Monday 19 January 2015

1st Completed Model in 30 Years

I was going to title this "P51 Mustang III" but the main news is really that I've completed my first "proper" model kit for nearly 30 years (when I was a young teenager in case you were wondering.



I posted about this kit when I first started it, stating it to be a practice in Nostalgia. Like most trips down memory lane more up to date projects soon kicked back in, leaving the part finished kit sitting around the shelves for a while. At the Christmas break I had a look back on this blog only to see that is was Two and a half years ago! So set back to work.

All finished (although I've just now noticed the missing clear
light part on the wing - bugger!) 
There were a few hurdles to overcome on the way. I didn't have the paint correct colours so had to guess and match from my collection, so the 'plane has had more than one coat of paint as all "Dark Green"s are not as dark as each other it would seem.

Also I seem to remember the main part of the process being the build with the paint and decals quickly going on. Maybe I'm now a bit more fussy about my painting than when I was 13 and the I it took me two evenings to get all the decals on, but we got there in the end.

Installed in it's proper nostalgic place - strung from the ceiling
with highly visible thread.
And the overall verdict? Well, I'm quite happy with it. It's not perfect, but I'm aware that I'm missing more than a few techniques and bits of kit. A good starting point, and once it's on the roof it brings back those happy child-hood feelings.

What next? Well a local budget store had a few Airfix starter kits in stock for £5 (and later for a clearance £2.50), so I've 4 or 5 boxes waiting to be looked at. They have paints with them as well, so happy days.

About the model itself. It is a Mustang III from No. 316 (Polish) Squadron, Royal Air Force from when they were based at Friston (Jul - Aug 1944). During this time the Squadron were on escort duties for daylight bomber command raids.







6 comments:

  1. Well done Sam! I seen some kits in our local ALDI of all places hurricane and spitfire and was very tempted but gave it a miss as if hardly got time to paint my naps.

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    1. Well it was my local Aldi as well. I bought a couple of choice ones at a fiver then 2 days later picked up a couple more at half price. Couldn't resist. So have Spitfire, Hurricane, Tomahawk & Mustang IV. No rush to make them, as ever...

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  2. Now this takes back. Ahh, nostalgia. Love the visible string, the only proper way to display them.

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    1. All I need now to complete the nostalgia trip, Bob, is a recording of my mother complaining about trying to dust it :)

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  3. Excellent - there is hope for me yet in tackling the plastic kit hill (I think I have a couple of Airfix Mustangs somewhere, the Series 2 kit).

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    1. Well you know what they say, Sun, where there's kits, there's hope :) And we all need hope.

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