Accurate Miniature RAF Mustang Mk-1A

[Greg Kimsey]

First post! Unsure where this should be. I an not new to model building but could definitely improve exponentially. I started this model earlier and made a disaster of it. Since I own my own store and got these kits at a great discount I am starting over on a new kit. I have followed a thread build here by Helios here https://modelersalliance.org/threads/the-british-american-1-48-mustang-mk-1a.155933/
But he has not finished. I noticed in a particular reply by RichB containing valuable info the following quote:
"Of course, we all know to fill the wing panel lines, excluding the gun bay doors, fueling panels and fuel tank access panels."
Unfortunately, I do not know these things or even what and where they are. How do I find this info?
Hopefully I am not asking for too much. I will show photos of the cockpit progress. I have primed with black primer and used Tamiya Cockpit Green initial coat. I used an Raw Umber/Black mix oil wash in the edges and waiting for that to dry. Next I will highlight with a lighter version of the green then work in details and edge wear. After an exhaustive rookie internet search I cannot find images of this particular cockpit so will take artistic license to make it interesting. I will make seatbelts also. You can see that I added the heat shield behind the seat per RichB's instruction, hopefully correctly!

I apologize for any buffoonery and lack of knowledge! Please let me know if I am posting correctly and if it is the right place. Thanks!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

This is the kit I am building.

 

[moon puppy]

Hey Greg, nice intro. Welcome aboard.

Yeah the wings of the P51 were puttied over areodynamics, it's something that's not often modeled correctly, they were also painted silver instead of NMF if I recall correctly.

Really dig your wash effects.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Hey Greg, nice intro. Welcome aboard.

Yeah the wings of the P51 were puttied over areodynamics, it's something that's not often modeled correctly, they were also painted silver instead of NMF if I recall correctly.

Really dig your wash effects.

So, I fill in the panel lines on the wing?

 

[Greg Kimsey]

So, I fill in the panel lines on the wing?

Also, please forgive me...what is NMF? And I am supposed to paint the puttied panel lines silver?

 

[Greg Kimsey]

So I mixed a little yellow into the Cockpit Green and sprayed the middles of the panels. I then added the amallest amount of white and hit the centers. Using black acrylic paint I then painted what I thought might be black. If you see something wrong please tell me
I used white oil paint and dusted some of the edges I thought might get wear.
For the instrument panel, which was cast in clear, I painted the back side white. I painted between the dials as well as I could with matte black. I tried to hit the dial edges with silver but probably shouldn't have. For the bezels, I used, believe it or not, a UV Resin designed for fishing flies(I also tie fishing flies LOL). I added the smallest drop I could using a toothpick, then cured it with my UV light. The pedals are aluminum. I notice the paintjob doesn't look that great up close, but from 8 inches away it is not terrible!
Next- to make the seatbelts. What color are they? Where do I find this info? Thanks for looking.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

"Next- to make the seatbelts. What color are they?"
The reason I ask is I am finding tan, brown, green, and black reference photos.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Next- to make the seatbelts. What color are they? Where do I find this info? Thanks for looking.

The reason I ask is that I am finding tan, brown, green, and black reference photos.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Also, please forgive me...what is NMF? And I am supposed to paint the puttied panel lines silver?

Found it:natural metal finish. Duh. I was thinking "non metallic...something"

 

[moon puppy]

So, I fill in the panel lines on the wing?

If you want to do the work, sure. It was something they had to do on a continuing maintenance process, the flex of the wings would make the putty pop out and they had to rework it all the time as I understand.

 

[moon puppy]

The reason I ask is that I am finding tan, brown, green, and black reference photos.

Tan or OD works, I saw a mix on a B52 on the alert ramp once. Had a couple of tan belts and the shoulder belts were OD. I've modeled that a couple of times but I suspect if we took it to a show i'd be called out for it.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Thank you! I will go with tan, and not putty the wings.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Seatbelts to hopefully resemble the Sutton Harness. It is tape, wire for the connector loops, and some Detail Master belt buckles I had for some reason. Painted olive drab. Under the glass it should be OK I hope?

 

[Rhino]

Your seatbelts came out nice! I hope your instrument faces aren't white. Where is your hobby shop?

 

[jeaton01]

Here's a good reference for the panel lines on the wings. They were puttied and filled at the factory during while the components were being built. in service the finish would degrade and sometimes the factory finish was stripped. After the primer coats silver lacquer was applied over the primer. The drawings below show what was done at the factory.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Your seatbelts came out nice! I hope your instrument faces aren't white. Where is your hobby shop?

Thank you! Oh No! I painted the back white, so I guess they are white. I can re-do that since I have not put it in yet. My store is called The Art-Full Barn in Clarkesville, Ga.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Here's a good reference for the panel lines on the wings. They were puttied and filled at the factory during while the components were being built. in service the finish would degrade and sometimes the factory finish was stripped. After the primer coats silver lacquer was applied over the primer. The drawings below show what was done at the factory.

Wow! Thank you!!

 

[Rhino]

Where the Last Train went! Cool! Link, Please! Many of us buy from Americans before Communists.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Where the Last Train went! Cool! Link, Please! Many of us buy from Americans before Communists.

There actually WAS a last train to Clarkesville LOL. Our website is www.artfullbarn.com
Unfortunately we are not set up to sell online yet. Hopefully I can change that soon.

 

[Rhino]

HA!