T Bolt
Colonel
Nice work on the canopy Andy
**** DONE: GB-64 1/48 Mustang Mk.IV - One Trick Pony
- Thread starter Crimea_River
- Start date
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Good work so far Andy!
Kalakan
Senior Airman
This is quite a good looking kite my friend. 
N4521U
Plastic Pirate
Looks mighty nice!
- Thread starter
- #285
Crimea_River
Marshal
Drop tank lines have been prepared and ready to install. The pressure line was installed and reported on earlier. I've now added the fuel line connection on the tanks, complete with glass break-away tube made of stretched clear sprue that was looped while still hot. The loose pieces are the continuation of the fuel lines, which I will install after the tanks are glued on. I was going to add them to the tanks but then noticed that they run up and over the stabilizers so they would have to be done after.
fubar57
General
Looking good Andy
A4K
Brigadier General
What Geo said!
le_steph40
Chief Master Sergeant
Vic Balshaw
Major General
That is some good scratch building Andy. 
- Thread starter
- #291
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks everyone. The tanks were glued in place and then the fun of adding the fuels lines began. After about an hour of brain surgery, I finally got them in and connected those and the air lines to the two stubs I added at the wing leading edge. Brutal close-ups tanks at x10:
It was only after this was all done that I noticed that the tank placement was not symmetrical. The starboard one is further forward than the port one as can be seen below, looking at the grid on my mat.
This was a result of me really wrestling with the tank placement. The kit provides pitifully little means of positive placement. There are two tiny and FRAGILE tabs (see below on the spare tank) that didn't survive my minimal handling. They are paper thin and any knock will see them gone.
I figured it would be good enough to simply CA glue the tanks to the pylons but this proved to be extremely difficult and the things slid around and fell off a couple of times before I finally succeeded, though with the resulting misalignment which I never caught. Well, there's no way I'm going back to fix this now so it will need to stay as is. I had also toyed with the idea of gluing the tanks to the pylons before adding them to the model but I was concerned that I wouldn't get the correct angle with the vertical with the dihedral and all. It's a very impractical detail and my recommendation would be to drill in one or two brass pins to secure these things.
That's the final bit of assembly needed for this kit and all the fiddly bits are now on. I'll just go over it once more and add a bit of chipping and dirt to top it off. Thanks again for stopping by.
It was only after this was all done that I noticed that the tank placement was not symmetrical. The starboard one is further forward than the port one as can be seen below, looking at the grid on my mat.
This was a result of me really wrestling with the tank placement. The kit provides pitifully little means of positive placement. There are two tiny and FRAGILE tabs (see below on the spare tank) that didn't survive my minimal handling. They are paper thin and any knock will see them gone.
I figured it would be good enough to simply CA glue the tanks to the pylons but this proved to be extremely difficult and the things slid around and fell off a couple of times before I finally succeeded, though with the resulting misalignment which I never caught. Well, there's no way I'm going back to fix this now so it will need to stay as is. I had also toyed with the idea of gluing the tanks to the pylons before adding them to the model but I was concerned that I wouldn't get the correct angle with the vertical with the dihedral and all. It's a very impractical detail and my recommendation would be to drill in one or two brass pins to secure these things.
That's the final bit of assembly needed for this kit and all the fiddly bits are now on. I'll just go over it once more and add a bit of chipping and dirt to top it off. Thanks again for stopping by.
Lovely work so far Andy!
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Excellent detail.
Very nice work Andy
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Impressive work.
Jock Tamson
Staff Sergeant
Looks great 
I'm looking forward to the final reveal.
I'm looking forward to the final reveal.
A4K
Brigadier General
Bollocks about the placement troubles Andy, but I doubt anyone else will ever notice the misalignment. Looks great from here.
- Thread starter
- #300
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys. Did the final bit of chipping and schmutzing. In doing so, I knocked one of the tanks loose again but fortunately it didn't separate at the pipes and I was able to secure it again with minimal stress. So here are the last few pics before I tuck it away and break off more stuff.
Dirt/oil behind the wheel wells. I see that I should have run a bead of MSG along the lip of the wheel well but too late now.
Tail wheel door actuators added (PE from kit):
Dirt and chipping added around engine cowls and the characteristic crank case breather stain was smudged in using black pastel dust.
Last few glamour shots:
I noticed very late that the small hole under the open part of the cockpit in the above pic shouldn't be there. Reference pic on page 1 confirms this.
Thanks to everyone for their patient viewing of my progress, both forward and backward, and for the kind comments and support. Finished thread next.
Dirt/oil behind the wheel wells. I see that I should have run a bead of MSG along the lip of the wheel well but too late now.
Tail wheel door actuators added (PE from kit):
Dirt and chipping added around engine cowls and the characteristic crank case breather stain was smudged in using black pastel dust.
Last few glamour shots:
I noticed very late that the small hole under the open part of the cockpit in the above pic shouldn't be there. Reference pic on page 1 confirms this.
Thanks to everyone for their patient viewing of my progress, both forward and backward, and for the kind comments and support. Finished thread next.
