Dambuster group build Mustang III

Build thread

This one is intended as some light entertainment for when I need to let the main jobs cure. Assembly work is minimal, most time will be spent on messing with the cockpit, and painting.
I've glued the cockpit bottom to the wing, and contrary to instructions, the instrument panel to the fuselage. I think I'll be able to put a pilot in with minimal surgery, and fitting will start when everything else has properly cured.
I'll have to do something about the decals, as the squadron codes are integrated with the invasion stripes, and obviously not for a 617sqn plane, but this will be easy, given that I have the kit decals to start with, and need to do some printing anyway.

2013-05-03
Minor progress today: I testfitted a pilot figure (the one that wouldn't fit the Lancaster, to be precise), and did some cutting inside to cockpit to make room for him. Once assured everything would fit, the interior was primed for later painting. I suspect the next work session will involve loads of painting on all three aircraft, and next to no building.

2013-05-05
The cockpit has been painted, and since the pilot can easily be inserted at a later time, the wing and fuselage joined. Some minor work on a few seams will be required, but generally, fit is good.

2013-05-09
Despite the fact that fit is generally good, the seam between fuselage and wing did need filler, and sanding the next day. I've assembled the propellor, and will probably finish construction to the point where I can start masking and airbrushing on the next session, or the day after if more filler is called for.

2013-05-22
I finally got the pilot painted. He's sitting in the cockpit now, and I feel he looks quite a bit oversize. Unfortunately, this kit is up to some extent a snap-tight, and once the canopy clicked into place, there was not a whole lot that could be done to get it off again. This is one big guy in a small plane..
The Mustang is now primed, and like the Tornado, ready for the paintshop. The airbrush is going to earn it's upkeep the next few days :grin:

2013-05-26
The Mustang came out of the paintshop today. I suspect that there's too much green on the port wing, and too much grey on the fuselage, but the areas in question will be covered by the invasion stripes. I didn't have any pattern without those stripes to work from, so I just left everything under the stripes whatever colour was most convenient.
The funny thing is, the Xtracolor Medium Sea Grey which appeared much too green on the Tornado actually looks quite good on the bottom of this Mustang.

2013-06-02
Remaining work was uneventful. Not a bad result for what's essentially a beginners snap-tite.

Finishing materials:

Motip primer overall
X003 overall
X006 top
X001 camouflage
Microsol decal solvent
50/25/25 Sylvacryl/water/alcohol with Talens retarder finish