1/72 P-51B
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/1/8/9/1691189-62039-55-720.jpg)
After my disastrous attempt at the 1/72 Italeri CR.42, I decided to give this P-51 a try
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/1/8/8/1691188-62039-83-720.jpg)
This will be my first time using pre-cut masks. I’m excited to give them a try since I hate cutting my own, I can’t ever quite get them quite right
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/1/8/7/1691187-62039-90-720.jpg)
I don’t have the right interior green so I used two different RAL6011 Reseda green’s instead. One was used on the raised highlights while the other for everything else
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/1/9/1/1691191-62039-16-720.jpg)
This wide array of colors was used on the cockpit details
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/1/9/0/1691190-62039-80-720.jpg)
Cockpit done
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/1/9/5/1691195-62039-82-720.jpg)
Main components assembled together.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/1/9/2/1691192-62039-42-720.jpg)
I scribed the panel lines a bit deeper using the CMK triangle saw
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/1/9/3/1691193-62039-18-720.jpg)
I added the canopy masks on the exterior only and then placed it on the aircraft. The fit was so snug that I didn’t use glue, only Vallejo green acrylic putty was applied on the very front where there was a huge gap. I love this putty because it can be easily sculpted with a wet qtip. I hope I don’t discover horrible overspray inside the canopy from the black Vallejo rattle-can primer
The propeller was horrible and did not “slot in” at all. I had to manipulate the spacing, angle, and feathering if each prop blade. It’s far from perfect but it looks passable to me
The propeller was horrible and did not “slot in” at all. I had to manipulate the spacing, angle, and feathering if each prop blade. It’s far from perfect but it looks passable to me
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/1/9/4/1691194-62039-35-720.jpg)
The cowling was the most difficult and time consuming part of the build so far. There is a kit seamline there anyways which simply needs to be scribed a bit deeper. As I was doing so, toward the end my saw slipped, which started a horrible cycle of filling with super glue, sanding, scribing with the saw, screwing up and starting over again. I probably repeated this cycle at least five times. When I thought I was done and applied the primer I noticed that panel line was way too deep! I tried lightly filling with super glue but it filled to whole thing. After another round of rescribinf and screwing up, I lightly filled it in with the Vallejo filler instead. I think I’m done for now. I hope…
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/6/2/0/1698620-62039-69-720.jpg)
Black based using AK 3rd Gen US Dark Green (AK11157)
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/6/1/8/1698618-62039-46-720.jpg)
Better lighting. Perhaps my black basing is far too exaggerated but I’m worried about being too subtle. Besides this is supposed to be a P-51B in China in 1945, so perhaps it deserves to be beaten up some
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/6/1/9/1698619-62039-40-720.jpg)
I didn’t have any neutral grey at hand, so I attempted to mix my own with 5:2:1 Grey Blue (AK11426), Grey Green AK11424), and German Grey AK11025)
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/6/1/7/1698617-62039-40-720.jpg)
This 3rd Gen Dark Green is extremely fragile. Despite being over a primer and having 24 hours to cure, a bit of Tamiya masking tape is enough to cause it to lift
Komentarzy
6 23 March, 20:52
![](/profiles/img/121979-911-s.jpg)
Nice work, I see you're building it in flight? I feel that's an underappreciated way of displaying aircraft. How did you like those Eduard masks?
23 March, 21:03
![](/profiles/img/62039-689-s.jpg)
Thank you. No, unfortunately I'm not building it in flight. Im just using the landing gear doors like that for masking. The Eduard masks were alright, it was nice that they offered an option for both the kit and an accurate top canopy frame, however I'm not happy with the size and spacing of the frames
23 March, 21:18
![](/profiles/img/121979-911-s.jpg)
Gotcha. Still a good idea for masking! Yeah on my current 1/48 Tamiya Mosquito build I found the respective Eduard masks didn't fit great in places. Have yet to see how the final product will look. Happy modeling,
Cheers!
-hans
24 March, 00:28