Tamiya 1/32 P-51 Mustang Introduction

For the past few years, I have continually challenged myself to something better with each model I built. I have wanted to add something to it, some detail or feature that would push my skills to the limit and beyond so that I can gain some sort of knowledge from it. My last project was a heavily-modified 1/350 USS Missouri with hundreds of photo-etched parts, added details, and modifications that ultimately led to my first "Best in Show" trophy at a local model building contest. Not much, but hey, a win is a win. This time around I wanted to return to my airplane roots and try something I have never done before. And something I had never seen before in any model of this scale. This project would stretch my model building and engineering skills to their max, but if I could pull it off, it would be something that would turn heads and drop jaws for years to come. Ok, so maybe I'm being a little grandiose, but it will certainly be impressive.

The model I chose for this endeavor is the new Tamiya P-51D Mustang that came out last year. Now before you click the back button because everybody and their brother has built a P-51 model, let me encourage you to keep reading. I chose this kit because it was set up beautifully for what I want to do with it. A full list of goals for this model will be listed below. I'm not going to post a review of this kit because there are already a dozen posted online. I'm also not going to do a standard build walk through because those are also online. Basically this kit is going to be used to show you how to make extremely fine details and how to modify existing kit parts to improve them. This build will also contain several features that you probably have not seen before in a plastic model, especially one in 1/32 scale. Perhaps you have seen things like this on Radio Control models or models built by professional companies who have access to CAD programs, computer controlled machining, or fancy molding techniques. Well I'm just a ordinary guy with ordinary things. So since I don't have access to fancy, schmancy tooling, and I'm sure most people don't either, I'll show you how to do detailing with regular off the shelf products and tools you can find at any hobby store or hardware store. All it will take is a lot of time and a lot of patience and a lot of ingenuity. And I'd rather spend that than a lot of money.

 

The biggest modification to this kit will be the conversion of the D-model Mustang to an earlier B/C variant, specifically the P-51C flown by Tuskegee Airman Captain Charles Bailey. That alone should be a project in itself, but I like taking things well beyond the realm of comprehension. Here are a few other details and features this model will contain:

Detailed engine and accessory area

Detailed Landing Gear well with hydraulic lines
Detailed gun bays, machine guns, and ammo belts
Redo gun bay doors to open on piano hinges
Detailed cockpit redone in C-model configuration
Detailed tail wheel well
Detailed landing gear struts and torque links
All landing gear will have suspension and will be retractable
All gear doors will function properly
All control surfaces will operate with movement of stick or pedals
Flaps will be linked and make moveable
Rudder and elevators will be redone and covered with simulated fabric
Canopy pieces will be hinged

This is just a small amount of what will actually be done to this model and the list above doesn't detail out exactly how much work will go into them. That is what the walk through will be for.  I will cover all the methods and show pictures of as many steps as possible. I will also try to show as many attempted steps as possible, meaning you will see all the projects that didn't quite work the first time and how I changed them so they will work. You might as well learn from my mistake too.

 
I hope this project gives you some ideas to detail your own models and will teach you techniques that will make modeling a satisfying and fun hobby. Enjoy!!