P-51Y Yustang

[Tophe]

A few month sago I built a twin-boom Mustang (see http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,44687.0.html), but seeing the Heller P-51D kit in the toy shop I was unable to resist... I started this kit in the 1990s but never finished it, and it was lost in 1999 when I changed home alas. Si I bought it again, yes.
Now the new project of mine is a Mustang with a Y-tail !
And as I had the good surprise to find 2 canopies in the box (I did not remember that), this will be a 2-seater with 2 cockpits!

[PR19_Kit]

IIRC the two canopies in the Heller kit are slightly different, one is the 'normal' P-51D canopy and the other is the one with the deeper rear end used on aircraft built in a different factory.

[Tophe]

Yes, Kit, you are right. This is Heller's logic for realists: "use either one or else the other, depending on what version you prefer". But I will use them both for a superior reason: fun!

[TheChronicOne]

Mustang with a Y-tail?!   YESSUH.  Bring it on. "Fork-tailed Doctor something something."


Two canopies....  that's a carry-over from older boxings. The Mustang I built recently was a Heller, too, but a really old boxing..... but it came with two canopies as well. Only difference between them was a teeny tiny little "nub" type deal on the top of one that was for an antenna or something.

[Tophe]

Thanks!
I must explain: the first project in my mind (before the 2 canopies affair) was a normal fuselage with Y-shaped fin&tailplanes (P-51Y), not here a twin-tail-boom of Y-shape (Y-51P):

[zenrat]

OK Tophe, the top one of those two.  The one with the inverted tail.
How about if the vertical fin formed one of the supports for a single central float? The other support being under the radiator scoop.

[NARSES2]

IIRC the two canopies in the Heller kit are slightly different, one is the 'normal' P-51D canopy and the other is the one with the deeper rear end used on aircraft built in a different factory.

Yup, the Dallas site I seem to remember

[PR19_Kit]

IIRC the two canopies in the Heller kit are slightly different, one is the 'normal' P-51D canopy and the other is the one with the deeper rear end used on aircraft built in a different factory.

Yup, the Dallas site I seem to remember

Ah yes, I couldn't remember. 

I always wondered why they did that, the drawings must have been available for the 'standard' version.

[Tophe]

Building the model started in the normal way, with my 8 year old son.

The wings, tailplanes and propeller are not glued to the fuselage yet, just put in place to see.

[b29r]

Famous quote in part: "But I will use them both for a superior reason: fun!"   

I think you and Kit are trumping everyone in the What If Mustang world, this will be marvelous!  I hope that you can find another boxing and do both versions 

Will be watching with much interest,
Kem

PS  May have to also shamelessly copycat you 

[Tophe]

Thanks!
"Copies" are welcome! The principle here is to share not to keep for oneself

[Tophe]

PS. I am not the inventor of the Y-tail: it was featured on the Bugatti 100 racer:
https://www.rcpowers.com/community/threads/bugatti-100p-1930-racer.17208/

[Tophe]

I like the Bugatti 100 canopy in the nose, and my new project is thus a 3-seater:

[Tophe]

Taking shape in plastic also:

[PR19_Kit]

I like the Bugatti 100 canopy in the nose, and my new project is thus a 3-seater:

But where's the engine?