1/48 P-51D Mustang

 by Ermanno Bonafin

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The markings on my Mustang are for Lt. John C. Meyer, 352nd Fighter Group, the famous Blue-Nosed Bastard of Bodney.  The model is painted with various shades of Alclad II over Alclad gray primer and the nose in Gunze H15 directly over the aluminum without any problem. The interior was painted with Model Master Acryl #4736.
Wings should be painted in gloss silver, like was done on the assembly line, but I felt that would add too much contrast between the fuselage in Alclad and a solid color of the wings, so I choose to paint the wings in ALC106 with a little polish.

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The decal adhesion was very good, but to avoid any silvering, the letters and numbers were cut out and the small stencils glued with clear varnish.  I add the Eduard interior set #FE216 and some improvement on the landing gear such as the attachment points for tow bars and brake line.  The drop tanks received the fuel and air pipe connection, and the sway braces under the pylons were detailed with adjustment bolts.  The six muzzles of the .50 caliber machine guns were made with Minimeca tube diameter 1,1 and 0,8.  The interior was detailed with small painted cooper wire, and the canopy reinforcement bar was drilled as the real plane.  Each twelve exhausts pipes was hollowed and painted in Alclad ALC113 and rusted with Tamiya weathering set.

My best regards.

Ermanno

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Photos and text © by Ermanno Bonafin