Mormon Mustang

philp · February 21, 2015, 12:14:03 AM

UAMF has a What if GB going this month and I finally got some time at the bench to see if I can put one together.

Have the Academy kit of the P-51D in 72nd scale. This was based on a story originally published here where the Louisiana Purchase didn't happen leaving North America divided into several nations. One of the nations is Utah, settled my the followers of Joseph Smith. In my version they supported the Allied cause during WWII and received support from the United States (which occupy the north eastern part of what they currently have) including P-51 Mustangs.

I found the original thread and here are a couple of the map versions.

As you can see the original thread called it Deseret and it doesn't extend all the way down to St. George but in my version the country is pretty much the size it is today. The name has really been something I have gone back and forth over. Would they have named the country, Utah, Deseret or Zion? Would it be the UAF, DAF, ZAF or even the LDSAF? But easier to take a USAF decal and just get rid of the S for the UAF so that is what I am going to try.

My Mustang is currently based in the St. George area to help protect the southern borders.

Thanks again to Jorel for supplying the image forever ago.

Finally back home after spending a week with my daughter in St. George (where she and the ex live) and did get just over an hour at the bench tonight.

The initial shot.

Couple interior shots.

And got the fuselage closed up and the wing put together.

Tomorrow I can see if I need any putty work and should be able to get the wings and stabilizers added.

Dizzyfugu · February 21, 2015, 01:44:02 AM

The "Beehive Bomber"?

philp · February 21, 2015, 10:01:54 AM

The Beehive is the State emblem and the Honeybee the State insect.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Utah/Utah-state-symbols.html

Utah is the Beehive State and the symbol is used by the Utah Highway patrol so think it was a good choice.

And I am thinking of sticking a couple bombs under the wings in case any of those banditos try and cross the border.

Captain Canada · February 21, 2015, 04:27:08 PM

The camo and markings look awesome Phil ! I love that Academy kit as well. And it comes with a wee jeep to boot

philp · February 21, 2015, 10:51:53 PM

So this morning I put just a touch of Tamiya putty on some seams but did put Mr Surfacer over most of the fuselage seams. The wing seam needed regluing at the roots but that went well.

This evening I sanded down the seams and it doesn't look too bad, at least for me. So attached the wings and stabilizers. Wing fit was pretty good except at the front of the port wing which had a decent gap. There was just a minor gap on the starboard wing so a little more putty and will see if I can make that look ok tomorrow.

Plus another shot of the interior.

One thing I am worried about is the front end piece (which you can just see to the left of the fuselage in the first pic). For my paint scheme the spinner will be yellow (or possibly red) but the front needs to be in the camo. I can glue it on with the spinner separate but then the prop will be loose or I will have to glue it (which in my experience is never a good plan, someone always wants to spin it).

Any ideas?

zenrat · February 21, 2015, 11:35:49 PM

I always leave the props loose. That way I can remove them for transport.

This thread has got me thinking (never a good thing). Amish air force anyone?

philp · February 22, 2015, 04:03:22 PM

I am thinking of two different options for the nose. First would be to temporarily attach the nose with white glue or something. Then I can paint the camo, take it off, attach the prop and glue it back on. Fit is pretty good so just might work.

Other option is to paint the spinner then attach just the backplate to the nose piece and glue the nose on. Then I just have to mask the back plate while spraying the camo. An idea from the UAMF site was to put a piece of paper in between the spinner and front. This would be pretty helpful here to help mask the piece.

I will be spraying with rattle cans as my airbrush is still not set up yet. Got to clear a bit more stuff out of the room and make a spray booth.

I did sand the wing roots but see a few more issue areas that will need a bit of touching up before I can start the camo so painted the landing gear and put some putty on a couple injection marks on the tires. I also found some bombs that should work. So, just small progress until I am ready to paint.

philp · February 23, 2015, 11:43:37 PM

Ok, small update today. I glued the spinner together with white glue and used the same for the nose piece.

Then, sprayed white on the spinner and tail followed by Tamiya yellow for the squadron markings.

Do you like my masking job?

Not too bad.

So tomorrow will try and spray the light blue undersides and if that dries in time, maybe put the tan top coat on. I have several colors to check for the upper camo so will be doing some test sprays to see which two I like better.

philp · February 23, 2015, 11:51:57 PM

On a side note. When I named this thread I thought I was being cute. Little did I realize there really was a Mormon Mustang, three of them in fact.

Roland R. Wright flew 3 P-51Ds during WWII, all of them named Mormon Mustang. Some info here and here. He had 3 kills, the first was a Me-262.

There is a preserved example flying in his markings at the Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg, ID.

I have a feeling I will have to take a little road trip.

philp · February 24, 2015, 04:59:25 PM

Sprayed the lower surfaces Tamiya AS-5 (Luftwaffe light blue).

Think I have found my upper camo colors as well so tomorrow will mask off the lower sides and spray the tan.

philp · February 25, 2015, 08:43:10 PM

Well, I really can say my least favorite part of building is painting. I tried masking the camo off with silly putty as I have seen numerous others do. Stuff didn't want to stick to the model and then trying to add some tape in between just would have made a humorous video let me tell you.

Anyway, got the camo on and definitely going to need some touch up (understatement of the year). Not sure how I will handle doing that but will wait until tomorrow to tackle that.

Here are the results from today. Camo colors are from Model Masters. 1963 Desert Sand FS33722 and 1954 Light Earth FS30140.

McColm · February 25, 2015, 11:31:03 PM

Wow that does look good.

NARSES2 · February 26, 2015, 06:31:57 AM

Quote from: McColm on February 25, 2015, 11:31:03 PM
Wow that does look good.

Echo those thoughts

philp · February 28, 2015, 12:14:06 AM

Ok, touch up paint is done, for now.

Tomorrow will add the gloss coat, decals and matt coat.

Then still need to finish the wheel wells, landing gear, aerial, rear view mirror and pitot tube. The insides of the gear doors have a couple of injection marks. Might just leave them as is.

Real fun will be when I finally take off the canopy masks and see what clean up will be needed there.

Not sure if this will make it by tomorrow night (which is 7 hours later than you chaps in England) but we shall see.

philp · March 03, 2015, 12:37:50 AM

Ok, still not sure if I will finish on time but got the decals on. I guess.

Stole the serials off an old Hasagawa P-47D kit and the codes are old Railroad dry transfers.

Still, looks pretty neat in these markings if I say so myself.

Still to do:
Spray dullcote and take off masking
Clean up overspray and add rearview mirror
Cut apart landing gear doors
Add landing gear
Add antenna
Paint and add bombs (may not get done)
Paint and add exhausts
Weather (yeah, who am I kidding. If it gets a little exhaust spray and some dirt on the wheels will be lucky)