For this build I am going back to 1/48 World War II aircraft. I will be building Tamiya’s 1/48 RAF Mustang III. For this build I will also be using Kagero Decals to replicate the aircraft flown by the Polish Pilot F/L Mieczystaw Gorzula of the 309 squadron based at RAF Andrews Field. This was the aircraft that F/L Gorzula shot down a Me-262 jet fighter on April 9th 1945.
Starting off with the cockpit tub I detailed it with some photo etch pieces on the side panel, the rudder pedals, and seat belts. I also used photo etch for the knobs and levers on the instrument panel. I opted to paint the gauges as the kit decal for them did not line up very well with the gauge bezels. On the underside of the cockpit tub was also the mount for the radiator. This and the intake were painted with Vallejo Metal paint in duraluminum.
I then worked on the fuselage halves. There are two vented panels on the nose. I decided to drill these out for a more realistic look. The interior was painted and detailed. The cockpit tub and intake were installed.
I then assembled the fuselage halves. There are some areas that required a little putty but the halves fit very well together. I am working on the wings and landing gear bays now.
You can see all the photos and details from the start in the build log at: 1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III
8 Likes
Looking very good so far.
Nice decals too
The second week of the Mustang was spent adding details to the fuselage and wings. To start with I assembled the wings and drilled out the gun barrels. I then moved on to detailing the main landing gear bays by adding wire to replicate the hoses and tubing in the bays. Finally I added a lens to the landing light on the port wing leading edge.
The fuselage halves were then assembled and I installed the wings. The fuselage required some minor putty on the bottom and the area just above the cockpit. The P-51B/C’s were the version used for the RAF Mustangs. On the P-51D’s there was a change to extend the dorsal fillet to the tail. Some of the early P-51D’s as well as the RAF Mustangs were retrofitted with them as well. The Tamiya kit represents the early version without the dorsal fillet but the specific aircraft I am replicating has the fillet. I used some sheet styrene to replicate the fillet and then used putty to blend it to the fuselage and tail. Once the fillet has been formed I can start painting the base coat.
I am hoping to get all the painting and the rest of the fuselage details completed over the next week. I still have the landing gear, flaps, exhaust, propellers, and other miscellaneous details to add. Then the decals can be applied.
You can see all the photos and details from the start in the build log at: 1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III
3 Likes
The third week I had some limited time on the bench but I was able to get the base coat of paint and the decals applied to the RAF Mustang. I used Vallejo paints in the RAF dark green, Ocean Grey, and RAF light grey for the scheme. I had to paint on the aft band as the kit decal for it was designed for the kit without the dorsal fillet and would not properly fit. The leading edges of the wings were then painted with insignia yellow. While the paint was drying I modified the exhaust to open up the tips. The landing gear and propeller assembly were then assembled and painted. Then the landing gear was installed.
Next I started to apply the decals. The kit decals were used for all the placards and generic markings. The kit decals went down very well. I then applied the Kagero decals for the scheme. These decals were a little thicker and required a little of the decal solvent to bring out the surface details. For the propeller I used the kit placards and the Kagero logo’s as they had much better details.
I should have this build completed soon. I just need to add the clear parts, the lights, install the propeller, and add the whip antenna on the dorsal just behind the cockpit. I will then do some slight weathering for the exhaust. Stay tuned for the final photos of this build!
You can see all the photos and details from the start in the build log at: 1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III
3 Likes
After four weeks the RAF Mustang III build is finished! To start with I installed the cockpit and detailed the navigation/recognition lights. For the tail navigation I removed the molded lens and made one using acrylic gel. The propeller assembly was installed and the small whip style antenna on the dorsal behind the cockpit was made using a piece of 30 awg wire. This was the last detail that completed the build.
As for a review of the kit, Tamiya did a very good job on it. The fit was very good and the kit details were nice. Aside from adding the later dorsal fillet to match the version I replicated everything was a smooth process. The kit decals were very good. The Kagero decals were good as well. They were a little thicker than the kit decals but still formed to the surface details well. The instructions were well laid out.
I enjoyed this build and am happy with the final results. I would recommend this kit to anyone who is looking to build the RAF version of the Mustang. Thank you all for following this build of the 1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III.
HAPPY MODELING!
You can see all the photos and details from start to finish in the build log at: 1/48 Tamiya RAF Mustang III
8 Likes
very nice work. i typically don’t like mustangs in raf colors but you did a stunning job.
Joe
Nice build. The Mustang does seem a little odd in RAF livery, but the Mustang III is sure beautiful!
