BiCh-51D Cheranovky Moostang

[Tophe]

With the BiCh-3 model (Unicraft 1/72, http://www.geocities.com/unicraftmodels/on/bich3/bich3.htm ) and a P-51D kit (Airfix 1/72), I plan to make a delta winged Mustang.
In French, BiCh-51 sounds tender (pronounced bish-51 meaning doe-51) but I fear in English that sounds as bitch-51.

PS. The BiCh-3 model is a friendly gift of Hesham, of Secret Projects fame, to whom I gave and sent my Trait d'Union magazines collection about French aircraft projects 1919-1945.

[PR19_Kit]

'Bitch 51' sounds about right to me Tophe, specially as you're using a Unicraft kit in the mix!

This I just HAVE to see, sounds like it could be a blast! 

[Captain Canada]

Neat idea Tophe....should be interesting !

And call it what you want, we wont Bich....

[Tophe]

Thanks!
And here the project principle: from a pure delta idea, the scale of the small BiCh-3 turned it different:

[ericr]

beautiful!
(mmmh ... a bit symmetric, maybe?  )

[deathjester]

Oh yes!  That T-tail version looks very nice - but perhaps offset the fuselage a little...? 

[PR19_Kit]

A little? Tophe doesn't do 'little'.......... 

[Captain Canada]

Hold off until you can get a 144th scale Mustang 

But the T-tail looks pretty nice too, so either way !

[ericr]

indeed a 1/144 Mustang might be a better fit for the p-51Ch; or maybe it exists in 1/100?

I sometimes do match parts of aircrafts of different scales, if it fits my whiff wits

[Tophe]

The fuselage parts do not fit well with the wing...

I consider 2 possible ways, either:

#1 : CUTTING THE WING (that was my project buying the Unicraft kit) but this wing is so thick and the resin is fragile, I am afraid to break it unpleasantly.

#2 : CUTTING THE FUSELAGE (to fit the wing) but is a Mustang without belly scoop still a Mustang? Yes, what-if...

[Captain Canada]

Cut the fuselage straight back from under the spinner, past the wing root and then down below the wing join and back towards the front, saving the radiator scoop. Now you can slide the one piece wing in, and then cut the pieces mentioned above to fit the wing. I might need to draw a picture to help with what I was saying

[Tophe]

This seems to be hard scratch-work, far above my skills, Captain... I am not as good a modeller as you. I will try way #2, somehow.

[gofy]

If all else fails, trace the wing onto some styrene and make extras...

[Father Ennis]

We all learn by doing,my friend. Try this :

1) lay a line of masking tape to guide your saw cut.
2) using a fine toothed saw following the tape make your cut.
3) don't rush work slow and carefully and cut completely thru to make two wings.
4) don't forget : RESIN DUST IS TOXIC. so wear a mask while doing this and don't have food or drink anywhere near.

If your worry is a crooked cut, mark several points to make your staright line first. Then lay your tape line.

I hope you find this helpful and if you have any questions before doing it send me a pm and I'll be happy to do what I can to answer your questions.  Using the tape will give you good clean straight cuts on plastic as well as resin.  If you need to make a cut on the body halves to put the scoop under the wing, this is the way to go.

[martinbayer]

How about going a different route and making it a canopy wing on struts above the cockpit?

Martin