Nose Art Group Build – North American P-51D Mustang, Monogram 1/48
Here's my first model for the Nose Art Group Build, the venerable and somewhat ill-fitting Monogram P-51D. The kit was intended to honor my five year old grandson, who shares his name with John Meyer's famous Mustang "Petie". My friend Louis had an extra sheet of decals for that airplane that he wasn't using, so he sent them and this was off and running. Having built several of the Monogram "B" Mustangs with no problems, I figured this would be just as nice as those were.
Turns out I was somewhat mistaken. All hopes of a bare metal finish went out the window after the addition of what seemed to be a half pound of putty to fair in and fill the awful lower nose piece and gun bay doors. As my old modeling mentor once told me, the best thing to cover putty was camouflage and decals. After a few phone calls, and finding that there was not a P-51 named "Bondo Queen" friend Frank shot me the decals for the airplane seen here.
"Passion Wagon" was an early P-51D assigned to the 362nd FS, flown by Maj. Arval Robertson and later by Capt. Chuck Weaver. She originally didn't have the fin strake; that was added later, possibly coming from another aircraft. Camouflage is RAF Dark Green with USAAF Neutral Gray lowers, as I didn't have any of the RAF grays and they all sort of look the same to me anyway. The decals are from a Microscale sheet old enough to have only cost $1.75, but they went on perfectly with a little Micro Sol. I added some PE seatbelts and Airscale instrument decals to spice up the cockpit a bit. Formation lights were drilled out, filled with clear parts cement, then painted with the appropriate clear colors. Nav lights are clear sprue also painted with clear colors.
The last pic is of two generations of American fighters, both carrying on the nose art tradition
This model was the inspiration for the Nose Art Group Build, and I hope it gets this one off to a good start!
I like it, Jaime...nice work. 🙂
I'm with Craig ... I like it too... a LOT !
Having an original photo to work with is the best way, almost like having icing on the cake !
The plane looks like you won the battle of the seams and dealing with the lower engine cowling .
This "Nose Art" Group build is off to a great start. (And you are leading it by example).
Very nice indeed.
Just for grins, I took a pic of this model sitting on part of the other Mustang I'm working on...
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Jamie,
Looks absolutely great. Good job and I love the 357th markings. I'm a fan of the 357th
Looks good Jaime, what scale is the other one ? you should post it in the RC group !
Looks really nice Jaime, you ought to add those big drop tanks though to finish her off.
N.
Jamie. I like it, I'm glad you found a picture with the fin strake, as its an issue that always gets brought up with this airplane. Looks really nice !
Jamie, It turned out a beauty! Good job ?
Looks like you conquered the beast Jaime, looks really good to me. Like Alan asked, what scale is the bird your P-51D sitting on? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks for the kind words, everyone!
Neil, by the time I got done with the kit, I was so tired of dealing with filler I didn't feel like adding the drop tanks, even though that type does come with it. I might throw them on later.
Tom and Allen - the big Mustang is a "B" model just a bit shy of 1/4 scale; she'll have a 96 inch wingspan. This one will be in red and white Swiss neutrality markings. There's a Miss America P-51 in the same scale waiting in the wings...
I'm looking forward to seeing some more Nose Art builds!
Very nice! Agree with others that you "covered up" the putty effort nicely! With those colorful checkers on the nose, this was always an attractive scheme.
Nice "Stange" with great scheme! Looks real, nice finish. I have this same old monogram kit 1/2 made in my basement for over 20 years. Funny story is it is not mine but believe it or not it is my wife's. Thats right. We started dating way over 20 years ago in 94. To impress me she told me she also liked to build models. SO I purchased this Mustang which see picked out and actually started building it alongside me as I built a model also. She got about 1/2 way through and never touched it again. I now bring it up and she does not want to touch it. She now admitted that she "Lied" to impress me and hates anything to do with making models...LOL. Dont trust women..they will say anything for a good man...LOL! Going to share your model to show her what she is missing.
A real fine build!
Looks good man!
Outstanding! Nice save, Jaime.
I kinda wish you HAD found a P-51 called "Bondo Queen" - it's an interesting name, especially since so many Mustangs DID come with plenty of bondo-like filler on the wings. Yours would have fit right in!
Nicely done Jamie, good looking models !
Jaime,
I know from where y0u speak with filler. Sometimes you just want to start over, or load the thing up with firecrackers and watch it fly into pieces. In the end you managed a nice build. Great start to the nose art group build.
Thanks for starting this group build, Jaime, this Mustang is definitely an inspiration.