1/48 P-51B Mustang
Continuing the iModeler Mustang theme I present my Tamiya P-51B, with a Verlinden cockpit and a set of Aeromaster decals added.
This build is from the late 90s and was the first project where I used a double-action airbrush for painting and weathering. Not my best model, but not my worst either... 🙂
Nice work. However, a couple things: the weathering is excellent, but the problem is that Beeson only had the airplane about 6 weeks from when it arrived at the group new until he was shot down in it while strafing. Also, there are several color photos of him in the airplane to show that the main "weathering" was the removal of the tape from when it was transported by sea to England (several "hex-spurts" over the years told us that the dark areas definitely "proved" the airplane was in two camouflage colors, working from the B&W transfers from the original color shots; when the color shots showed up, that bit of "common knowledge" was exposed as something a bit more "common.").
Also, when weathering, it's important to consider the operating environment of the airplane. For instance, as any of you western Europeans know, you have a lot of cloudy days over there, so sun-fading of the paint while the airplane is sitting on the ground is minimal - the main sun fading that happened to these airplanes was at high altitude, above the clouds, which had a stronger ultra-violet component. This led the Olive Drab paint to take on a sort of purplish-khaki hue, going browner with time but still with reddish tones.
Don't get me wrong, the model is a very nice piece of work, and the above information is provided for those thinking of doing camouflaged Mustangs (or P-47s or P-40s or P-38s) in the future. I'm just using the opportunity of its presence to present the information. In fact I have given you a nice score for nice work.
Tom, thanks for taking the time to provide info about this specific Mustang and the factors involved when weathering aircraft - all very useful. 🙂
There are indeed some anomalies present on this model but I never really gave much thought on which particular aircraft I was portraying. (One detail making me cringe is the unweathered color of the trim tab and other metal parts on the rudder. I left these much darker than the metal skin on the rest of the aircraft. Well, perhaps it was a replacement rudder, but that doesn't explain the faded fabric of the rudder...
As far as I know Mr Isaksson he would probably say that weathering is more fun than historical accuracy 🙂
Totally true! 🙂
Very well become an old model, a great painting, I loved it!
Thanks, Maxim!
Even considering what Tom wrote above I think it is a nice build! You do seem to have quite a few models finished that I have never seen 🙂 !
Regards
Magnus
Let's see if I can dig out some more older stuff to show here soon. 😉
Thanks Magnus!
I've been going over all the Tamiya Mustang builds here, gearing up for my own build. This is a great looking model. This isn't Beeson's Mustang, it is Frank Speer's "Turnip Termite", not Beeson's "Bee". Turnip was chipped and worn and really fits the model well. It is a seldom seen bit of Don Allen's great noseart work he did with the 4th. Great job!
Jim
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Hey Jim and thanks for taking the time to comment on this old build.
And many thanks for the heads up on this particular aircraft. 🙂