1/32 Tamiya P-51D MUSTANG (1 Viewer)

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Post pics if you can Jerry.
I think I have a photo of a RAF MkIV panel. From memory, there wasn't much difference, apart from those switches etc for radio and navigation/IFF use etc, and I'm farely sure that American instruments were retained throughout. If you're fitting the K-14 or British GSGS gun sight, then almost all of the instrument panel is hidden beneath the bulk of the sight anyway. Also, I'm not sure if the yellow tape, around the blind flying instruments, was there or not, as I think this was normally applied, for American-used aircraft, at the BAD, and wouldn't really be needed for RAF pilots., although including it wouldn't harm.
At a guess, the two panels will be for early and late model 'D' versions, but not sure about the seat. But, US Mustang pilots used a back-pack parachute, whereas RAF standard fighter issue was the seat-type pack, requiring a deeper seat pan, compared to that used for the dinghy pack on USAAF aircraft, so there might have been a new seat for that use. Again, I'm not certain, but I don't recall seeing, or hearing about, a RAF back-pack 'chute for fighter use at that time.
 
Thanks guys, Terry thanks for the help here are pics of the instruction sheet.

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OK.
Use seat Parts D19 and D21, ignore Part Z12. There should be a horizontal bar each side of the seat, joining the seat back and the pan. (I'll try and post a pic (much) later today - just going for Christmas lunch.)
Instrument panel, use AB group, which appears to be the later panel, with the Blind Flying instruments logically grouped together.
Hope this helps, and Happy Easter .. er... ahem!
 
Thanks guys, this I.P. is not the one I will use I painted this to see how they look. I think it might be to gray.

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The original was semi-matt black, as shown in George's pic, so a very dark grey, virtually black, would work, much darker thanthe one you painted. The glazed instruments should contrast against the panel. I'm trying to find a clear photo of the seat braces for you, as they can be clearly seen when looking into the cockpit.
 
I've got a better pic somewhere, but this should give an idea of what the braces looked like, and the location on the seat. The yellow cushion or life support(?), as provided in the kit, wasn't normally in place, and neither was the cushion in the seat pan - USAAF pilots used a back-pack parachute, with a seat dinghy pack. RAF pilots used the seat-type parachute, with a dinghy pack between the parachute pack itself, and the wearer, replacing the cushion on earlier parachute rigs.
Seat colour was Medium Green.
(Photo from Squadron Signal P-51D Walk around).
 

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Yes, I'm unsure exactly where the yellow bands colour originated. The actual colours should be blue and white, and they certainly were a little later, when blue and white checks were added, as a band, behind the spinner. These were the traditional Squadron colours, originally worn on the pre-war 'silver' biplanes, and again post war, even up until recently.
However, in a couple of black and white photos, including the one I posted, the tones of the lighter colour on the spinner look a touch darker than would be expected for white, and it might be this that has lead to an interpretation that it's actually yellow. I can't see any reason why it would be yellow though, and other photos, and decal sheets of the Squadron's MkIVs show blue and white.
 
Thanks a lot guys for the great input its a big help I really do appreciate it.
 
Thanks guys, I started on the firewall and oil tank should the oil tank be ZCY or interior green. I got color on the engine need to do some dry brushing and weathering yet.

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I have WW2 colour photos, showing the tank in yellow ZC, with bare metal straps. Engine bearers are shown both in yellow ZC and either green ZC or Interior Green.
 
The Squadron Walkaround book has production line pics showing bare aluminum and that's what I was referring to. I have no doubt there were other possibilities.
 

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