P-51D Mustang makeover

1
February 22, 2023
Some references
2
February 22, 2023
Reference n.2
3
February 22, 2023
“P-51 Mustang (HO-M, serial number 44-14151) nicknamed "Petie 2nd" of the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group flown by John C. Meyer at RAF Bodney, Norfolk.
This was John C. Meyer's aircraft from c. August 1944 to January 1945.
It was reassigned to Sheldon Heyer, re-coded and renamed”
4
February 22, 2023
Humbrol enamel paint sanded with wet and dry 1500 - I was never happy with the blue nose colour when I originally built it
5
February 22, 2023
Will replace decals once I’ve got the Tamiya kit.
6
February 22, 2023
Stealth ‘stang.
All previous NMF sanded and Mr Surfacer added in places. Vallejo black primer to cure.
7
March 14, 2023
So, having tried to coat AK Xtreme over Vallejo Black Primer (I'm really going off this product!), and the original enamel, I found the paint came away in places. Also the depth of enamel layered meant I was losing the subtle (raised) details. This is a 1974 kit, but still looks great.
8
March 14, 2023
After a couple of hours with a toothpick, we managed to remove almost all offending paints. I have washed with IPA and am left with, I hope, a more stable base. Let's start again!!
9
March 19, 2023
Stealth ‘stang v.2
10
March 19, 2023
This is a new attempt with AK Xtreme Black Base before their range of metallics. Hoping for better
11
March 20, 2023
We’ll try this way ‘round…. AKXtreme dark aluminium for the fabrics, duraluminium for some panels and the tanks, and a mixture of burnt metal-dark aluminium for the panels around the exhausts and front. Also I have gone with the red walkway painted too. Let’s give these 24/24 to cure and see if a bit of masking will not cause anymore issues when it’s peeled off.
12
March 21, 2023
The reveal is better than I thought- I will tone down the contrast on the fabric surfaces next.
13
March 22, 2023
I) After a few corrections we end up with aluminium overall, duraluminium panels, dark aluminium and the custom made blue. All overcoated with Mr Gauzy ready for decals
14
March 22, 2023
II)
15
March 22, 2023
III)
16
March 22, 2023
Calling it done bar the few stencils (on order): the swastika placement was directly from Tamiya's instructions. Should've checked the references as they're too far to the left 🙁
17
March 22, 2023
Better than the original I made in 1995- added the fuel pipes from the tanks to the undersides of the wings
18
March 22, 2023
This is a 1974 mould- raised panel lines, but still a finely-proportioned model and certainly must have been well ahead of its time compared to contemporaries.
19
March 22, 2023
Just needs a few stencils - lightly weathered
20
March 22, 2023
quite a vice-less little kit
21
March 22, 2023
The wing decals are too big, but they’re all I had in the spares box.
22
April 2, 2023
stencilled using the excellent "Foxbots".
23
April 2, 2023
Petie 2 re-vamped and revised.
24
April 2, 2023
Mr Gauzy adding a shiny coating over the AK-Xtremes. I love the effect and the combo.
25
April 2, 2023
Built in 1995 as a gear-up. Accentuates the beauty of the P-51, second only to its near-cousin- the Spitfire, for grace and purposeful shape.

Comments

38 22 February 2023, 08:49

Живко Джаков
I get scared when I hear, "What if" from people like you. You do unique things and I dare not guess how far you would go even with an old model.

22 February 2023, 11:50

Andy Ball
I'll try not to spook anyone on here Zhivko! I have tried to tighten up the old build a little and hope to have a revamp-refresh soon. It's poignant really, I remember building this just before my first child was born and he's now 27!

22 February 2023, 18:06

Andy Ball
Thanks as always Marc! And Doug too

22 February 2023, 18:20

Andy Ball
Cheers Carlos and Villiers!

23 February 2023, 14:52

Andy Ball
And Juergen!

25 February 2023, 13:26

Andy Ball
Grazie Pietro

25 February 2023, 15:59

Andy Ball
Cheers Eddie

25 February 2023, 17:58

Guy Rump
Watching this. 👍

19 March 2023, 08:24

Andy Ball
Good to see you Guy, just got the AK Xtreme black base Saturday to try the whole NMF process again…😞

19 March 2023, 08:47

Shar Dipree
following

19 March 2023, 08:51

Andy Ball
Thanks Shar- a bit of a retro "try again" - a warm up on the metallics before the other P-51 and P-47
@Rui and others: thanks!

20 March 2023, 14:51

Andy Ball
Calling it 95% complete- have ordered the remaining stencils that I don't want to take from the Tamiya kit.
@Franck- thanks!
Thanks Josef and the others for the look-in on this small side diversion

22 March 2023, 21:35

Живко Джаков
There are two important things about models. We should have fun while building and we should like the end result. If others like them, that's a bonus. I personally like the model. My Mustang didn't turn out so well, but now we're talking about yours. Tell us about the weathering, how exactly did you achieve it?

23 March 2023, 06:26

Andy Ball
Zhivko, thanks for the comment, and you've hit the nail on the head regarding the enjoyment of the hobby. Looking through your prolific work I can't imagine that your P-51 would have been so problematic? I will have a look at your builds when next I come to a subject we've both tackled in 72nd. Weathering: I'm beginning to understand how to use Tamiya's X-19 smoke to add some contrast. I used a little oils courtesy of Abteilung (umber & smoke), plus Windsor & Newton burnt umber. Not too much on this one as I'm trying a light touch to weathering.
@Marius- thanks

23 March 2023, 16:02

Bernd Grün
Nice Mustang! congrats, Andy. 👍

24 March 2023, 07:31

Andy Ball
Ah, cheers @Bernd. A little practice for later.....

28 March 2023, 10:36

Guy Rump
Very nice recovery job Andy. 👍

28 March 2023, 14:15

Andy Ball
Cheers Guy. It's a good exercise to do once in a while!?

28 March 2023, 15:03

Andy Ball
Cuajete, thanks mate!

28 March 2023, 21:17

Andy Ball
Thanks Mark K too!

29 March 2023, 14:17

Andy Ball
Sukhoi242: appreciate the visit...just the decals (which have now arrived) and we're done done done.

30 March 2023, 14:51

Andy Ball
appreciate all the likes, and @Sean - thanks too

3 April 2023, 08:15

Andy Ball
Thanks Ferenc and Uhrin!

3 April 2023, 19:56

Andy Ball
and Jeff....and the others!!

4 April 2023, 11:02

Andy Ball
thank-you Palo G, and LucLuke

4 April 2023, 18:29

Andy Ball
Mona, thanks for looking it over

4 April 2023, 21:45

Andy Ball
@Marcelo, @Simon and others, thanks for popping by

5 April 2023, 08:48

Album info

A model I built in the mid-90s.
What started as replacing a prop blade has now become a "what if we repaint and decal it while we're at it"?
I won't use the Quick Boost prop, I will transfuse the prop from my Tamiya P-51D and their "Petie 2nd" scheme to replace what I'll lose here.

Mustang Sally!

32 images

1:72

Completed

1:72 NA P-51 Mustang Stencils (Foxbot 72-046)

North American P-51D Mustang

US Army Air Forces (1941-1947)
487 FS, 352 FW 414151/HO- (Lt.Col. John C. Mayer)
NMFBlue nose, Dolly Petie2nd

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