I’m using the Tamiya 1/48 P-51D to model Lt. Col. Curtis Smart’s Estrellita III. This is done with Alclad 2 aluminum and dark aluminum for contrasting panels. The seat belts are from the Eduard USAAF belt set. Decals will be partially from the Aeromaster set (They have incorrect tail code) and some home made decals along with stencils from the kit.
Once completed it will be mounted on a mirror base and presented to Col. Smart.
[8D]
Looks nice, Swanny. Being a “shake-the-box” kit, you’ll probably bang out the kit in no time ! Nice gesture, presenting it to the pilot. Keep some Kleenex handy, its bound to be a “Kodak Moment.”
wow swanny. awesome so far.
joe
Lookin mighty fine Swanny,
I wonder how to you decide which panels to darken.Do you just choose the removable
ones and the flying surfaces or is there more to it?What olive drab did you use?
Also the seat looks great.
Truly fitting for a kodak moment.
Looking good so far. The Alclad2 is great for NMF. Noticed the panel color variation on the wings, but I thought most P-51D’s had the wings painted in Aluminum Lacquer to improve laminar flow and increase speed a tad.
The more and more I see results peeps are getting with Alclad, the more and more I realizing I’m using the wrong metalizer.
Nice work Swanny. Got any pics of the actual Estrellita III herself?
Quagmyre - this is the best picture that I have of the aircraft and it is an artist conception. The taile code should read V not X.
Obiwan - I spent a considerable amount of time looking over pictures of NM P-51s before picking out the panels. There is one more set on the fuselage just below the elevator that I have not done yet. The Olive Drab is Testors enamel with an ink wash which darkened it up a bit.
Pix - yes indeed, a kodak moment. If possible I will get some pictures of the presentation and include them with the build article. Col. Smart is not in the best of health at the moment and I don’t want to impose on him, this is being done to help cheer him up a little.
Man, if you have not tried this Alclad stuff you really must. Never have I dealt with such an easy NMF. My first time was a Tamiya MiG-15 and I was a convert right away, have done five or six NMFs with it now and all turned out great.
I’m with Quag, I’m going to have to give the Alclad a shot myself. I tried the BMF and wasn’t too impressed myself. Thanks for sharing Swanny, a sweet bird as usual!
Very nice Swanny. You are a model making machine!!! [bow][bow][bow]
Beautiful beginnings - can’t wait to see the rest!
Paul
Beautiful work so far swanny. [bow][bow][bow] Cant wait to see it when its finished. I wish i could do half of the amount of models you finish. Between the kids and my job dont really have alot of time to work on them.[:(][:(][:(]
I hear ya Falcon. I’m down to one kid living at home now (except for holidays - what a zoo) and have a little more time to devote to the hobby. I took a 20 year sabatical simply because I did not have the time to play with this stuff. Have patience and never give up.