GB57 - 1/48 N.A. Mustang Mk1, RAF - WW2 Foreign Service.

[Airframes]

Username - Airframes
Name - Terry
Category - Judge - non competing
Model - Mustang Mk.1
Scale - 1/48th
Kit - ICM Mustang P-51A
Accessories Some parts from the spares box, decals from the decal files, some scratch-building.

North American Mustang Mk1, 2 Sqn, RAF, 1942.


This is one of the early releases from ICM, and will need a little modification to turn it into a RAF Mk1.
The subject aircraft was based at Sawbridgeworth, UK, operating in the TacR role, and was lost when it overshot a landing there, in bad weather, on 29th October 1942.
Pics below show the box art, and the subject of this build, Mustang Mk.1 AG633, XV-E. (RAF Museum photo).
I'll start on this as soon as I finish the P-47 build, which I hope will be early next week.

 

[Wurger]

 

[T Bolt]

Nice one Terry.
I built that kit a couple of years back. Somewhat rougher than the Accurate Minitures kit but builds up nice

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Wojtek and Glenn.
Yes Glenn, being one of their early releases, it's made from that fairly soft plastic, and there are no locating pins for wings or fuselage, which I remember from when I built their P-51B kit. But as you say, it should go together well enough.
ICM have come a long way since these earlier releases.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good on ya Terry, in for a penny, in for a pound.

 

[le_steph40]

Nice choice Terry

 

[Wayne Little]

Bring it on Terry.

 

[SaparotRob]

I always liked the looks of Allison Mustangs.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good one Terry.

 

[Macandy]

The RAF absolutely loved its Allison engined Mustangs and hung on to them as long as it could, only finally replacing them with Merlin engined ones in very late 44 when they were absolutely worn out.
They were highly regarded for their speed on the deck and the durability of the Allison engine.

 

[fubar57]

Good one Terry

 

[N4521U]

Egggggsellent!

 

[T Bolt]

Terry, I was looking back at my XP-51 build and saw that the ICM Mk II kit did not include the inner wheel well covers and I had to make them up. I would imagine your kit is the same.

 

[Airframes]

This kit has the covers. It's basically their P-51B kit, with a new fuselage and other relevant parts, and includes the "B" parts, marked as "Not for use".
If my darned hands behave, I might get this started, and possibly even finished, by the end of the GB !!

 

[Airframes]

Only one month behind, but if I can get the P-47 finished over the Easter weekend, I'll make a start on the Mustang.

As mentioned previously, this early (2002) ICM kit is basically their P-51B kit, with a new fuselage and other parts relevant to the P-51A and, like all of their early kits, is moulded in a fairly soft plastic, and lacks locating pins.
Some work will be required before the main construction can begin, particularly on the wing, which is the P-51B wing. The guns will need their locations and angles adjusted, and a third gun added to each wing, a second landing lamp needs to be added (to the starboard wing), a gun camera port to the port wing, additional empty cases/links ejector ports cut, some fairings removed, the gun and ammo access hatches altered and, of course, the upper surface panel lines filled.
As this will be a Mustang Mk1, the nose-mounted .50 cal guns need to be added to the fuselage, staggered, along with their un-faired tunnels.
There are a few other small mods to be carried out, relevant to the RAF aircraft, particularly the oblique camera and the camera port in the blanked-off port side rear window, but these will be done once the main fuselage construction is underway.

The pics below show what's required and, all being well, I might be able to start work on this early next week.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Got your work cut out for you Terry.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Lots of preliminary work required on this one Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, but once that's done, the rest should be straightforward - I hope !

 

[N4521U]

Go man, Go