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Mustang Wings and panel seams


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  • 2 weeks later...

Greg,

Im new here but was never the less happy to see your treatise and the ensuing responses to your post. The subject of the Mustang's wings is one seldom covered and almost always wrongly done by builders in any scale. Another is the issue of canopy position when it is fully open and those that leave it sticking up in the air at its aft end. I dont know which error is worse.

I've been working on a Mustang for a while now and must confess it is not an easy airplane to model. Its subtlty of curve and detail are extensive. Im unfamiliar with the 1/72 and 1/48 offerings available but have seen your work (in this post) and it looks quite true to the real thing. Do you have other postings of your Mustangs posted elsewhere on the site? I would enjoy seeing them if you do.

A great posting you have here. Many thanks.

Geoff

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Greg,

I can readily understand your liking for this particular bird. I especially like the black and yellow checkerboard against the polished aluminum. Judging from the tail it's a Cavalier. Exceptional finish on it regardless where it hails from. I ran into an A model out on the west coast a while back. It looked like it had just rolled out of the paint shop. Even with its Drab and Gray finish, it was gorgeous. I'll surely go have a look for other examples of your work. Mine is still in the building stage with the major fuselage and wing components in primer. Detailing of the wells is underway. What a rats nest of stuff. Just the same, thanks for your reply and the heads up. if you have an interest, mine is posted on LSP in their "In the Works" section, under the title, Hasegawa P-51 Mustang; same screen name.

Regards

Geoff

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think Supermarine tried the laminar flow wings on the Spiteful but found that even a couple of bugs splattered on the wings was enough to negate any improvement over the Spitfire mk21 on wing. The 'Speed Spitfire' also had its seams and rivets filled and a special paint finish with a smooth wax applied if I remember correctly, although it still wasnt fast enough to gain the record.

Cheers

Nige

Still sad the Duxford P47 has apparently been sold, even if it is to an American buyer.

<_<

It would not be about a Squadron in the field doing it to gain some speed, it is about why NAA did it in the first place.

The laminar flow airfoil that the P-51 employed was dependant for efficient operation on having a very smooth and defect free surface. The wing was filled at the factory to maintain that profile as best as possible as the more surface defects in the profile the greater performance hit would be taken.

Legend has it that even an accumulation of bug hits on the leading edge could seriously ramp up the drag on the wing.

I would be suprised if a T.O. does not exist stating that if repairs were done to the wing that they should be filled, primed and painted to restore a factory surface finish.

Cheers

Tony

(Aircraft Engineer by trade for 25 years now, in case you were wondering)

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry for the late contribution but...

I remember reading in somebody's biography (and I don't remember whose - I don't think it was Yeager's...but it was some ETO ace or another) about how the crew chiefs would take care of their Mustangs, and he described how his crew chief would obsessively fill the wing seams, sand the wing smooth, laquer, and then wax the wings to ensure the best possible performance. This apparently happened on a weekly basis so the finish wouldn't degrade.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Prop Emblem decal for Hamilton Standard (real aircraft)

Only one teeeeeesie little problem with that decal. Helvetica Bold wasn't invented until the 1950s :worship:

That's the style, but the lettering is *technically* not correct for a WWII era emblem. However, I seriously doubt anyone will notice that in 1/48, or even 1/24! :)

J

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1) These aircraft are not 100 point restorations

2) These aircraft no longer operate off unimproved airfields

3) These aircraft no longer participate in large-scale missions where earlier aircraft have stirred up dirt and dust from said unimproved airfields.

4) If it's not needed, it's unecessary weight and complexity and maintenance.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi TF51gregwise

I'm just starting my Tamiya Mustang & came here to see which panel lines get filled, but there are no pictures. Have they been deleted?

BTW, it looks like you have what I would consider the best job in the world.

Thanks

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  • 2 weeks later...

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