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P-51D Cockpit Color


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I know this is a tired old topic, and if I had all the Mr. Color paints I have on order, I wouldn’t be asking, but what would be a good mix of Tamiya paint colors for a P-51D cockpit?  I read somewhere that a mix of 2 parts XF-3 (flat yellow) and 1 part XF-5 (flat green) is close, and  I tried that color yesterday and it looked okay to me. But...does anyone have any other thoughts?  I’m starting one of my two new Eduard P-51D airplanes now, hence my need.  Thanks.

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1 hour ago, Whiskey said:

Check out Steve's build. If you can get that color close to it I'd say you're good.

 

Thanks for that idea.  I’ll take a look at the color I mixed up compared to what is on the screen (and of course accounting for the issue of screen color accuracy), but just from what I recall, I’m thinking I can make a mix to match Steve’s  cockpit color.

 

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Guys, thanks for the replies on the green cockpit color.  

 

I have one more color question. On the battery compartment, there is a framework, for want of a better way to describe it, that sits under the 2 batteries behind the pilot seat.  Steve painted that framework in the green color of the rest of the cockpit, but the Eduard instructions say it should be tan.  I haven’t found any color pictures of the real thing, so does anyone know for sure what color that frame should be?  Thanks. 

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Can’t imagine it would be tan.  Tamiya’s instructions for the 32nd kit has this IG.  I’d go with IG or black.  

 

Just a bit of minutiae - depending on the version, one or both of those objects back there would be radios, not batteries. 

Edited by 11bee
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7 hours ago, Curt B said:

Guys, thanks for the replies on the green cockpit color.  

 

I have one more color question. On the battery compartment, there is a framework, for want of a better way to describe it, that sits under the 2 batteries behind the pilot seat.  Steve painted that framework in the green color of the rest of the cockpit, but the Eduard instructions say it should be tan.  I haven’t found any color pictures of the real thing, so does anyone know for sure what color that frame should be?  Thanks. 

Curt,

 

  The instructions for that part clearly and correctly show interior green.  

 

egZxET1.jpg

 

There is a part that is tan back there and that is the cable that ties into the radio.  

 

 

AijIJG2.jpg

 

I hope this clears things up.   

 

Cheers, 

 

Steve

Edited by Falconxlvi
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Guys, and Steve in particular,

Thank you!  I have no idea where I go the idea that the frame below the RADIOS 😊 was called out as tan.  Must be getting old.  Thanks again, guys, for pointing out the obvious!

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10 hours ago, Curt B said:

Guys, and Steve in particular,

Thank you!  I have no idea where I go the idea that the frame below the RADIOS 😊 was called out as tan.  Must be getting old.  Thanks again, guys, for pointing out the obvious!

No worries Curt - enjoy the build, it’s a great kit!

 

Steve

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Hold one.... On P-51D production:  The framing  (part H40) for the radio and  battery (prior to it being relocated to the firewall area) was painted flat black.  Everything above a certain waterline (I've forgotten what that waterline is), was painted flat black.  That's why that portion of the armor plating behind the seat is painted black while the remainder is interior green.

 

The floor that the auxiliary fuel tank sits on is a resin board with balsa wood supports on the sides between the fuselage formers and the tank.  Whether that resin board was painted or not is unknown so if you decide to paint it interior green, not many are going to know any different.

The Detrola (Part H60) would have been removed on ETO Mustangs but may have been used in Mediterranean Mustangs and Pacific Mustangs.  Detrola was really only good in the USA at that time.

 

The shaded part of H34 underneath the seat should be an olive color as it's a fabric cover.  Also that part that goes on the rear of the armor plate seat I believe is part of the IFF.  If you're modeling an early P-51D, your aircraft probably will not have that installed.

 

REFERENCES:  O'Leary, Michael.(2010). Building the P-51 Mustang, The Story of Manufacturing North American's Legendary World War II Fighter in Oringal Photos. Specialty Press. MN

                               P-51 SIG

                              Air Corps Library - P-51D drawing files

                              P-51D/K IPC  AN-0160JE-4

 

 

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2 hours ago, timc said:

Hold one.... On P-51D production:  The framing  (part H40) for the radio and  battery (prior to it being relocated to the firewall area) was painted flat black.  Everything above a certain waterline (I've forgotten what that waterline is), was painted flat black.  That's why that portion of the armor plating behind the seat is painted black while the remainder is interior green.

 

The floor that the auxiliary fuel tank sits on is a resin board with balsa wood supports on the sides between the fuselage formers and the tank.  Whether that resin board was painted or not is unknown so if you decide to paint it interior green, not many are going to know any different.

The Detrola (Part H60) would have been removed on ETO Mustangs but may have been used in Mediterranean Mustangs and Pacific Mustangs.  Detrola was really only good in the USA at that time.

 

The shaded part of H34 underneath the seat should be an olive color as it's a fabric cover.  Also that part that goes on the rear of the armor plate seat I believe is part of the IFF.  If you're modeling an early P-51D, your aircraft probably will not have that installed.

 

REFERENCES:  O'Leary, Michael.(2010). Building the P-51 Mustang, The Story of Manufacturing North American's Legendary World War II Fighter in Oringal Photos. Specialty Press. MN

                               P-51 SIG

                              Air Corps Library - P-51D drawing files

                              P-51D/K IPC  AN-0160JE-4

 

 

 

WOW, talk about detail!  Now, I'm conflicted.  I had no idea what part H60 was , but have now learned that a Detrola was a low frequency radio receiver, which seems to have been limited to use in the USA, and may not have had any value at all in Europe.  So...maybe I should leave H60 out of my cockpit?!?    I'm going to ponder this 😊

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1 hour ago, Curt B said:

 

WOW, talk about detail!  Now, I'm conflicted.  I had no idea what part H60 was , but have now learned that a Detrola was a low frequency radio receiver, which seems to have been limited to use in the USA, and may not have had any value at all in Europe.  So...maybe I should leave H60 out of my cockpit?!?    I'm going to ponder this 😊

Curt,

 

  Correct, leave it out for the kit marking options- it shouldn’t be there.  I did as well on my build.   

 

Steve

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Great...thanks gents...as I’m just beginning my P-51D build, I've hardly put anything together yet, so I'll leave out that part!

Edited by Curt B
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  • 2 months later...
On 10/3/2019 at 2:29 PM, Curt B said:

I have one more color question. On the battery compartment, there is a framework, for want of a better way to describe it, that sits under the 2 batteries behind the pilot seat.  Steve painted that framework in the green color of the rest of the cockpit, but the Eduard instructions say it should be tan.  I haven’t found any color pictures of the real thing, so does anyone know for sure what color that frame should be?  Thanks

hope it is not too late,  the radio rack was black and not IG as instructions kits call for, their call is based wrongly on a modern restored warbird Mustang, here some NAA footage and some unrestored  examples

Screenshot-575.png

DSCN0097.jpg

65242216-179080939759825-134248155266311

IMG-1189.jpg

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Thanks, Antonio.  Actually, it IS to late for the P-51D build I have going at the moment, though the cockpit interior has not yet been glued inside the fuselage.  I suppose i could brush paint the frame to be black...  But the question to me, despite the accuracy that a black frame would bring, the lack of contrast between components (the gas tank, the radios, and now, the rack ALL being black, won't provide much of an interesting 'behind the pilot' cockpit area.  Oh well..they didn't build these planes so modelers could make pretty replicas of them... 

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