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World War II: USA
Aircraft of the United States in WWII.
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
1:32 Hasegawa P-51D-5-NA
FlorinM
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Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 07, 2015 - 03:39 PM UTC
This one is for a friend and it needs to be done in two weeks or less, so nothing too fancy and certainly not the maniacal attention for detail, time is short!

Need to close up the fuselage, this means scrounging up a cockpit, because the kit is spartan in the area. This is the instrument panel, more to come soon:

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 08, 2015 - 04:34 PM UTC
The radiators are now in place:




Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Monday, March 09, 2015 - 03:06 AM UTC
Florin,
2 weeks to complete a 1/32 scale kit is a tall order. Will be following right along with your adventure.
Joel
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Monday, March 09, 2015 - 10:53 AM UTC
Well, it has to be done. Hopefully will finish a couple of days before the deadline.
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 04:29 PM UTC
Cockpit is done, will close up the fuselage tomorrow

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 06:30 PM UTC
The wheel well is closed, you can see the rectangular felt covers that prevented dust from entering the fuselage. The boot served a similar purpose.

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 06:31 PM UTC
Not much can be seen, but everything is in it place inside the cockpit.

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 06:33 PM UTC
All the major components are completed, now for the surface treatment!

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 06:42 PM UTC
The wheel well was rather plain, some PE parts designed for the Tamiya kit have enhanced its look

Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 08:51 PM UTC
Florin,
Outstanding progress. I'm truly impressed.
Joel
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 09:25 PM UTC
One word: DEADLINE!
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015 - 03:19 PM UTC
Have started the process of covering the appropriate surfaces in household aluminum foil:

Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015 - 06:19 PM UTC
Florin,
That's amazing. The end result is fantastic.
Joel
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015 - 09:07 PM UTC
Nothing beats the look of aluminum foil on a Natural Metal Finish aircraft replica. It is more time consuming than paint but it's totally worth it!
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 06:09 PM UTC
The yellow chromate gear bay has received some weathering:

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 06:18 PM UTC
The real life P-51 D Mustang wings received two coats of filling,sprayed on and then polished to obtain a perfectly smooth surface, so the rivets were not visible. The final coat was silver paint. Sadly 99.9% of modellers get this wrong...
The 1:32nd wing is smooth, with the appropriate panels visible. It is painted silver, while the landing flaps and ailerons are coated in aluminum foil:

FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 08:30 PM UTC
The fuselage is now covered in foil, not much remains to be done:
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 10:17 PM UTC
Florin,
Your aluminum foil work is amazing. Whenever I've tried it even with Bare Metal, I get wrinkles that just spoil the finish.
Joel
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 09:55 AM UTC
I am still learning, this is my second foiled model, the first being a 1:48th Monogram Douglas DC3.
You'll get wrinkles at some point, it's unavoidable. You just have to smooth the surface over, using something soft (cotton wool, soft cloth or paper towel) if you want a matte finish, or something more aggressive like a piece of metal to make the aluminum skin shiny.
I could easily do an illustrated how to guide but why bother? This site is DEAD, no feedback, no nothing!
JPTRR
Staff MemberManaging Editor
RAILROAD MODELING
#051
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Tennessee, United States
Joined: December 21, 2002
KitMaker: 7,772 posts
AeroScale: 3,175 posts
Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 11:24 PM UTC
Florin,

ANYONE who attempts foil has my respect! And your Mustang looks great!

Good work reminding us that N.A. covered the wings with paint to enhance airflow while keeping the fuselage NMF.
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 05:50 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I am still learning, this is my second foiled model, the first being a 1:48th Monogram Douglas DC3.
You'll get wrinkles at some point, it's unavoidable. You just have to smooth the surface over, using something soft (cotton wool, soft cloth or paper towel) if you want a matte finish, or something more aggressive like a piece of metal to make the aluminum skin shiny.
I could easily do an illustrated how to guide but why bother? This site is DEAD, no feedback, no nothing!



Florin,
I for one would be very interested in seeing a illustrated tutorial on foiling. While not many members post, they do look and read. Your blog has nearly 800 views to date.
Joel
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 05:33 PM UTC
It's not "views" that I'm after, Mr. Willstein, Sir!
I am a human being, and as such make mistakes. Or something slips up. Or maybe someone has a better way to do things that mine. Or knows more than I do and can help. Without feedback one cannot better oneself. PLEASE, guys don't sit on the fence. Stop being silent stalkers!
bdanie6
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New Hampshire, United States
Joined: November 09, 2008
KitMaker: 615 posts
AeroScale: 459 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 05:57 PM UTC
Not stalking Florin, you are just doing a very good job, without me putting in my 2 Euro's worth. Rest assured, if I saw a glaring error I'd point it out to you so you could fix if you wished.
Since you are working under a deadline, I feel such a call out would be inappropriate right now

So, Florin, so far, so good. I await your next update

As long as you are staying true to your references you can't go wrong. Or in this case your customers wishes.

Later
FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 06:17 PM UTC
Errors are meant to be corrected even if that would lead to delays.

This is the Sky Czar, it shall be presented to its owner on Thursday. Not much left to be done, just the recognition stripes on top of the wings and the invasion stripes under, and everything will be put together. This kit might be old, but the parts did fit perfectly.



FlorinM
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Bucuresti, Romania
Joined: August 01, 2011
KitMaker: 385 posts
AeroScale: 173 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 22, 2015 - 06:04 PM UTC
95% done. A coat of Future was applied to seal the decals in place. It would have been nice for the aluminum to oxidize a little but that takes time.

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