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MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61 "COMPLETED"

razordws

razordws

Well-known member
Not sure how far I want to go with it as it is pretty crude. Might just build it oob like in the old school days. I am going to replace the pilot figures with some spares as the kit ones are pretty horrible and I will have to do something about the injector pin marks on the inside of the canopies. Also the decals for this kit had to be trashed as they were completely wrecked. Paul came to my rescue and provided the sheet shown. I'm leaning towards the all black "Moonie". Love the name and the white moon with the spider outline on the tail is kinda cool. Started cleaning up the interior parts tonight.

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Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Well, you know which two schemes on that sheet interest me!

Regards,
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

I realized I did not take a time stamp photo so here it is. Taken on Feb. 3rd with only a couple of pieces glued together.

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I ended up adding a few bits from the junk box to add some interest in the pit as it was pretty bare. I also added to the instrument panel to fit the shape of the decals. The yellow paint is almost toast so it spattered a bit but I think with a second coat it will be unnoticeable.

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I'm hoping 16 grams of lead in the nose is going to be enough to keep the nose down. Also, I glued the nose wheel gear in place because the holes for the attachment points went right through the floor and I wanted it plugged and painted.
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Going well Dave, 16 grams of lead, now I need to convert that to 1/48!!!

Tail sitter number six........ :gogo
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Thanks Phil, now that the wings are on with the landing gear I think I could have gotten away with far less weight in the nose.

I gave up on the yellow interior as the yellow I was using was the wrong shade and lumpy. Turns out most of it should have been green anyway (thanks Phil). I had to get out the pot of hot water and straighten a few things. The right side wing was drooping and the left side tail boom was slightly twisted. Think I have that sorted now so it is on to the PSR. Lots of sink holes and other stuff to sand and fill so it will take awhile. :(


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I have not finished painting the pilots yet, just wanted to fill the empty space for the pictures.
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Looking good Dave!! I haven't even started mine yet.

Terry B)
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Looks good to me Dave - I wouldn't worry too much about the int colours as it did my head in finding so many variations in both green and the yellow shades!!
 
Re: MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

So after after a lengthy break from this project and about a week of PSR this is where I am now at. I sanded off all the surface detail as it was impossible to save it given all the sink holes, ejector pin marks and bad seams. Doubt I will rescribe it and will likely just paint as is. Next up is to finish painting the pilot figures and polish out the ejector pin marks on the inside of the canopies (Grrr!). You will note where the dive brakes(?) have been replaced with sheet styrene. The kit's parts were hideous to say the least and poked up through the upper wing. I guess they were intended to be raised and lowered.

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MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

You know, you got another option on the panel lines. Archer's Surface details
http://www.archertransfers.com/SurfaceDetailsMain.html

Or just go with whatcha got. That's some massive work cleaning this up.

:popcorn
 
MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Interesting! I've heard of the rivets before but not the panel lines. :coolio
 
MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

Thanks Phil, I'm trying to make it three! :D

Spent the last couple of days getting the canopies sorted. I sanded out the ejector pin marks in the two main canopies but the tail canopy piece was a no go. The ejector pin mark was right in the tip of the canopy with no way to get in there and clean it out so I had to pull out the handy dandy homemade vacuform box and used the original canopy as the mold. Turned out pretty good I'd say. I was lazy though and used silly putty to support it instead of making a stand like I normally do but it turned out okay.

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Here you can see the original beside the vacformed piece in front after it has been removed and cleaned up. The main canopies turned out okay. should vac form them too but I hate gluing vac canopies. :pp

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MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61

...aaaaand we're done! Lot of effort just to get a half decent result but at least I got my money's worth of entertainment out of it. Oh wait, I got the kit for free. Even better and it looks good in the display case as long as you don't get too close to it. For what it was I'm happy with the way it turned out.

The decals turned out to be crap. Couldn't push them around at all or they crumbled into a million pieces and I didn't have the patience to spray a gloss coat on them to help hold them together. Managed to get through it though with a little help from the spares box.

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MPC/Airfix 1/72 P-61 "COMPETED"

You are a very brave & Clever man. Well Done! She looks very speedy & very Black!!
From the old Airfix even. :notworthy
 
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