by Jeff Sissons
Model photographs by the author
Continuing the construction of Maly's P-51B from where we left off last month, we work on the propeller next. The spinner cone is made up of a series of petals, which I tackle two at a time, curving them around a pencil or some other round object, as well as curving them toward the tip of the cone to make them ready for joining. Then, cutting small strips of paper, I join each pair of adjacent petals to one another until they all come together as a cone. A spot of PVA glue applied inside at the point of the cone and the petals at the point are held together until the glue sets and finishes the job.
The noses of the two bombs are handled in the same manner as the propellers. Again, each bomb has a set of petals to form the curved front end. Only one former is provided for the body of each bomb. I felt two were needed for extra strength, so I cut an extra pair and this made the whole structure more stable and easier to handle.
The finished items look mean enough to be the real thing!
The under wing racks present no particular difficulty in construction and make up well. They are attached to the underside of the wings at the places marked for them.
The parts of the undercarriage legs go together like a dream. The usual method of rolling the main legs is employed, and I added a small strip of aluminium cooking foil to the lower end to represent the polished area of the piston. This little trick adds a lot to the finish of the legs.
When complete, the legs are attached to the wheel wells, and the doors are added.
I covered fitting of the exhaust stubs in Part 1, but I thought I might pass along a small tip for securing the stubs at the correct angle while at the same time adding strength to the entire assembly. When the plate that holds the exhaust stubs is made, I push six pins through the placement points at the correct angle, using super-glue to hold each pin in place.
Once set, the pins are cut to length and the exhaust stubs slid over the pins and secured in the normal way. I did use plastic tube for the exhaust stubs and, as previously mentioned in Part 1, painted them with Tamiya acrylic paint number XF-28.
This review has now grown into a three part series. I apologise for the delay, but the quality of the model demands that care be taken at each stage. It is not a model to be rushed.
Next month in Part 3 I will cover the cockpit glazing, the wheels and completion of the model. Until then, may I wish you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.
