Modelcraft`s Twin `stang...YIKES!! (Finally Complete!)

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hi All,

Knowing that a kit is bad before diving in is really helpful, for the mind and soul . I kinda knew what I was getting into by reading a post or two right here…poor fit, thick canopies, etc but Holy Cow! I couldnt get 2 parts to go together without some minor surgery. So, I took a step back, watched " The Karate Kid" for a quick refresher course in "focusing", and decided Im not gonna chuck this sucker back in its box and bury it in the yard, Im gonna take my time and try to do `er justice.

First thing that had to be done was to sand off every locator pin on the wings and fuselage…useless. Dry-fitting everything is mandatory. I`ve posted a few pics…check out the nasty gaps at the wing roots! Good thing I have a new tube of Squadron putty and the big bottle of Zap-A-Gap CA.

Anyone with ANY tips or ideas to help me make this into a presentable representation of the real thing, feel free to fire away!

Thanks in advance,

Len

2

Len,

Oh my…if it was a dead pet, I’d suggest a shovel and a bag of lime…

But as it’s plastic…a steel baking tray, half a litre of acetone and a match?

I know I’m not very helpful…sorry…

I’m VERY interested in how you’re getting along with the build…keep posting pics, mate.

3

I’ve never seen anything complementary said about that kit. However, after seeing your pics, she’s a bigger drive from the rough than I was ever led to believe!

Thankfully 1/48 isn’t my scale anymore.

4

I just aquired that same kit a couple weeks ago, and it’s in the pipeline… I gotta have it too, lol… Everything I’ve read about it follows what you’re talking about, so it’s not a “Monday kit”… This one’s gonna be a real challenge, I know… But, being as I normally build kits that not well, “Shake & Bakes”, and haven’t had one defeat me, it should work out. I already vac-formed new canopies, as a did a litle dry-fitting with tape when I got it…

At any rate, it’s not for the faint-hearted…

I think Fermis tackled it a few months ago, but I could be wrong on “Whodunnit”… I haven’t been able to find the thread with the “Search Function” though…

5

It’s near the top of worst kit ever produced. I have to confess I binned mine about halfway through the build.

Regards, Rick

6

Oh boy!!! You’ll be speaking a language you don’t even understand, before too long!!! Make sure the women and children are away when you work on this thing!!! I found my thread from a while back, but I had rearanged my photobucket account, so none of the pics match up.

Definitely get the canopies from Squadron, if you haven’t already, kit parts ARE useless. I used just the windscreen potion of the vacforms, and spares from Hasegawa for the bubbles. The blades in the kit are horrible. Search the A/M for P-51H blades, but remember, the 82 has counter rotating engines. The vent on the belly, behind the scoop, I scratched with aluminum, kit part sucks, along with the tail gear doors.

Now, for the worst part! The wings. I layed out a piece of sandpaper(heavy grit) on my glass top work surface, and sanded the joining parts against that, mainly the outter wing attachment points, on both, wings and fuse. There is a bit of compromising when attaching the lower, center section to the fuse’s. I joined the tail section first, then the lower center wing section. IIRC, I then joined the upper center section, with styrene shims on both ends. With the outter section sanded down, they went together without any filler.

Here’s a link, FWIW, no pics match up, but maybe you’ll find some help with the text.

/forums/t/111778.aspx?PageIndex=2

008.jpg picture by fermisb

Also, check out the “air racer group build”, Daddy1 did an amazing modification with this kit, it’ll knock yer socks off!!! /forums/t/115892.aspx?PageIndex=46

7

The only advice I can give is: Patience, Putty and more patience [:D]

I built all three of the beasts OOB and they didn’t turn out to bad.

8

[quote user=“bigfoot01”]

The only advice I can give is: Patience, Putty and more patience

I built all three of the beasts OOB and they didn’t turn out to bad.

All of them look great! Im planning on an OOB build also...including the canopies if at all possible. I would classify myself as an average to slightly advanced modeller, with some PE and resin A/M gear on occasion but basically, an OOB builder. When I run into a kit like this one,it really tries what little patience I have! The last nightmare from a box for me was Model USAs “Bird Dog” kit. Almost the same issues with that one…back in its box awaiting its fate. Thanks for the advice and pics!..Len

9

Thanks for posting that link, Fermis… Been searching for that thread and couldn’t find it with the Search Function…

Got me a little pumped now… Gonna be doing the (former) CAF P-82 for sure, now… (Although mine will be “Airworthy”)

Then I gotta find a 1/48th “Jet Pilot” figure somewhere so’s I can model it with the appropriate guy in the left 'pit… I’m thinking this feller…

[H]

(BUILDER’S NOTE: Don’t take that P-82 photo to heart and think think that the tailwheels are “wrong”. They’re backwards because the aircraft was towed into that position, then pushed backwards onto the flightline, which caused the tailwheels to castor backwards…)

10

Fermis, Thank for the help. I am considering ordering the canopies but want to hold off until I can see how this pigs gonna turn out. I did just about the same thing, sanding everything flat on a large piece of sandpaper, couldnt see it being done any other way. I had trouble with those vents also…they had diagonal mold lines and I cut it in half, getting a pair of triangular parts…looked ok to me so i glued a half to the fuse…looks the part, I guess. I had little trouble with the wings…other than the locator pins. Once removed, just a little seem filler. That proves to me that,above the general issues with the kit,each individual kit has its own "special " issues, like warped wings, one fuse half a little larger than its mate, etc. I`m not gonna give up…I think…but will never look as good as yours! Mine will probably look like yours if it had been shot down! Thanks again…Len

11

Hans, Ive seen some of your work and have no doubt youll pull this one out. As for me, I spoiled myself by building a bunch of Tamiya and Hasegawa kits that seem to fall together. The toughest part of those builds for me were the paint schemes…lol. BUT…I am beginning to enjoy these challenging kits. I was doing almost, a build a week there for a while but this kit will definately toss the anchor out! I did the same thing too…taped the whole kit together 1st just to see how bad it actually was. Didnt seem too bad at first but I didnt have the pit between the fuses in the mock-up…tons of sanding there when your ready to mount it for real! Well, good luck and post some pics…there should be a GB for this kit…misery really does love company…lol!..Len

12

Man! Theyre makin those Pilot figures uglier and uglier [;)]

13

That sure makes me happy I build in 1/72, Monogram’s F-82 appears to fit decently. That thing looks worse than many limited run kits. On the plus side kits like that give you an unusual model when you are done since many won’t have the patience to build it. It sounds like you have the right attitude though, I also find I am fine with rough kits as long as I know that when I begin.

How do you vac form your canopies? I bought a small vac former a year or two ago, but haven’t used it yet. Not sure if I can just vac form a new canopy right over the old or if I have to do more than that.

Thanks

14

I have a Mattel Vac-U-Form machine… It’s almost as if Mattel designed for doing canopies… I just vac right over the top of the kit part, after maiing a small mount for it to raise it off the vac-platform. If you don’t do that, the bottom edges won’t form.

When you vac over a kit part, the new part will be slightly larger than the original, due to the thickness of the material. But it usually doesn’t make a real difference, although it can cause some problems with bomber noses or engine cowls. Usually, I just shim the nose out to fit the new nose or cowl.

Hey, I’ll join ya on this one, Len… Might as well comiserate… I’m working the 'pits right now, getting started on detail painting… I have to change a few things in the starboard cockpit as it’s not the same as the port…

15

That’s not what your sister says…[H]

16

Thats cause she likes `em old and crusty…LOL

17

Thanks, Hans, I also have one of the Mattel machines. I mostly expected it to be usefl for canopies but haven’t done much research into using it. Next time I have a bad canopy I’ll give it a try, thanks.

18

I wish you the best. I put mine on the back burner and have to really bite down and finish it. Maybe when I am really mad at something I’ll work on it to get all the fowl words to come out. I did get the Squadron canopies for it and only put it on the back burner when this happened to it:

I found another kit and will copy the wing needed, cause this one is beyond repair, when I get back to working on it that is.

19

7 hours of build time so far and I’m STILL fixing the starboard fuselage and cockpit… 'Course, much of it’s going into detailing the pits…

20

I had to walk away for a couple days…have all the major components together now, ready for a test coat of silver paint. I didn`t do too much detail work in my pits…Tamiya tape belts and some weathering with a silver pencil.

Hans, How `bout some pics of your progress?