[splash]

Talking of paint schemes I have looked high and low to find a photo of a British P-51 with invasion stripes but keep drawing a blank.

Has anyone see a late British Mustang with stripes?

Regards Splash

[PaulBradley]

Well, as the Mustang IV didn't enter RAF service until early 1945, you'll be very hard pressed to find any.

[JohnRatzenberger]

I'm glad to see our colonial cousins are keeping the paint jobs subdued, muted and restrained.

And your point is ?

The "bad" part about stuff like this is that a whole generation of possible modelers might grow up thinking it's for real and then be disappointed that no kits replicated the markings. This is an extreme example, but many warbird restorations fall into the same shady accuracy area ....

Flame off ... back to thread topic ...

[splash]

Well, as the Mustang IV didn't enter RAF service until early 1945, you'll be very hard pressed to find any.

Thanks Paul, I will stop looking.

Regards
Splash

[splash]

Thanks to Paul's response to my request for information on invasion stripes, it will be an OOB build with no stripes

So far no filler has been required the fit of all the parts is first class, I gave it a quick blow over with grey just to check and I'm pleased with the results, as you can see from the photo Airfix have added some nice detail, the panel lines are much better than they have been, if you use a hairy stick I suspect they will almost disappear, I thought about filling the lines but in the end I'm going to leave them as they are.



Regards Splash

[Ryben]

Hi Splash,

totally agree about the kit, great fit and finish.

http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5095

And yes definitely no invasion stripes for these:

http://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/Mu ... K%20P4.htm

Looking forward to seeing what it comes out like...

Ryben

[ShaunW]

I think the model looks nicely detailed and crisp Splash. I think I've become used to seeing the panel lines on these new Airfix issues and this model doesn't look bad at all to me.

[splash]

Hi Splash,

totally agree about the kit, great fit and finish.

http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5095

And yes definitely no invasion stripes for these:

http://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/Mu ... K%20P4.htm

Looking forward to seeing what it comes out like...

Ryben

Hi Ryben

Thanks for the links they will be useful, I like the work you did on the nose vents on yours, that's something I would have missed, but not being one for total accuracy I will probably leave it as it is and just build it as an OOB.

Regards Splash

[Ryben]

Hi Splash

I`m the same, but it had been in the recent edition of Airfix Model World so thought i`d have a bash at it...hardly that noticeable but it was fun to try.

Ryben

[AndrewR]

... the panel lines are much better than they have been, if you use a hairy stick I suspect they will almost disappear, I thought about filling the lines but in the end I'm going to leave them as they are.

I found the same thing with the lines on the new Zero. Once I'd primed and put the top coat on, the panel lines were very faint, and made the model look toy like. A very subtle wash picked them out enough to make a more pleasing effect.

Cheers

Andrew

[forest1000]

In the October 1995 issue of SAM, all the drawings there show only a MkI/IA, II and MkIII with invasion stripes and camouflage. GA-S is represented as the only MkIV with camouflage. The rest are all natural. One of the b/w photos shows KH655, QV-P of 19 Squadron in camouflage and again no stripes. The text states that MkIVs weren't available until Feb. 1945 (Squadrons 112 and 213). Seven units received IVs between March and May 1945. They were 19, 65, 122 154, 243, 303 and 611 Squadrons. Hope this helps.

[splash]

In the October 1995 issue of SAM, all the drawings there show only a MkI/IA, II and MkIII with invasion stripes and camouflage. GA-S is represented as the only MkIV with camouflage. The rest are all natural. One of the b/w photos shows KH655, QV-P of 19 Squadron in camouflage and again no stripes. The text states that MkIVs weren't available until Feb. 1945 (Squadrons 112 and 213). Seven units received IVs between March and May 1945. They were 19, 65, 122 154, 243, 303 and 611 Squadrons. Hope this helps.

thanks for that info.

Ryben gave me a good link that shows that Airfix have got the wrong colours on the kits painting instructions, the link is supported by a photo showing the actual a/c so I'm going with the link and painting it ocean grey and olive drab.

[PaulBradley]

Coming along nicely, Splash.