I waited a long time to do this build. I found the kit at Modelpalooza a couple of years ago after a long search. For me this was a dedication build honoring Lt. Dean Gilmore. Lt. Gilmore flew 91 reconnaissance in North Africa and Italy before rotating stateside to Bartow AAF, where he instructed in P-51B Mustangs. On November 14, 1944, Lt. Gilmore was leading a flight of four other Mustangs on a training mission out of Bartow when he crashed into Lake Louisa, south of Clermont, Florida, and was killed. More about Lt. Gilmore can be found online.
I like the Accurate Miniatures Allison Mustangs. I’ve built a few of them and I have several more of them up in the closet. The model is painted with Tamiya Khaki Drab upper and Tamiya Neutral Gray underside. The theater I.D. stripes are my mix of Insignia Yellow. The only decals on the airplane are the Snoopers nose art and the flags on the vertical tail, all other marking are painted. I need to dirty it up some more, the plane looks too clean for having operated in North Africa. The exhaust is done with white pastel chalk brushed along the fuselage and the gun smoke streaks on the wings are done with black pastel chalk. Everything is sealed with Tamiya Flat Clear.
Great looking build! The Accurate Miniatures Allison engined Mustangs are great kits and you make this one shine! (Well, not literally as it has an appropriate dusty finish, but you know what I mean) [t$t]
That is a really nice AM Allison P-51. I have a few in my stash. I noticed that you are to place the instrument pannel decals on the back of the clear panel. Does that mean that there is adhesive on the face of the decal?
Unlike their F3F kits that have instrument decals to place face down and face up, the P-51 decal is just a normal face up decal.
I added a drop of white glue to the water I floated the decal on before setting it face down on the back, then dipped the panel in Future after the decal was dry. I masked my instrument dials with white glue too, and popped it out with a toothpick after airbrushing the panel. A little dry brushing and it’s a nice panel!
