SE Aviation's 'Special Mustang' *Finished in under 24 Hours*

[SouthEast Aviation99]

For This, my first group build, I pondered over what to raid from my (at the moment rather small) stash.
When, whilst moving an old Airfix 1/48 109 (I don't really build 1/48, it was a gift) the answer hit me...quite literally.
A dislodged Mustang kit fell off the shelf and landed on my head (fortunately neither my head, or more importantly the kit, was damaged):



So by the divine will, I had found a kit, so next, markings. Now, my girlfriend, although by no means an aviation enthusiast, takes great delight in hearing me talk about my passion for planes. So, long story short, I am making a Mustang for her, with personalised, hopefully hand painted markings.
This is the plane in question: 'kute Kheira III' the third type to bear the name 'Kute Kheira' after a Dauntless and a P40 (to be built at another point).



I will try to keep it in hourly updates but have no guarantees. Just need to make final preps before I go into my 'Museum restoration' narrative which I usually adopt for builds. God willing, kick off shall be at 1/13:00 this afternoon UTC.

[iggie]

Looking forward to seeing this progress and the eventual scheme!

[Old_Tonto]

Great choice and an excellent way of choosing a kit. Might do a blitz myself this afternoon.

Just wondering, is your current girlfriend the third Kheira you have dated?

[SouthEast Aviation99]

And we are off!

The airframe arrived at the South East Aviation Museum a few minutes ago, and work commensed immediately on the interior paintwork and fitting out.
*The airfame in question, was built in May 1944 by the North American company at a factory in Texas, the plane flew during D-Day and subsequently in missions over France and Germany escorting bombers. In 1947 it was retired and put into storage, before, in 2012, it was brought to the museum and prepared for restoration.



Work has been swift thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers, the paintwork inside the cockpit steadily underway. Also being painted are the canopy frame, and intake:



Here she is in Workshop 2, alongside the collections Buchon:



Next I plan to recruit a pilot, and comtinue on with work on the fuselage.
Meanwhile, here's some appropriate music:

[SouthEast Aviation99]

Great choice and an excellent way of choosing a kit. Might do a blitz myself this afternoon.

Just wondering, is your current girlfriend the third Kheira you have dated?

No, it's just the chronology, I plan to make a few planes for her, just not in the right order.
I plan to make a Dauntless as 1, P40 as 2, P51 as 3, then who knows...

[splash]

Great start, hand painted nose artwork in a blitz this should be fun to watch.

[SouthEast Aviation99]

Latest News!

A spot O' Lunch™ was in Order, so out came the corn beef, wholemeal and cucumber:



Once eaten, attention was turned to adding some weathering to the cockpit, mud and chipping done with a fine brush.
Meanwhile, the control panel was receiving some attention:



This shot looks like how my workshop would look when a little bit tipsy
I was not however and was the result of the photographer's bane, camera shake:



This is my plastic incarnation of myself, I, the museum's director, am to fly this plane once it is completed. It is registered as G-KIZZ and will be part of our collection:



Thanks for looking, stay tuned chaps!

[jssel]

Tasty lunch and build. True blitz spirit.

[SouthEast Aviation99]

And Now...

Once the cockpit was fitted out and the wiring began to me connected up, I decided to try the 'office' for size:



Meanwhile, work began on the newly refurbished prop and spinner, painted up in a nice and bright red/yellow scheme of the 364th FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, USAAF:



Likewise work began on the 'checkerboard' nose markings, probably to be touched up with a smaller brush later, but not too bad if I do say so meself:



Current state of play:



Thanks all for your comments, I'm glad my build is being enjoyed

[Old_Tonto]

Looking great.

[SouthEast Aviation99]

Some paint on!

The volunteers mixed up a special combination of paints (Revell 46 and 39) to create the Olive green on the aircraft's fuselage.
Painting went successfully thus far:

[

And this is the latest state of the build:



Next comes one of the most difficult bits, doing my Gf justice painting the nose-art. Never done this in 1/72 before!

[fredk]

What model making is all about - having fun.
Better having the artwork on a model than on your arm as a tattoo. That can be embarrassing if things change

[SouthEast Aviation99]

Nose-art completed

As the nose-art was completed, the tailplane was attached and connected up:



After much careful painting and a couple of repaints, the artwork was revealed:



I hope she'll like it, I've tried my best to make it accurate as I can for the scale.

Next task: wings

[SouthEast Aviation99]

Wings on

The wings were succesfully attached to the aircraft by the volunteers. Plumbed to the fuselage, bolted on and with the flaps installed and connected up to the controls, it is beginning to look a proper aircraft:



The aircraft then had its wings painted in as close as possible a colour to the fuselage before it had some invasion stripes hastily applied, as they often were:



With the exhausts fitted and the windscreen in place, work now turns to the undercarriage:



Thanks for looking in

[iggie]

Is the undercarriage in the crate, fresh from the refurbishment specialist?