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Rodney J. Williams
171 articles

SCRATCH BUILT No. 5

March 27, 2020 · in Aviation · · 11 · 1.8K

I converted a scale P-51D to a P-51B for a client. Gee-whiz, holy cow, I had no idea how much work was involved when I took on this project, however, day by day it all came together as I had no drawing's nor measurement's to guide me through this dilemma I created. When I finished the model, there was a great big smile on my clients face.

My next to last photos show a few of my tools. The little tube cuter was outstanding and I used it for over 15 years. The other photo showed tools that I used now and then when I made some scratch-built parts.

I had some left over "Bass" wood from my F2G project, so I fashioned a windscreen and canopy mold's, then vac-u-formed the parts. Next, I made a "master" landing gear strut using brass and copper, then had a company make me cast brass parts.

Let the photo's tell the rest of the story.

Enjoy! RJW...

Reader reactions:
7  Awesome

25 additional images. Click to enlarge.


11 responses

  1. Rodney: Having seen your work in person, I am still amazed everytime I see your models. This P-51B is another example of "typical" Rodney Williams master-level work. We miss you here in IPMS Region 9...

    • Why not drive down here with a long bed van and take all 287 models of mine up there and make a museum somewhere, then all of you modeler's in Region 9 can start putting your models there.

      RJW

      2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

  2. Amazing! Thanks for sharing.

  3. This is amazing work, Rodney. Cannot stop looking at the pics. "Commited to excellence"!
    All the best!

  4. Each one of your models are simply amazing. I can’t believe how detailed they are. You guys who can scratch build a model like this are truly the masters.

    Thanks again for taking the time to post these articles. I enjoyed reading each one of these and learn something new about building on each one.

    • Thanks Louis>Have you been able to access any of the data on my Apple DVD that I sent?...answer to my email...Hell...I paid Kaiser hospital $25,00 for a dvd X-ray, and it was made on a HP p.c. and it don't work on this Apple...and Kaiser can't make one for the Apple and they will not give me my $$$ back...take the bad with the good.
      Rodney...

  5. No wonder your client had a smile on his face Rodney.

  6. TO EVERYONE WHO SENT IN A COMMENT..."JUST A GREAT BIG THANK YOU."
    When it comes down to it, I'm just amazed at myself and say: How in the heck did I do it, especially on converting the P-51D back to a "bird-cage" B aircraft as I only had some photos, but no drawings nor measurements. So like I say all the time: "It's cut and fit, cut and fit until it fits...!"

    Breakfast time here in Irvine, California...Rodney and/or RJW

  7. Gobsmacked Rodney!

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