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1/32 Tamiya P-51D- Kicked up a notch


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Wow, wow WOW!! Chuck, your close-up shots are so revealing... they reveal outstanding workmanship and finishing. It's easy to look nice from far in this hobby, the real challenge is looking nice from very close up imo.

I wouldn't sweat the "panel line inconsistencies" at all... since when is the amount of grit etc that gets into panel lines on real aircraft consistent...i.e. the panel lines never look consistent on the real deal either.

:worship:

Marcel

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I tend to agree with Marcel Chuck. We can tend to overdo some of the subtle areas of a build. I know in my case I can tend to make everything too "perfect". Every panel line consistant in width, shading/weathering, with rivets and Dzus fasteners just so. Then I get on a Southwest 737 and see all of the inconsistancy with the panel lines due to paint, panel fit up, rivits and Dzus fasteners, shading and weathering and I am reminded that "Perfect" is actually various degrees of imperfection. Having said that, and marveling at your sensitivity to even the smallest detail, I would imagine you will treat the "puttied wings" with "perfect" imperfection. I can hardly wait!!

Needless to say, your build is absolutely stunning in it's planning, your engineering and then your skill in modeling. Your skill set is a treat to watch as it transforms this 'Stang into a work of art. Thanks for sharing.

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I've spent a good chunk of the last couple of days reading this thread instead of forging ahead with my Tamiya P-51 kit, and I'm so glad I have. The wealth of information here would make a book I'd gladly pay for. Huge thanks to Chuck for taking the really significant amount of time it takes to put these posts and pictures together... that's time away from the fun of modeling to help others out, and it's really, really appreciated. I'm going to shamelessly steal quite a few of your engine tips and techniques... I've got the HGW belts, Eduard exterior kit, Kitsworld decals for 'Passion Wagon' (NMF version), and I'm trying to mentally justify the cost for the Eduard engine detail kit. The work you did with the metal straps around the rear tank alone almost convinces me, since it's such a visible part, but I hate to spend that much when I wouldn't use most of the framing pieces.

My main reason for registering and posting was to say thanks for all the guidance, but I'll also stretch my luck some and ask a few questions:

- Do you spend any time polishing the plastic before laying down the Krylon?

- Have you tried a microfiller (Surfacer 1200, Alclad Grey) before the Krylon, or do you consider that it robs too much surface detail?

My last build was the Trumpeter P-47 (1/32), which was also my first attempt at Alclad NMF. It came out really good... almost too good, with the Airframe aluminum so reflective it looked more like a Smithsonian display bird than a depiction of a war machine in the field. I used heavily thinned Surfacer 1200 as a base, polished the heck out of that with a micromesh kit up to 8K, then the Alclad enamel gloss black base, followed by Alclad AA overall and later some panel differences with other shades. The Trumpeter kit has very deep lines and rivets so the partial surfacer fill-in wasn't a problem at all (maybe even a necessary step), but it seems this Tamiya kit has much finer detail. I'm very reluctant to change a process that worked so well for me once already, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on surface prep. Mr Surfacer really helped me hide a myriad of scratch sins while getting all the parts lined up and filled/sanded on the trumpy kit, but if it's going to hide too much detail on the Tamiya bird I'll work around it. I've also seen the Alclad enamel gloss base take a long time to dry, but on the advice of folks on a car modeling forum that use Alclad to spectacular effect for bumpers and such I sprayed the AA on after 24 hours of drying time while it was still fairly tacky, and it wound up very reflective and very, very tough. Their claim was that if you let the enamel base completely cure the Alclad won't bite it well enough and turns out fragile. I used artists tape for curves to get the red 'swoosh' of the 368th and had no pullup issues, though it's a strong tape.

Can't offer really much back for the incredible amount of information you've given, but I should mention a thinner that you may not have tried: Mr Color Leveling Thinner. It's obviously another Gunze product, and I won't use anything else anymore. I've also switched over entirely to the Mr Color lacquer paint line, though that might not appeal to many given that you've got to mail order everything... Gunze won't label their paint products for US retail sale. Once you spray Mr Color, though, you'll likely never go back. The Leveling Thinner is a lacquer thinner, but also includes a retarder to get the 'leveling' effect. The big benefit here is that you never get the tip dry problems you've noted several times in this topic. The retarder pushes the drying time back to 2-3 minutes instead of 2-3 seconds, so you still get the convenience of quick dry without it being so fast that you get sputter problems at the tip or dusting on the paint surface. I've had it dialed down as low as 10 psi and just a faint pressure on the trigger, getting so little paint you can barely see it, and it still sprays perfectly. Give it a try if you haven't.

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Thank you everyone!

Wow, wow WOW!! Chuck, your close-up shots are so revealing... they reveal outstanding workmanship and finishing. It's easy to look nice from far in this hobby, the real challenge is looking nice from very close up imo.

I wouldn't sweat the "panel line inconsistencies" at all... since when is the amount of grit etc that gets into panel lines on real aircraft consistent...i.e. the panel lines never look consistent on the real deal either.

Marcel

Thanks Marcel. Your close-up pics are pretty revealing as well- which is to say they reveal modeling excellence! As far as the "panel line inconsistencies" are concerned, this is a real deduction in a model contest, so I'm sensitive to it. Don't ask me how I know! :rolleyes:

I tend to agree with Marcel Chuck. We can tend to overdo some of the subtle areas of a build. I know in my case I can tend to make everything too "perfect". Every panel line consistant in width, shading/weathering, with rivets and Dzus fasteners just so. Then I get on a Southwest 737 and see all of the inconsistancy with the panel lines due to paint, panel fit up, rivits and Dzus fasteners, shading and weathering and I am reminded that "Perfect" is actually various degrees of imperfection. Having said that, and marveling at your sensitivity to even the smallest detail, I would imagine you will treat the "puttied wings" with "perfect" imperfection. I can hardly wait!!

Needless to say, your build is absolutely stunning in it's planning, your engineering and then your skill in modeling. Your skill set is a treat to watch as it transforms this 'Stang into a work of art. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Bud for the always kind words of encouragement. I hope I don't disappoint you or anyone else when this bird is done!

I'm going to shamelessly steal quite a few of your engine tips and techniques... I've got the HGW belts, Eduard exterior kit, Kitsworld decals for 'Passion Wagon' (NMF version), and I'm trying to mentally justify the cost for the Eduard engine detail kit. The work you did with the metal straps around the rear tank alone almost convinces me, since it's such a visible part, but I hate to spend that much when I wouldn't use most of the framing pieces.

My main reason for registering and posting was to say thanks for all the guidance, but I'll also stretch my luck some and ask a few questions:

- Do you spend any time polishing the plastic before laying down the Krylon?

- Have you tried a microfiller (Surfacer 1200, Alclad Grey) before the Krylon, or do you consider that it robs too much surface detail?

I'm very reluctant to change a process that worked so well for me once already, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on surface prep. Mr Surfacer really helped me hide a myriad of scratch sins while getting all the parts lined up and filled/sanded on the trumpy kit, but if it's going to hide too much detail on the Tamiya bird I'll work around it. I've also seen the Alclad enamel gloss base take a long time to dry, but on the advice of folks on a car modeling forum that use Alclad to spectacular effect for bumpers and such I sprayed the AA on after 24 hours of drying time while it was still fairly tacky, and it wound up very reflective and very, very tough.

Can't offer really much back for the incredible amount of information you've given, but I should mention a thinner that you may not have tried: Mr Color Leveling Thinner. It's obviously another Gunze product, and I won't use anything else anymore. I've also switched over entirely to the Mr Color lacquer paint line, though that might not appeal to many given that you've got to mail order everything... Gunze won't label their paint products for US retail sale. Once you spray Mr Color, though, you'll likely never go back. The Leveling Thinner is a lacquer thinner, but also includes a retarder to get the 'leveling' effect. The big benefit here is that you never get the tip dry problems you've noted several times in this topic. The retarder pushes the drying time back to 2-3 minutes instead of 2-3 seconds, so you still get the convenience of quick dry without it being so fast that you get sputter problems at the tip or dusting on the paint surface. I've had it dialed down as low as 10 psi and just a faint pressure on the trigger, getting so little paint you can barely see it, and it still sprays perfectly. Give it a try if you haven't.

Thanks for the kind words as well. After one of my updates, I sometimes check to see if anybody is looking and I've had as many as 37 "Guests" lurking at once, with no "Members" logged in. It's nice to see a Guest become a Member to chime in, so welcome! I appreciate the feedback.

To answer a few of your questions, yes I polish the plastic a LOT, before I even dream of painting anything. If you check out this pic from above, you might see a bit of sanding on the wing and fuselage parts. I use 2000 grit sandpaper on everything, then wipe off with a tack cloth. I run my fingers over every detail and if there's a trace of roughness, I try to smooth it out with sandpaper or wet/dry fine abrasive cloth.

Prepaint6.jpg

No, I don't use Mr. Surfacer or any other "filler" primers. because I spend so much time on trying to create fine rivet detail- like on this kit everywhere- the last thing I want to do is fill it in. What I do instead should be explained better in the pics below.

Also, thank you very much for the tip on Mr Color Leveling Thinner. I'll try to find some locally, because whenever you try and ship solvents across our Canadian borders, they can sometimes be turned away. I love the reasons you now swear by it, so I've got my fingers crossed.

Now some pics, albeit BORING! I say boring because there are no big jumps in progress and I like it that way, because the key to a good Alclad finish (and model) is to really spend a lot of time on paint prep. After spraying a first coat of Krylon lacquer above, a number of build flaws were revealed, way more than I hoped for. After the gloss black paint dried for 4 days or so, I sanded down the problem areas and applied thinned putty to the gaps that I thought that I had removed. I also sanded down the the rest of the paint with 2000 grit sandpaper to smooth out any roughness, especially at the wing root where air brush turbulence can create a dusty finish. The key to a smooth and metal like finish is to start off with a smooth surface to begin with. Alclad is super thin and won't fill anything.

The top. I had issues at the leading edges of the wings, the door in front of the windscreen and the wing root....

Prepaint14.jpg

The bottom. A few wing problems, but mostly center line fuselage issues....

Prepaint15.jpg

The seam line and door in front of the windscreen is now toast, after an application of thinned putty, sanding and more Krylon...

Prepaint16.jpg

Another angle, but mostly to show how the sanded wings are now ready for Alclad with just sanding with fine sandpaper. If these wings were going to be black, I'd paint them again, but the only reason for the Krylon is to provide a base for the Alclad to bit into...

Prepaint17.jpg

Remember this gluing mess using the "Turner Method"?....

Closewing6.jpg

Smooth as silk now....

Prepaint18.jpg

There's a model in the Display Forum that looks fantastic, but there are obvious seam lines to the wings which kill the total effect in my opinion, so I don't want any on this build- ANYWHERE!. Remember, that gun bay panel won't be staying, so don't worry about how it sits on top of the wing....

Prepaint19.jpg

In order to paint in the tight spot above the air intake, I have avoided attaching it until it has been painted too. After getting rid of the seam line and painting the interior parts (which do have a seam line like the real deal), the rivet detail is now lost....

Prepaint20.jpg

Using Robert Peczkpowski's book, which comes with panel line and rivet detail maps in 1/32, I replaced the rivets to the same scale as the kit, which are about every second one- sort of. A few boo-boos, but nothing you can notice with the naked eye...

Prepaint21.jpg

Next up: Landing Gear! I have a ton of suggestions and changes. Thanks for checking in. :)/>/>/>

Edited by chuck540z3
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Hey Chuck,

I've lurked in and out of this thread since its inception. Sorry I haven't replied until now. I can't add to what others are saying, but I do want to extend a quick thank you for taking the time to illustrate/detail your processes. It's immensely helpful. While it can be time consuming, I greatly appreciate your effort to share your work with us. Keep up the great work. I'll be lurking...

Aaron

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Wow Chuck, smokin' build :thumbsup:/> And geez, maybe you should think about an indoor paint booth (I'm sure you've thought about it...). Spraying in the garage, in Canada, brrrrrrr rrr!!!! Must be a real PITA.

Also, I recently went back to using Krylon gloss black. And wow it is good stuff. Good luck with the Aclad.

/Jesse

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Thanks a lot guys for the support and feedback!

One thing I may not have made clear in the pics above is that the horizontal interior seam line of the intake is REAL and should stay. You can see it in this pic on the sides, where I painted the interior before cementing it into the intake cowling. It should be aluminum color up to the join with the rest of the fuselage, where it is then chromate green/yellow in front of the radiators......

Prepaint21.jpg

This intake reminds a lot of the Tamiya F-16 intake seam line, which should be removed. I was all ready to get rid of it when I checked some reference pics and, sure enough, there it was. I'm finally learning to look before I edit stuff! Remember those weld marks I sanded off earlier? :rolleyes:

Right now I'm dealing with the landing gear, because I need to cement/screw them in first so that I can get those front wing inserts perfectly flush with the rest of the wing- and have no panel line gaps. Using the magnets alone, they just don't look right. Also note that the wing root seam line has been re-scribed across the front of the wing to meet the seam line on the bottom of the wing as it should.....

Prepaint18.jpg

The gear parts are really quite good, but they can be improved without too much effort and no extra parts. I should have an update soon.

Edited by chuck540z3
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Thanks Chuck for a wonderful, informative and inspirational build.

So many great techniques and ideas to explore.

I took plunge yesterday and built a pipe insulation plane holder and it works a treat!

While I'm not going to attempt a Tamiya Mustang I have an old Airfix 1/24 Mustang on the go to which I'm going to apply some of your paint treatments to.

Great post, thanks for taking all the time and trouble to explain and photograph your WIP.

Dan

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Thanks Chuck for a wonderful, informative and inspirational build.

So many great techniques and ideas to explore.

I took plunge yesterday and built a pipe insulation plane holder and it works a treat!

While I'm not going to attempt a Tamiya Mustang I have an old Airfix 1/24 Mustang on the go to which I'm going to apply some of your paint treatments to.

Great post, thanks for taking all the time and trouble to explain and photograph your WIP.

Dan

Thank you Dan! I checked out your Hurricane and Stuka- and I must say that you are a VERY good modeler, so your compliment is most appreciated.

Now a tiny update on the landing gear, because I'm at a bit of a crossroads and I'd like some feedback before I go further.

First, stuff that I've done already to the kit landing gear, which overall is pretty good. Based upon pics I've seen, the plumbing is fairly accurate, so thankfully I don't need to add much of that. However, the scissor assembly at the rear of the shock strut is WAY too fat and with the supplied metal detail on top, it's just plain wrong. To get something a little more accurate for scale and detail, I cut off the pins at the top and bottom of Part # J-11 and glued them onto the metal Part # A-4, so that I had the proper end detail and something to glue to the gear leg in the supplied holes. Here's a pic of an unaltered one on the left (yuk) and my modification on the right. My effort is now a bit too thin for scale, but it still looks a lot better than the fat scissor assembly that should be hollowed out as well. I may add some CA glue to this part to fatten it up a bit. This assembly is fairly hidden at the rear of the gear leg, but if you're going to "kick it up a notch", I think it's worth it....

LandingGear1.jpg

Another angle. Note the total lack of an interior hole on the plastic kit part, which should be there. I used another steel stick pin for the pin at the rear of the assembly, rather than a crude plastic part. Plumbing lines are only dry fitted, but the seam lines are mostly gone after some glue and sanding....

LandingGear2.jpg

The two front tabs at the front of the gear leg should be drilled out as well.....

LandingGear3.jpg

Now the dilemma. On the interior axle of the landing gear is a ring that is fairly big and thin, presumably as a tie-down anchor point? On almost every pic I have seen this ring should sit horizontal to the ground and not vertical like the kit part in the rear of the pic below. The Eduard exterior detail PE kit has a couple of these rings with circular end caps (to be installed later), but they will be super fragile. For demonstration purposes, I cut the plastic kit part off, then cut a slit in the axle for the ring to slide into on a spare gear leg on the left, to add strength when it is glued in. On the right, I just thinned down the sides of the plastic part, then drilled a fairly big hole in the middle. This is much stronger than the Eduard offering, but I can't seem to find a pic of this ring in the vertical position, so maybe it's inaccurate to begin with? I'll let you guys decide which is the best option:

LandingGear4.jpg

So which option would you go with before I cut or drill a hole in the rear gear leg? The good looking but fragile Eduard part parallel to the ground or the tougher plastic part in the vertical position? Thanks for your input- and any close-up pics of this detail would be most appreciated!

Edited by chuck540z3
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Hi Chuck, nice catch on the scissor link. I did the same on my P-51 but it is too thin. I was n't overly bothered by accuracy as the PE alone looked better in my eyes than the combined PE/plastic version. However, since you're kicking this one up a notch you need to add a little thickness back to be properly accurate. Also, if you decide to leave the PE as it is, one thing you could consider is straightening the arms of the scissor link a tad. If you look at your images, each arm has a slight outward bow to it. The real deals are flat/straight. A quick, gentle crimp at the centre of the arm should do it.

So which option would you go with before I cut or drill a hole in the rear gear leg? The good looking but fragile Eduard part or the tougher plastic part in the vertical position? Thanks for your input- and any close-up pics of this detail would be most appreciated!

:hmmm:

What if I were to say "None of the above...." :taunt:

I've just been looking at photos of the restored BBD from 2010 and the eyelet appears to be parallel to the floor :whistle: . This might only be the case for resto birds of course but you might want to consider the third option..... ;)

I checked my e-mail but I've lost your addy. PM your e-mail address and I'll send you a couple of shots of BBD that just about show the bit you're looking at.

HTH

:cheers:

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Hi Chuck, nice catch on the scissor link. I did the same on my P-51 but it is too thin. I was n't overly bothered by accuracy as the PE alone looked better in my eyes than the combined PE/plastic version. However, since you're kicking this one up a notch you need to add a little thickness back to be properly accurate. Also, if you decide to leave the PE as it is, one thing you could consider is straightening the arms of the scissor link a tad. If you look at your images, each arm has a slight outward bow to it. The real deals are flat/straight. A quick, gentle crimp at the centre of the arm should do it.

:hmmm:/>

What if I were to say "None of the above...." :taunt:/>

I've just been looking at photos of the restored BBD from 2010 and the eyelet appears to be parallel to the floor :whistle:/> . This might only be the case for resto birds of course but you might want to consider the third option..... ;)/>

I checked my e-mail but I've lost your addy. PM your e-mail address and I'll send you a couple of shots of BBD that just about show the bit you're looking at.

HTH

:cheers:/>

Thanks Guy. Whenever I have a modeling detail challenge I often think, "What would Guy do?". It looks like I read your mind on the scissor link!

Now as far as your Option 3 is concerned, isn't Option 1 the same thing? The Eduard part IS parallel to the ground, unlike the kit part. :hmmm:

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Thanks Guy. Whenever I have a modeling detail challenge I often think, "What would Guy do?".

Answer,.......as little as possible.... :whistle:

:coolio:

It looks like I read your mind on the scissor link!

That probably did n't take very long :lol: ..... ;)

Now as far as your Option 3 is concerned, isn't Option 1 the same thing? The Eduard part IS parallel to the ground, unlike the kit part. :hmmm:/>

Yes, you are correct Chuck, sorry. I thought you'd positioned the ring perpendicular to the gear leg rather than parallel to the floor (remembering that the gear legs sit at a slight angle). Go with Option 1. It might be more fragile but it does look closer to the real deal. :D

Cracking work on your big Pony. I think you've gone past one notch and are onto the third or fourth notches by now.... :wacko:

:worship:

:cheers:

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One thing to say, and one thing only:

O - M - G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simply amazing. I was having drinks and lunch with Neo the other day, and he told me to stop by and see your build of this aircraft. Time well spent!

ALF

Edited by ALF18
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Chuck, as usual a wonderful build.

Maybe you have thought of these, so forgive me if so:

You seem to be pretty good at this stuff to say the least, so maybe try to scratch that scissor assembly with some evergreen plastic? If anyone can make it, it's you! :D:)

Also Scale Aircraft Conversions came out with a set last year or so for the 1/32nd Tamiya P-51. You may want to research it some because I don't know if the white metal replacement has the same thickness for the assembly as the kit part or not, but worth a look I guess.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/sac32054.htm

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One thing to say, and one thing only:

O - M - G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simply amazing. I was having drinks and lunch with Neo the other day, and he told me to stop by and see your build of this aircraft. Time well spent!

ALF

Thanks a lot Dan. I hope I can pull off a finished product to match the expectations!

Chuck, as usual a wonderful build.

Maybe you have thought of these, so forgive me if so:

You seem to be pretty good at this stuff to say the least, so maybe try to scratch that scissor assembly with some evergreen plastic? If anyone can make it, it's you! :D/>/>/>/>/>/>:)/>/>/>/>/>/>

Also Scale Aircraft Conversions came out with a set last year or so for the 1/32nd Tamiya P-51. You may want to research it some because I don't know if the white metal replacement has the same thickness for the assembly as the kit part or not, but worth a look I guess.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/sac32054.htm

Thanks! To tell you the truth, I've already added some Everygreen styrene to the metal scissor link and I think it looks really good. I want to wait until I get it painted before showing it off, but I think everyone will agree that it was worth the effort.

I have a few SAC kits in the stash for other models like the 1/32 Academy F-18 and while strong, they are a TON of work to clean up because the castings are very rough.

Edit:

I found a link to a review of the SAC gear and I just don't see a benefit over the kit parts. Here's a pic of the scissor link, which is still way too thick- and I don't think it's hollowed out either:

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i340/Osprey_Modelling_Blog/Reviews/Planes/132%20P-51D/SAC%20P-51D%20Landing%20Gear/SAC32054P-51DLandingGearTamiya8.jpg

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i340/Osprey_Modelling_Blog/Reviews/Planes/132%20P-51D/SAC%20P-51D%20Landing%20Gear/SAC32054P-51DLandingGearTamiya5.jpg

Rear gear vs. kit part. I like the kit part better:

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i340/Osprey_Modelling_Blog/Reviews/Planes/132%20P-51D/SAC%20P-51D%20Landing%20Gear/SAC32054P-51DLandingGearTamiya3.jpg

Edited by chuck540z3
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Chuck,

I don't even know if they have them for the P-51, but the G-Factor landing gear are simply awesome. I just got some for the 109 I'm working on, and I already had several other white metal ones from other companies, and they don't come close to comparing to the G-Factor ones. They are made of brass alloy (white) and are super crisp. By far the best I have ever seen from anyone.

Also, another share and a question. I have about every scriber known to man. I see a new one and I buy it, because obvisously I have never found "the one". Well now I have. Radu (the guy that does some really nice-and really complicated PE sets), has one of his own design, and I don't think I will be ever buying another. It's called the Scribe-R. It's two piece and fits in the end of an X-Acto handle, and is simply incredible. They are here if anyone is interested.

http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=329

I also suggest getting the Scribe-R File. It's great for scribing around curves.

Now the question. I have Hasagawa riveters, and the .40 makes rivets exactly like the ones on the kit parts. My question is how to make the rivet more pronounced. I twist and push at the same time, but can't seem to get them as pronounced as I would like. Is there some trick I am missing?

Stephen

Edited by stephencraig
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Chuck,

I don't even know if they have them for the P-51, but the G-Factor landing gear are simply awesome. I just got some for the 109 I'm working on, and I already had several other white metal ones from other companies, and they don't come close to comparing to the G-Factor ones. They are made of brass alloy (white) and are super crisp. By far the best I have ever seen from anyone.

Also, another share and a question. I have about every scriber known to man. I see a new one and I buy it, because obvisously I have never found "the one". Well now I have. Radu (the guy that does some really nice-and really complicated PE sets), has one of his own design, and I don't think I will be ever buying another. It's called the Scribe-R. It's two piece and fits in the end of an X-Acto handle, and is simply incredible. They are here if anyone is interested.

http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77_110&products_id=329

I also suggest getting the Scribe-R File. It's great for scribing around curves.

Now the question. I have Hasagawa riveters, and the .40 makes rivets exactly like the ones on the kit parts. My question is how to make the rivet more pronounced. I twist and push at the same time, but can't seem to get them as pronounced as I would like. Is there some trick I am missing?

Stephen

Thanks Stephen for the tip. Like you, I buy every tool I can find and I have about 4-5 scribers. My favorite is the simple Trumpeter one, which works better for me than the Hasegawa ones. I recently bought the UMM one which has been highly praised, but it doesn't work for me and I hate having a sharp blade in my hands while I try to scribe something. I just ordered a Scribe-R a minute a go!

I like the G-Factor brass landing gear as well and I used them on my CF-18B build. This.....

Gear16.jpg

Turned into this, complete with flipped shocks that are used on Canadian F-18's. Not bad...

Gear50.jpg

Having said all that guys, trust me, the kit landing gear is going to look really good (and strong) and I don't need any brass alternatives.

For all my riveting jobs, I use a plain sewing needle in a pin vice. To find where the rivets go, I sometimes use a riveting wheel, but only very, very lightly, just to reveal where the rivet marks should go. I then use the needle to push an impression into the plastic. You need a variety of needles for size and taper of point to get the rivets the right size and depth- and LOTS and lots of practice. Some plastic is nice and soft, while other plastic is hard and easily cracks, so you need to adjust how deep you push the needle into the plastic accordingly.

Here's the nose of my F-4E that was done entirely free-hand with a needle for most of the rivets, which are lacking on the kit parts. That vertical join line just beneath the windscreen has been filled with clear CA glue.

Glareshield5.jpg

It takes a long time, but the final results can be very rewarding....

Cockpit5.jpg

Edited by chuck540z3
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Wow! The landing gear on the CF-18B is awesome!

I've also heard you can use syringe needles for rivets. I might give them a try. Didn't you heat the tool earlier in this P-51 build?

Stephen

Don't bother with syringes when you can buy this set. Having given a negative review of one UMM tool, this riveting set is a MUST! It's even on sale for $20 and it has every rivet size you'll ever need. Just buy it!

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/popup_image.php?pID=1322

I heated the tip of one of these to help make an impression without pushing into the plastic too hard on a fragile part. Normally you can just push the tip into the plastic, giving a rotational spin to make sure you get the entire circumference of the rivet mark on the larger "rivets" like Dzus fasteners.

Edited by chuck540z3
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Don't bother with syringes when you can buy this set. Having given a negative review of one UMM tool, this riveting set is a MUST! It's even on sale for $20 and it has every rivet size you'll ever need. Just buy it!

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/popup_image.php?pID=1322

I heated the tip of one of these to help make an impression without pushing into the plastic too hard on a fragile part. Normally you can just push the tip into the plastic, giving a rotational spin to make sure you get the entire circumference of the rivet mark on the larger "rivets" like Dzus fasteners.

Ordered!

Stephen

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