1/48 Mustang I
Accurate Miniatures kit and Bringuier Aviation Products resin wing. The plane was operated by No.2 Squadron June 1942. Updates to the kit included Ultracast seat and exhausts, Squadron vacuform canopy, and Master gun barrels. I separated the clamshell parts and added additional details to the opening hatches. The camera aperture was fabricated using the kit clear part and part of a bomb nose cut off drilled and shaped till it looked right to me. A taller aerial was also added.
These AM Mustangs really build up nicely and yours is no exception ! What always impresses me with your builds is the attention to detail. You always seem to get everything "Just right"... Another thing I like about this build is the inner clam shell landing gear doors, and how you have them posed in the "UP" position. This is exactly how they would be as soon as the engine was started up or right after it was shut down. The doors drop down on the real Mustang as the hydraulics bleed off over time. I have even seen them drop at different rates with one side higher than the other...
Here's a picture I took back in 2011 that shows Kermit Weeks in his "INA the Macon Belle" just after he started it up that day... and put on a little airshow for us with it. π
You can clearly see the doors are raised. The prop is a little blurry because the engine was running when I snapped the photo.
Well done my friend.
"liked"
Thanks again for your positive comments! As far as the inner landing gear doors, if my memory serves me right, I believe the doors on the Allison version were always in the up position while on the ground. The Merlin Mustangs had a different hydraulic setup and eventually would loose some pressure and droop, but not the Allison Mustang.
You know that's a great question...and you're probably right.
I honestly don't know the answer at the moment, but I can ask my buddies that restore War Birds in New Smyrna at American Aero Services the next time I see them.
Our resident Mustang pilot Jim Harley might know for sure too... I don't, and won't make up an answer to reply unless I know it's a fact.
Thanks for posting up this beauty for us !
The Allison-powered Mustangs had the doors up whenever the engine was shut down. They didn't have the hydraulic problem associated with the Merline-powered Mustangs. They also had the flaps up on the ground for the same reason.
Thanks for the information Tom C.
I just went back and checked my AM P-51A
and as my luck would have it... the doors are wrong. Oh well.
At least I didn't drop the flaps... π
Very nice
Thanks George!
Iβm a bit lost when it comes to the Mustang genealogy. This is the first version of the P-51? I like the RAF paint work and the fact that the cockpit is in US colours, spot on. I assume from your words that the kit had no provision to build a recce camera opening? Itβs a fine scratch work Dale, another excellent presentation
Thanks for your positive remarks. Yes this was the first version of the Mustang. Photos of the aircraft I modeled showed the port quarter panel to be this way . Some planes simply had a hole cut into the port panel.
A great build! Nice work.
Thank you Robert
Nice job...wasn't the prototype P-51 named the "Apache" ?
Thanks for your comment. I think the USAAF was going to call the plane Apache but decided to use Mustang as the British did.
π β¦ Greetings β¦ π :
Nice rendition of a Mustang 1 Dale, the slight weathering fits it just well.
Thanks!
Sweet. Really good looking pony.
Glad you like it Tom.
Lovely work Dale - always good to see an Allison engined Mustang!
Thank you David.
Dale, you are correct about the gear doors being up on the Allison powered Mustangs. I found this little tid-bit of trivia while doing research for an A-36/P-51 build. Like you said, those early Mustangs had a different hydraulic system from the Merlin powered birds and the doors did not "bleed down" after engine shut down. If there is any doubt, I'm sure Tom Cleaver can give the definitive info on this. Cheers.
Thanks for the information Tom.
A really nice Mustang - I'm just going to have to build one of these in RAF colors - they look so cool in that scheme.
Appreciate the comment.
Very nice work on this. Bill Bosworth told me they planned to do this, but as with many other plans there...
Thanks Tom.
What a beauty! The early Mustangs - at the risk of sounding heretical - are the most beautiful ones, and I think the AM kit is still unsurpassed. Great canopy detail and finish, thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much for your generous comments.