Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Looks the biz Gary, great job mate.
Geedee's P-51D Cockpit Project
- Thread starter Geedee
- Start date
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vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Looking great!
Coming along nicely Gary!
Looking great Gary! You have to post pictures of cockpitfest.
Hey meant to ask you, on your instrument panel's carb air gauge is that an original placard underneath the gauge? If so whats it made out of and how are the letters done? Just curious for my panels accuracy. Thanks
-Chris
Hey meant to ask you, on your instrument panel's carb air gauge is that an original placard underneath the gauge? If so whats it made out of and how are the letters done? Just curious for my panels accuracy. Thanks
-Chris
- Thread starter
- #146
Thanks guys.
Been a busy weekend but I have enjoyed it.
Glenn, I used some right angle extrusion of around just under an inch each side that I clamped in between the sheet Ali that covers both sides of the bulkhead. If you look at the early shots when I was working on the flooringl, you should see some of this Ali around bolted in place around the perimeter. OK, its not aircraft quality but it does the job as far as I'm concerned. Its a about 3mm too long really, and I am unsure whether to leave it alone or try and grind it down to flush fit. Probably leave it as I really dont fancy slipping with grinder and getting a ruddy great scratch down the outside !
Chris, that placard I got from E-bay. Dont know if its an original or not but its quite fragile....I've allready broken it in two and the only reason it looks complete is that the screws holding the gauge in clamp it quite nicely.
Been a busy weekend but I have enjoyed it.
Glenn, I used some right angle extrusion of around just under an inch each side that I clamped in between the sheet Ali that covers both sides of the bulkhead. If you look at the early shots when I was working on the flooringl, you should see some of this Ali around bolted in place around the perimeter. OK, its not aircraft quality but it does the job as far as I'm concerned. Its a about 3mm too long really, and I am unsure whether to leave it alone or try and grind it down to flush fit. Probably leave it as I really dont fancy slipping with grinder and getting a ruddy great scratch down the outside !
Chris, that placard I got from E-bay. Dont know if its an original or not but its quite fragile....I've allready broken it in two and the only reason it looks complete is that the screws holding the gauge in clamp it quite nicely.
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
Stupendous work Gary!!
It is looking the part more and more sir.
It is looking the part more and more sir.
T Bolt
Colonel
Gary it looks great the way it is. I wouldn't do anything if there was any risk at all of scratching things up. Like they say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
Tony Hill
Tech Sergeant
Looks fantastic Gary. Cockpit fest sounds like a blast.
D
D
Quote from the Eagle Editions booklet "The Mustangs of George Preddy"
"This new Blue is similar to RAF Deep Sky Blue. It is important to remember that it is likely that British stocks of paints were used and no identical FS595b color chip exists. However FS 35052 is considered a very close match."
hope this helps....
Pong
Staff Sergeant
That's frickin awesome.- Thread starter
- #153
Time for an update. First off a huge thanks to you guys for your support, comments and suggestion, all gratefully accepted.
I have been a little bit busy for the few months getting ready for Cockpitfest and the '51's first major public appearance since last year. So, what have I done since my last update ?. The following pics should give an idea. I've had help from my son on the rivetting side of things and he's actually quyite good at it now. And my daughter, is absolutely brilliant at getting her hands into those awkward hard to reach spots that an old geezer like me cant get to, to put that final ruddy nut on the bolt !!
I've mounted the Instrument Panel (at long last !), resprayed the complete interior, completed all the rivetting on the tub so its now solid...and surprisingly rigid, so I must have done something right ! and I've made a start on the internal fittings.
These have been great fun in the making but are spoilt at the moment as I have no lettering above each switch. I've tried to hand paint them but that is just absolutely not going to work so I've been trying to track down some Letraset rub on dry transfers. I've found some on ebay but they are old stock and may not work so I knda stumped at the moment.
Using Tony's casting skills I now have a set of trim wheels for the rudder and aileron and these have been placed on the trim console. Oh yeah, I made that as well. And I have the wing fuel tank guages installed in the flooring.
In one of the shots you'll see just a general broadside of the 'pit. Thats how it used to look. The next one is where I've started preliminary polishing as my ultimate aim is to have her highly polished but with just the windshield (When I've made it) and the anti dazzle area immediately in front in the blue colour used by the Blue Nosed B*sta*rds of Bodney...thanks for the paint details Wayne !
Final few shots for this update are the latest pics showing the internal fittings and the work in progress on the 'shoulder' sections. More to follow but I'm probably going to have a little break form the build before I get burned out.
Oh and finaly finaly !. At Cockpitfest, an old distinguished looking gentleman came upto my '51 and was really enthusisatic about it and the '51 in general. It was his favourite plane of all time and I could tell that he really meant what he was saying. He told me about his life and what he did and that he'd never get to fly in a '51 now as he was in his 80's.
Me, being me,I broke my rule and 30 seconds later he was sat in my '51. Talk about grinning from ear to ear,he was sat there wallowing in his thoughts, hand on the stick, the other propped up on the fuselage side, it was brilliant. I was nearly in tears just looking at him savouring the moment. When he climbed out and finished shaking hands and patting the '51, he asked me if I had an identityfor her. I replied that allthough I didn't have an airframe number, I had come up with an idea for some nose art.
Well !... he then floored my by saying that he was a retired painter, he worked on aircraft nose art and if I would send him details, he would come and paint my nose-art on the '51 free gratis !!. Talk about being humbled, I'm still in a state of shock that my hamfisted attempt at building an iconic cockpit, can elicit that kinda response from some-one I've never met before. Neeldess to say, I'm now working over time to get my nose-art idea to a suitable state of design before I'm in contact with him.
Ted, you sir are a gent
I have been a little bit busy for the few months getting ready for Cockpitfest and the '51's first major public appearance since last year. So, what have I done since my last update ?. The following pics should give an idea. I've had help from my son on the rivetting side of things and he's actually quyite good at it now. And my daughter, is absolutely brilliant at getting her hands into those awkward hard to reach spots that an old geezer like me cant get to, to put that final ruddy nut on the bolt !!
I've mounted the Instrument Panel (at long last !), resprayed the complete interior, completed all the rivetting on the tub so its now solid...and surprisingly rigid, so I must have done something right ! and I've made a start on the internal fittings.
These have been great fun in the making but are spoilt at the moment as I have no lettering above each switch. I've tried to hand paint them but that is just absolutely not going to work so I've been trying to track down some Letraset rub on dry transfers. I've found some on ebay but they are old stock and may not work so I knda stumped at the moment.
Using Tony's casting skills I now have a set of trim wheels for the rudder and aileron and these have been placed on the trim console. Oh yeah, I made that as well. And I have the wing fuel tank guages installed in the flooring.
In one of the shots you'll see just a general broadside of the 'pit. Thats how it used to look. The next one is where I've started preliminary polishing as my ultimate aim is to have her highly polished but with just the windshield (When I've made it) and the anti dazzle area immediately in front in the blue colour used by the Blue Nosed B*sta*rds of Bodney...thanks for the paint details Wayne !
Final few shots for this update are the latest pics showing the internal fittings and the work in progress on the 'shoulder' sections. More to follow but I'm probably going to have a little break form the build before I get burned out.
Oh and finaly finaly !. At Cockpitfest, an old distinguished looking gentleman came upto my '51 and was really enthusisatic about it and the '51 in general. It was his favourite plane of all time and I could tell that he really meant what he was saying. He told me about his life and what he did and that he'd never get to fly in a '51 now as he was in his 80's.
Me, being me,I broke my rule and 30 seconds later he was sat in my '51. Talk about grinning from ear to ear,he was sat there wallowing in his thoughts, hand on the stick, the other propped up on the fuselage side, it was brilliant. I was nearly in tears just looking at him savouring the moment. When he climbed out and finished shaking hands and patting the '51, he asked me if I had an identityfor her. I replied that allthough I didn't have an airframe number, I had come up with an idea for some nose art.
Well !... he then floored my by saying that he was a retired painter, he worked on aircraft nose art and if I would send him details, he would come and paint my nose-art on the '51 free gratis !!. Talk about being humbled, I'm still in a state of shock that my hamfisted attempt at building an iconic cockpit, can elicit that kinda response from some-one I've never met before. Neeldess to say, I'm now working over time to get my nose-art idea to a suitable state of design before I'm in contact with him.
Ted, you sir are a gent
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Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great stuff Gary. I have to say, now that I've seen it in the 'flesh', you've done a fantstic job mate. The quality of workmanship, and finish, is excellent.
That's great news about the nose art too. I think I mentioned about usong decals for the placards etc for the switches and so on. If you need help with this, just give me a shout.
That's great news about the nose art too. I think I mentioned about usong decals for the placards etc for the switches and so on. If you need help with this, just give me a shout.
evangilder
"Shooter"
It's coming together nicely, Gary! I look forward to seeing the nose art too.
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
STUPENDOUS WORK GARY!! You have a LOT of work in that and it definitely shows sir. Can't wait to see it with the nose art.
T Bolt
Colonel
WOW Gary!! I'm stunned! I can't believe how much you've gotten done in so short a tome, and such beautiful work too!! You're shaming be to get back to work on my 47!
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Spits
Airman 1st Class
Looks amazing mate...Yeah when you get to share your passion with others it gives you a huge boost.
For Placards check here...
P-51 Mustang Parts | Pioneer Aero Service | One Stop Mustang Shop
Keep up the great workNow back to the Man Cave.
For Placards check here...
P-51 Mustang Parts | Pioneer Aero Service | One Stop Mustang Shop
Keep up the great work
Now back to the Man Cave.
B-17engineer
Colonel
I don't really know how it'd look on a real scale plane but I use Brilliant blue for my models, in a spray can not an airbrush or brush...Ts-44 I believe?
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Just thought, and should have mentioned it on Saturday. There's an automotive, synthetic enamel coach paint, called 'Royal Aircraft Blue', which is virtually spot on. The last lot I got I used to paint my rally car, donkey's years ago, and it gave a wonderful, deep gloss finish, which was as tough as a Hippocroccofrog's ar*e. I think the company is still producing, under the 'Techaloid' brand name.
