Glad you guys are liking it. Got a lot done in the last couple days. The wing is dry fit and partially primed. The vent doors are installed and the initial filler is in place to flare them in to the top of the wing. So far, only a bit of filler has been needed on the wingtips and the inlet seams. I'm doing this entirely with an Xacto knife, a small saw, and various sandpapers just to make sure it isn't overwhelmingly difficult for the production version. So far so good. The flaps and landing gear pieces are painted and cleared. Tomorrow is lower cowling day.

I picked up a small hobby lathe of eBay and it showed up early. I couldn't resist turning a tip tank prototype for a future Cavalier Mustang conversion. There are several more projects in the pipeline I need it for but this was a good practice subject. More soon!

jim

5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great progress Jim. And it is always nice to have new machinery - I bet you wonder how you could manage without one now that you have a small lathe.

Quick update. The lower aft fuselage piece is completed and ready to make the final mold. I decided that I’m going to include 2 cowlings. The one shown requires some pretty tedious cutting and fitting but it preserves 90% of the kit panel lines and won’t take that much filler. The other cowling is the full bottom piece that can be fit by cutting the existing panel lines, also shown. Both will be scribed with panels lines and dzus fasteners. I found a punch set that will recreate the Tamiya fasteners. It hasn’t shown up yet so I’m kinda stalled at the moment. This will give me time to tinker with the water tank and new radio rack that will go behind the pilots seat. Basically I just lopped off the radios and the battery and the new plate will sit directly on top of the existing kit fuel tank. More soon!

You’re right Erik, the lathe is a game changer! So many possibilities now! Again, thanks for all your kind words.

7 attached images. Click to enlarge.

From what I can see you have caught the shape spot on. Looking forward to the finished "plugs"!

Jim, @jimh
The work you have been doing is absolutely brilliant ! It's looking good, and I'll bet you are excited to have a lathe on the way. As a safety precaution, I have a little tip for you about the lathe.

Years ago I worked in an automotive machine shop rebuilding engines, and other various "car parts". We had several lathes in the shop, and occasionally I would machine a set of valve guides if these parts were not readily available. Here's the safety tip:

Never leave the key for tightening the chuck in the jaws of the lathe. One of my co workers did, and here's what I experienced firsthand...

I saw one go flying at a very high speed when the machine was started up... and the "chuck key" was firmly embedded into the metal roof when all was said and done. Thank God that no one was hurt... In case you're wondering, I didn't leave the key there OR start the machine. I just happened to be working close nearby when it all happened.

Stay safe my friend, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the sniffing Jim.

Jim, @jimh
Nice ! Like the others, I'll be watching for your next glue sniffing induced postings... weekends were made for this. 🙂

With all of your fabulous Mustang work you have going on, you're making it incredibly hard for me not to resist dragging out the previously started pair of 1/32 scale Revell P-51D's, and finish them up. They have been sitting idle for way too long now... Who knows ? Maybe I can finish up Major Preddy's "Cripes a Mighty III" in time to remember him losing his life on Christmas Day in 1944, with LOU IV being a New Years Day event... Time will tell.