xmh53wrench Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Ok, so in the mail yesterday, showed up the second one of these kits I have purchased off of that little web based auction site....lol. Its Revell's P-51B kit 4773, I had also purchased a really old re-boxed Revell Spitfire Mk1 (the instructions were dated 1967 and looked of it, and the kit smelled of it), but realized I didnt need to cut up (oops did I say that already) both kits, so I am saving that for a future non-racer build. My plan, (one that I have no idea if anybody has ever actually accomplished) (Hell I dont even know if its allowed in this group build...guess I will find out) photo credit Neil Nurmi 1986 Yes Tsunami, the home built racer of John Sandberg, loosely based on the Mustang, using some of its components, down sized quite a bit, some say the smallest airframe to ever house a Merlin. So here we go.... The perverbial Revell 1/32 "B" model The plan, first I had to profile both kits, then figure out what I would need from each, but as stated, I would only use the Mustang. Then on to scaling in Tsunami to find out where to add, remove, and modify... The first cut is the deepest... Well thrashing away, so more to follow later....hoping you guys wont ostracise me for this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phasephantomphixer Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Ostracize? Heck I don't think there could be a better use of such a Roach of a kit! Well, I spliced the spine onto a Hasegawa D and used the gear doors, etc. to make the D a B, but not comparable to yours-Good deal for sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xmh53wrench Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 (edited) Well going to hang it up for today....I feel like I got alot accomplished, all things considered. Lots of reworking of just about nearly every part on this thing, from cockpit floor, instrument panel, landing gear bays, doors and gear, to h-stab angle, elevator and rudder shape. I managed to narrow up the fuselage just a tad. Next up is some painting inside the fuselage, and tail gear compartment, reskinning the top of the fuselage, and coming up with a 1/48 scale P-51D rear canopy so I can fab up the new windscreen and canopy. This has been a fun and challenging build of such a great racer, that from what I gather, the family of the owner are building a new Tsunami to replace the one that crashed taking the owners life. Some progress pics... Fuselage starting to take shape... Building the much hacked up wing, having to add a spar to give it some strength and dihedral... Looking a bit more streamlined than your average Mustang... Finally attaching the wings and adding bulkheads and cockpit floor for added strength for the work required on the top of the fuselage... Belly shot, showing all the grafting of the smaller and shorter main wheel wells, and the removal of the chin scoop... And finally, its profile up to this point... PS...looking for any and all extra p-51D 1/48 and 1/32 rear canopies... Edited March 25, 2012 by xmh53wrench Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xmh53wrench Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Well back at it.... Now the work begins on the doghouse and scoop....not a piece to be left its original size... :blink: And the "pile" grows.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xmh53wrench Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 More progress for today, and I am pretty much spent. I need to procure a 1/48 D model canopy to finish the top of the fuselage, but over the next few days I will complete the reshaping of the main gear wells and doors. Pretty happy with the doghouse area....on this plane it had a very small doghouse and scoop. I had to cut down the existing one, and fab new pieces as well...7 pieces comprise just that part of this build. And started slapping on the squadron mud... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Prop Duster Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 OH Boy! nice work Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 xmh53 wrench plase contact me i have so much info in tsunami and i can help u out also because i know the airplane preaty well so ask me any thing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 well the prop blades are from a T-28 airforce type. and i do have some pictures too that might help. i am doing tsuanmi too but in 1/48 scale useing the testors/hawk model Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 and rember too that the engine cover on the bottom of the plane where u have putty is shaped like a p-51a Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xmh53wrench Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 Catfan, sent ya an email...PM wouldnt go through... Started to wrap the top of the fuselage.... In place, and whittled some valve cover blisters out of some styrene.... Just have to figure out some kind of putty for smoothing the top....seems the squadron green is a bit hot for the thin sheet styrene...any suggestions? thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AX 365 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 WOW! Very ambitious and certainly impressive progress thus far. Great job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Oh my goodness this is incredible! I love the look of Tsunami (right up there with Galloping Ghost and Precious metal IMO of attractive modded racers) and I'd love a model, but I doubt I'd ever be motivated to do all that you have. Wicked! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 WOW! Very ambitious and certainly impressive progress thus far. Great job. I agree with Mike..... So How is this going... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xmh53wrench Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Thanks you guys for the kudos... Well here it sits for the time being, on the back burner. I have procured a canopy to modify, but have not procured the necessary guts to slather a bunch of putty to smooth out the top of the fuselage... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I hope you can track something down as this will be a beauty when complete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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