Early P-51D Wheel Well Color

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I’m building the Tamiya 1/32 Mustang as a P-51D-5. I think, based on the research I’ve done, that the main gear wells “should” be unpainted aluminum with a yellow zinc chromate main spar. At some point, due to corrosion problems, they would have started painting the wheel wells green zinc chromate, but I think this was after the D-5’s were built. Does this sound reasonable? I’d like to get it as accurate as I can.

Thanks,

Tom

2

It would be safe to say they were overall either/both (depending on the aircraft) yellow and/or green zinc chromate. Either one is suffice and I wouldn’t worry too much about spot on accuracy.

3

Here are some photos of the wheel well on a very authentic restoration, later than a D-5. Not Kimmberly Kaye at the top, Daddy’s girl lower down.

http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/Propplanes/p51/p51.htm

4

Thank you both for your responses. With the changes that were made during the production runs and the field repairs and repainting it’s hard to pin down. “Nobody knows for sure” is a pretty good answer. I think I’ll go with overall yellow zinc chromate with green zinc castings.

Thanks,

Tom

5

My research showed that they all came from the factory in aluminum and the rear spar was the only part in ZC.

6

That’s what my research showed also. Dana Bell says “At some point” in the P-51D/K production runs they started painting them due to reports of corrosion problems, but exactly when is undeterminable.

Thanks,

Tom

7

Indeed…I’m considering painting the whole bay ZC on my F-51 for the same reason.

8

Mate, do you have a specfic colour your going to use for the ZC. I’m building a P-51D/K for the Comenwealth GB and will also need the exact same paint.

Thanks

Damian

9

Since I’m kind of a dinosaur, I still spray lacquers and enamels. I use Model Master green zinc chromate and Testors 1/4 oz. small bottle yellow zinc chromate. I add just a little green to the yellow zinc to make it a bit less yellow.

Tom

10

I prefer acrylic or lacquer based paint, due to ease of cleanup. The variety I have found for the two types of Zinc Chromate are:

Yellow ZC

Tamiya XF-4

Mr. Paint MRP-129

Model Master ?

Mission Models MMP-067

Green ZC

Tamiya XF-3:2 XF-5:1

Mr. Paint ?

Model Master 4852

Mission Models MMP-068

11

Yep…Tamiya XF-4 Yellow Green is the perfect ZC shade to my eye.