1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III - W/O Pietrzak

[s1chris]

Great! Just realised that the Tamiya kit doesn't feature the fillet between the tail and the fuselage.
Does anybody have any experience in fabricating this part and care to share how they did it please?

Cheers Chris

 

[Wurger]

There is a couple of ways to make a such part. The easiest way is to use a piece of a plastic plate of a proper thickness , cut out the fillet side shape according to drawings and then shape it with sandpaper. Finally sticking it to the model when both halves of the model are stuck together.
Another way , I could suggest , is to cut out two fillet cores of a thin plastic plate and attach them to each of the fuselage halves. Then applying some of a putty on them in order to get the correct thickness of each fillet halves. Forming of the fillet halves with sandpaper is needed too. Or if using one of these two-component epoxy putties below, forming when the putty is soft.
The third way you may try is to use two-component epoxy putty like Milliput, Magic Sculp, Mr. Epoxy Putty Super Lightweig etc... and shape it yourself.

 

[s1chris]

And there was me thinking it would be a straight forward build!
Ill go for option one as I can do it last minute once the model almoast complete.


Cheers

 

[Wurger]

Of course you should do it before painting. Also I would like to make a focus on the joint of the fillet and the fin at the area of the fin leading adge. It may be needed to cut off a piece of the fin at the area in order to get a better fitting. Therefore I wouldn't suggest waiting for the last minute once the model is almost finished. The fillet must be done and fitted before you can start the finnal assembling of the fuselage. If I were you I would put both halves of the fuselage together ( the dry fitting ) and would make the fillet and fit it just now. Later it may cause damages to the model becuse of moving, touching , lack of room for tools etc...

 

[s1chris]

Good shout master Wojtek.

So is this still a Mustang III?

 

[Wurger]

Yes it is.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, both the P-51B and C were known as Mustang III in RAF service, with the P-51D and K being the Mustang IV (the 'K' also being called IVa sometimes).
The fin fillets were retro-fitted later in the war, to improve lateral stability when the fuselage tank was full on the 'C' model, and the retro-fitted tank on the 'B' model.
Your subject is a Mustang III, P-51B-10A.

 

[s1chris]

Hi Terry, quality information there, thanks. So in theory I could still build the model without the fillet, but just depicted earlier on in the war.

Cheers Chris

 

[Airframes]

Probably, but in camouflage. However, fitting a fillet as described by Wojtek is very easy. When I've done similar jobs, I've actually cemented a piece of plastic card between the fin and fuselage halves, before joining the fuselage, then, when joined and set, trimming and sanding it to shape, and blending it in with Milliput. It's such a small area, that it really i very straightforward, and doesn't take long to do.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Here's a link to a PDF that show how to make the fillet. RCAF Mustang IIIs from May - IPMS Canada www.ipmscanada.com/ipms/

Geo

I just checked the link and its broken. I'll send you the PDF page when I get home on Wednesday if you still want it Chris.

 

[s1chris]

Hi Geo,

yes if you could send it to me that would be a massive help thanks. I can't possibly go wrong then. Famous last words!

Cheers Chris

 

[fubar57]

OK Chris but in the meantime, I typed "1/48 p-51 fin fillet addition" into Google search and the PDF was the first hit. The link is dead but the PDF still down load.

Geo

 

[s1chris]

Ah Perfect, I'll find it that way. Cheers Geo.

 

[s1chris]

Ok so finally got started and today I built and finished off the cockpit. Harnesses are from an old Reheat brass etched RAF set that I picked up for £3 in an auction. Quite happy with them concidering I usually use the box decals.

Cheers Chris

 

[Crimea_River]

Beauty!

 

[Donivanp]

Looking super nice.

 

[Wurger]

I echo the post above.

 

[s1chris]

Thanks guys, now to attempt the tail fillet addition.


Cheers Chris

 

[Wayne Little]

Doin' good mate!