Plastic Modeling

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Same kit. The cockpit is still packed for painting.
The period he is painting it for the plane was only about 3 weeks old so would be much cleaner than when it was crashed at a whopping 7 weeks old!
We even used the same paints so the base colours are identical and the difference is all in the degree of weathering. He also used the earlier version of the kill mark banner with fewer kills than my version. The kit had both thank goodness.

Ah, aren't those mission markings?
It's my understanding that Dominic 'Don' Gentile was only credited with 7 1/2 of his 21 kills in this aircraft.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

LH side done (not glued in yet). Much better than just the blank from factory on the RH side. Drilled holes in prep for lights.

[JD001]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

^^100% this^^^


Had to stop and show Mrs. Ultra all the pics. @Tcoat, you are an artist.

I've been doing the same.. my wife loves the commitment to detail.. down to bits that are never seen..

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

OK aircraft is 99.9% done. It will still get some mud and grass stuck to it once I do the base up. Waiting on a nice shiny new static grass applicator to show up so I can do the base up properly. Will build the scrap pile (crushed scoop, bottom panels, etc.) and get into the diorama once ready to get at it again.

For reference:

Jesus this just boggles my mind at how you can get this so detailed!

[Dadhawk]

And now back to the "plastic modelling for us mere mortals" segment....

Finally got the missing piece from the Halo Energy Sword (mentioned in this post) in the mail, only took three weeks to get the part, and 45 minutes to finish the sword (below). It is right at 24" long.

Originally Posted by Spuds

Can you swing it around?

Actually, you can hold it by the handle and move it around non-aggressively, but I suspect if you bump something it will fall apart. The only portion that isn't relatively solid are the top supports on the stand. They pretty much come apart if you move it at all once in the stand, including taking it off.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Ah, aren't those mission markings?
It's my understanding that Dominic 'Don' Gentile was only credited with 7 1/2 of his 21 kills in this aircraft.

No they are kills. He marked 6 ground kills as well as the aerial ones. It caused quite the controversy at the time. He only few 11 missions in the P-51.

"On April 5, 1944, Gentile claimed his 27th enemy planes destroyed, thus breaking Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record of 26. (At the time the Eighth Air Force recognized ground kills as part of a pilots score, in part because strafing missions were felt to be least as dangerous, if not more so, than aerial combat. Seven of Gentile's destroyed aircraft were on ground kills.) Three days later, on April 8, Gentile downed three more planes, raising his total to 30. Gentile was credited with 21+ air victories. He scored two kills with the RAF in the Spitfire, 4.33 kills in the P-47 Thunderbolt, and 15.5 kills in the P-51B Mustang. He made half of his claims in March 1944, flying over the skies of Germany."

http://acepilots.com/usaaf_gentile.html

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by JD001

I've been doing the same.. my wife loves the commitment to detail.. down to bits that are never seen..

Well if you are ever near Old Buckenham you could go see it in person.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

No they are kills. He marked 6 ground kills as well as the aerial ones. It caused quite the controversy at the time. He only few 11 missions in the P-51.

"On April 5, 1944, Gentile claimed his 27th enemy planes destroyed, thus breaking Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record of 26. (At the time the Eighth Air Force recognized ground kills as part of a pilots score, in part because strafing missions were felt to be least as dangerous, if not more so, than aerial combat. Seven of Gentile's destroyed aircraft were on ground kills.) Three days later, on April 8, Gentile downed three more planes, raising his total to 30. Gentile was credited with 21+ air victories. He scored two kills with the RAF in the Spitfire, 4.33 kills in the P-47 Thunderbolt, and 15.5 kills in the P-51B Mustang. He made half of his claims in March 1944, flying over the skies of Germany."

http://acepilots.com/usaaf_gentile.html

My bad. Serves me right for believing the internet.
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/18316


... Olive Drab with Natural Grey undersurfaces, white quick identification marking (QIM) tail and wing bands. Red nose with white spinner (the spinner was later also painted red) and red and white chequerboard along the length of the exhausts. 'Shangri-La' written in white beneath the 'Boxing Cock' Eagle insignia of the 4th Fighter Group on yellow background and mission markings drawn on a white scroll on the front edge of cockpit on the port side. Coded (VF-T).


Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Dominic 'Don' Gentile. He claimed 7.5 of his 21 victories in this aircraft. Don Gentile crashed this A/C whilst displaying to reporters after his final mission at his home base Debden on 13-Apr-44.

[NoHaveMSG]

That is some unreal work @Tcoat

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

My bad. Serves me right for believing the internet.
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/18316


... Olive Drab with Natural Grey undersurfaces, white quick identification marking (QIM) tail and wing bands. Red nose with white spinner (the spinner was later also painted red) and red and white chequerboard along the length of the exhausts. 'Shangri-La' written in white beneath the 'Boxing Cock' Eagle insignia of the 4th Fighter Group on yellow background and mission markings drawn on a white scroll on the front edge of cockpit on the port side. Coded (VF-T).


Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Dominic 'Don' Gentile. He claimed 7.5 of his 21 victories in this aircraft. Don Gentile crashed this A/C whilst displaying to reporters after his final mission at his home base Debden on 13-Apr-44.

Whoever wrote that really didn't do their homework. Bomber crews counted missions since they always dropped bombs (if they made it) but fighter pilots only kept track of kills since most missions ended with no action for them. The later P-51Bs also didn't have the tail QIM bands they only had them on the wings.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Jaw drops with every progress update!

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

^^100% this^^^


Had to stop and show Mrs. Ultra all the pics. @Tcoat, you are an artist.

Originally Posted by JD001

I've been doing the same.. my wife loves the commitment to detail.. down to bits that are never seen..

Originally Posted by weederr33

Jesus this just boggles my mind at how you can get this so detailed!

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

That is some unreal work @Tcoat

Thanks guys!
It is funny that the thing I like the very most of the whole project is the tarp that the salvaged parts are sitting on.
I can almost smell the canvas, fuel and oil every time I look at it!



It actually smells like Froot Loops!

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Thanks guys!
It is funny that the thing I like the very most of the whole project is the tarp that the salvaged parts are sitting on.
I can almost smell the canvas, fuel and oil every time I look at it!

I have to say, that is my favorite part of what you've shown as well. You got that spot on.

[JD001]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Well if you are ever near Old Buckenham you could go see it in person.

When does it make an appearance?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by JD001

When does it make an appearance?

Not for a while. I have to wait for the supplies to do the base to show up from China.