Official FMS 1400mm P-51D V8 Thread

[Grossman56]

The riveting has begun!
In the pics, the fasteners on the nose appear as silver from being opened and closed for maintenance, so...
There was also this little panel just behind the exhaust stack so I added that in too. I plane to position the gun camera in the wing as welll

Dan

[Grossman56]

Oh, and just 'cause you care, How'd you like to be an enemy pilot, look in your rear view mirror and see this....
Grateful Memorial Day everyone.

Dan

[Grossman56]

Thanks Rex, yeah I hang around Dave too much


Just finished an N9 Gunsight for her as well, then I can seal the canopy on. It ain't perfect, but when you reduce the size (17.8mm length x 10.3mm width x 13.49mm height)
it's not going to show too many mistakes. Anyone wanting an STL file for it, let me know.
Hey, it ain't no hoola girl, but it'll do

Dan

[jetfool]

Grossman56,
Excellent job, Dan..Looking more realistic every post.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Panel lines, panel lines, panel lines! I swear they take the longest of the detail work and probably the least noticed !
This represents three plus hours of work a bit at a time because you start losing your 'edge' after awhile.

Since I filled in the panel lines a few years back when Chris the RC Geek was doing his P51, I had to redraw them on the whole airplane. I used a fine tip Sharpie and painted just to the outside of the line to give the illusion of the end of a panel. Turned out pretty good so far

Dan

[Grossman56]

Thanks Rex
Dan

[jetfool]

Excellent work, Dan. I use .010" styrene sheet for cockpit floors, sides and fitted around radio boxes, etc. Lite weight and one coat of paint to cover.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Started in on some of the details, painted the guns, repainted the wheel hubs and touched up the black on the radio boxes. Still hoping to find or design a gunsight before closing up the canopy. Definitely going to swap out the floor of the battery hatch with some sheet balsa even though the pilot doesn't have legs, it'll look better than what's there now. Thanks for the wiring on the pilot Dave, greatly appreciated. I wonder if I could get away with using the same gunsight as the Corsair?

Dan

[Davegeee]

Coming down the home stretch now!

Callie Graphics showed up and Dave brought the pilot and the new armor seat. Installed them and gave the decals a few coats of flat.

Starting to look like her old self, maybe better. This was the first warbird I flew and the first I attempted to 'age'. She always had that stock awful FMS pilot and the cheesy seat back/armor. Back in her younger days...
Not bad for 12 years old!
Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

Great pics, Dan. I like the flat clear you sprayed overall to dampen sheens on the decals. The armored seat came out well, and pilot is super for this airplane.

Davegee

[Grossman56]

Coming down the home stretch now!

Callie Graphics showed up and Dave brought the pilot and the new armor seat. Installed them and gave the decals a few coats of flat.

Starting to look like her old self, maybe better. This was the first warbird I flew and the first I attempted to 'age'. She always had that stock awful FMS pilot and the cheesy seat back/armor. Back in her younger days...
Not bad for 12 years old!
Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[Grossman56]

It's the challenge to see what you can actually accomplish. Some are just too far gone, but I have several that were in the trash pile that are now flyable:



The Ghost Squadron!

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[jetfool]

Grossman56,
Your re-work is looking great. Funny what some guys do to ressurect a damaged model and others just pitch in the trash can. Watching intently.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

I'm thinking of getting a clear plastic sheet thin enough to bend and replacing the whole section from the door, back. The canopy is actually two broken ones that I managed to combine to make one, there's a good overlap on the top as well, so that would solve the problem.
I just made a piece to fit over the dashboard to hide the gatoring. Just used some wet cardboard that was cut to shape, once dry I'll paint it and it should be good. I'm loving that pilot, he seems to be the perfect scale for this airplane, wait 'til you see!

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

All sounds great! Really looking forward to doing a photoshoot with Hairless Joe and some inflight pics, too!

Cheers

Davegee

[Grossman56]

I'm thinking of getting a clear plastic sheet thin enough to bend and replacing the whole section from the door, back. The canopy is actually two broken ones that I managed to combine to make one, there's a good overlap on the top as well, so that would solve the problem.
I just made a piece to fit over the dashboard to hide the gatoring. Just used some wet cardboard that was cut to shape, once dry I'll paint it and it should be good. I'm loving that pilot, he seems to be the perfect scale for this airplane, wait 'til you see!

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[davegee]

I hear you, long before decals and chalks!
Just had her outside for some shots as the sun finally came out!

A long way to go, but no rush. The red cowling just shipped from FMS and the decal will be a week at least.
Still some cracks and damage to try and fix but I'm not in any rush. The bottom is still in primer and the wheels have to be cleaned up again. The main thing is that all the electronics worked

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

Good deal! This is a perfect time to work on patching any dings or dents, primer, and paint them. I do love the earlier Mustangs without that fin/fairing on the tail.

Question:do you think you can carefully remove the broken canopy window and then come in from behind and glue a piece of good quality clear acrylic plastic from behind? Unless there is someone out in the universe willing to part with his undamaged canopy!

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

I hear you, long before decals and chalks!
Just had her outside for some shots as the sun finally came out!

A long way to go, but no rush. The red cowling just shipped from FMS and the decal will be a week at least.
Still some cracks and damage to try and fix but I'm not in any rush. The bottom is still in primer and the wheels have to be cleaned up again. The main thing is that all the electronics worked

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[davegee]

After looking at the pics, I think those scratches on the spine have to go!
Should be easy enough, somehow I didn't notice them until I got the O/D paint on her.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

That should be pretty easy to do. Myself, I would use some good sandable putty, even Tamiya Putty which comes in convenient tubes, take a credit card or similar plastic and smooth it out as you drag it across the fuselage. Let it dry reapply in any low spots, and then sand, primer, and paint. I had to do this on several spots on Hairless Joe and all those areas came out so you would never see them when finished.

Whatever technique you use, I recommend fixing things like that at this early part of the restoration. You'll thank yourself later!

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

After looking at the pics, I think those scratches on the spine have to go!
Should be easy enough, somehow I didn't notice them until I got the O/D paint on her.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[davegee]

Shangri La is an excellent choice!

[Grossman56]

I was seriously considering that, but the problem is that the new cowling is red (Tuskegee P51D is the only one available) and red tends to bleed through everything so to make things simple, I'll stick with Shangri-La.
Lots of cleaning up to be done. The exhaust stacks have to be reinstalled, I can't believe I kept them but hey every once in awhile, I do something right! The battery hatch always sat funny so hopefully it won't be too much of a distraction.
Me at Muncie with her.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)