Accurate Miniatures P-51C (Tuskegee Airmen)

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

hello all

im doing 1/48 scale of P-51C flew by Col. Davis of 332 fighter squadron aka Red Tail. im researching to see if painting for the red tail is accuated by accurate miniatures layout. seem i have hard time to find a color picture of red tails or drawing that is exactly or almost exactly the same as Col. Davis on his plane “By Request” Let me know where i can find pictures. unless the accuratre miniatures is the same as it was in late 40s.

secondly, what is the best way to start paint the plane itself. doing alum first or do the red on the tail and yellow strip on the wings first before airbrush the entire plane alum.

any help will do :slight_smile: thanks!!

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Dunno what refs you’re using, but here’s some more:

Here’s a diagram for P-51s flown by Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd FG. These are the styles for the two main variations. One is a “stair-step” edging on the B/C, the other is a diagonal line, on the D.

!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Aircraft Profiles/RedtailsDemarcations.jpg?t=1296458350)

Colored rudder trim tabs were the Squadron distinctive markings as follows:

  • 99th FS - blue
  • 100th FS - black or red
  • 301st FS - white
  • 302nd FS - yellow

Davis’ mount didn’t have the yellow striping on the nose

Lt Lee Archer’s mount, “Ina the Macon Belle” replica. Shows a good bit of the red in other areas.

!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Aircraft Profiles/CAFRedtail.jpg?t=1296458853)

CAF Redtail P-51C:

!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Aircraft Profiles/CAFRedtail2.jpg?t=1296459403)

Pretty much all my refs agree on the “stepped” design of the red tail on the P-51B/C. BTW, don’t get hung up on whether you have a P-51B or P-51C. The onlt difference is that one was built in Dallas, TX, the other Inglewood, CA… Other than that, they’re identical.

I always do the colors first… Metallics are a pain to mask over… If I were doing this build, I’d paint the tail, the anti-glare panel, the wing-tips, and the theater stripes first, then mask them with low-tack tape or Post-It notes. Then I’d shoot the metallic… If I wanted a high-shine metallic finish, I’d first paint the entire model in gloss black, then the other colors, then the metallics last.

Doing an aluminum finish on a model isn’t exactly easy, but it can be done fairly painlessly… First, decide if you want to make it look brand new, or if you want it to look operational… Operational aircraft with bare metal finishes are the easiest. All you need to do is shoot it with a can of aluminum… Testor’s Model Master Aluminum is a pretty good “Oxidized” aluminum. For learning how to do super-shiny surfaces, check the thread here:

/forums/t/127602.aspx

There’s all kinds of good information for painting an NMF in there, and it’s easier for you to read it than it is for me to type it… Everything you need to know, surface prep, undercoats, buffing, texturing, panel-shading, which metalizers give what results, etc…

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Hans von Hammer

Thanks for clearing up abt stepped design on the red tail. i wasnt sure the name of it. since accurate miniatrues says that Col. Davis has diagonal design on it so thats why i wasnt sure which one do match his aircraft. also do Col . Davis has yellow marking on rudder trim tab?

Ill more likely will do operational aircraft instead of brand new.

again thanks! :slight_smile:

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Good choice, I like the flat aluminum look over the ultra shiny look. Rick.

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I’m not really sure about the accuracy of the diagonal design on Davis’ P-51C… The only reference I’ve ever seen of it is an artist’s print, never a photo… So I’m just not sure… However, there are plenty of ref photos that show the stepped design on the other B/Cs…

Here’s a review of the AM kit:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2009/reviews/kits/am0012reviewsw_1.htm

Archer’s aircraft is the box art, with the stepped design, but I don’t know if the instructions call out for a diagonal on Davis’ aircraft… Frankly, wthout a photo, I don’t think I’d trust the AM instructions if they call out a diagonal for the Davis’ bird, if that’s important to you… On the other hand, I’m just not that caring about whether it was diagonal or stepped, lol… Like I said, I haven’t been able to find any photo that proves that Davis’ Charlie had a stepped design…

I’ve also seen both white and yellow (yellow is more common, but again, it’s only in paintings, no photos) trim tabs on his aircraft, and at least one photo of him in a Mustang where the caption says he’s in “his” P-51C Mustang, however, I can’t make out the entire number, although it’s certainly not “66”…

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I’ll second what Hans says, paint the “colors” first, but will add, before painting the colors, mask off everything else that will be NMF. Any paint/overspray under the NMF will show through (not the color, just the texture), which will make the NMF not look so good.