1/48 Tamiya P-51B USAAF 4th Fighter Group (1 Viewer)

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Getting close to finish line on this one. Flat coated with Mr. Color GX Super Flat. Landing gear on. I am just finishing off the canopy and hope to add that and the side windows shortly.

Question. For the Radio Mast and Antenna. Does anyone have a good picture or drawing of the Antenna set up on the P-51B??? I can't find a good reference.

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Fantastic looking build Dave. Not 100% sure on the antenna wire arrangement but I might suggest the wire was deleted in favour of a VHF radio but that the mast and insulator was still present. I don't see a wire in this pic.

 
Looking good.
For the period depicted by your model, the profiled, tubular mast was fitted,.
The original antenna wire ran from the fin to the mast, with an extention from the mast to the insulator situated behind it. When early VHF radios were fitted, this wire (for the HF Command set) ran to the insulator directly, with the mast serving the VHF radio ( no wire ), and it is this arrangement that seems likely for your subject, although it's possible that wire was omitted, if all VHF being fitted.
The tubular mast was later replaced by a "blade" type (no wires ), as fitted to the P-51D.. This was again replaced by a "whip" antenna on aircraft with the "Macolm" hood.
By this period, main radio ws VHF, so aircraft in the ETO would not have wires.
Pic below shows the shape of the mast as used on your subject.



Pic from SS walkaround.
 
Wow! Thanks for all the input everyone. I feel honoured by all your feedback. This is very helpful.

So, if I can summarize. For Shangri-La it would be the tubular mast per Terry and the white insulator behind it but with no wires?
 
The clear part is for the position lamp, located between the mast and the insulator, which is just visible in th first colour pic, with Gentile in the cockpit
And yes, the insulator was white ceramic
 
Hi Guys,

It's been awhile since I posted a update so I thought I would post a couple of shots. The finish line is in site on this one. I varied the the OD finish to give it a bit of mottled appearance to indicate uneven wear. Also, did some paint chipping on the high traffic areas as seen on pictures of the real thing. Just have to add the landing gear doors and and that's all she wrote. Interestingly, these pictures were taken with my phone while the previous ones were taken with my Cannon SLR. These pictures I find are a bit more olive in colour.





 
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Thanks guys. I was a bit surprised how poorly the rear side windows fit. Not great at all especially if you want to do a closed canopy where the fit between the canopy and side windows is crucial. Had to deal with some gaps there. Kind of unlike Tamiya,
 
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