My first Airfix model airplane

[jusdrewit]

Well, another one down! My take on Airfix's 1:48 scale P-51, the "The Little Indian" from the Pacific theater in WWII. Yes, I got lazy and didn't include any drop tanks or landing gear or other accessories lol but I did want to display it flying, and this choice prolly saved me several hours.

The good: The Airfix molds were very good - not Bandai good - but very nice with well fitting pieces. Everything fit together tightly and I hardly needed to fix any seams.

The bad: I couldn't stand the instructions. Maybe I'm just used to Bandai's instruction method, but Airfix's was driving me crazy. On top of that, they included lots of decals that had no diagram or chart of where they went. They included a nice diagram where the main decals went, but all the little marking decals on the P-51 I seriously had to look up reference photos online spending a ridiculous amount of time researching the markings all because Airfix didn't include this, and I'm talking basic markings all P-51's should have. Same thing with the colors, some weren't listed so I had to look up the color # online. Good grief. Might be my last Airfix kit sadly, I think Bandai has seriously spoiled me.

Thanks for looking!

P.s. i came aware that my instructions was missing a page that showed the location of all the little markings, so I might give Airfix another chance, guess I just got a bad set of instructions lol

 

[modelerdave]

The paintwork and weathering are spot on! Really nice work.

 

[Analyzer]

Love the metallic finish and weathering on it!

 

[jusdrewit]

The paintwork and weathering are spot on! Really nice work.

Thank you! I was watching YouTube videos of p-51 to inspire me, and hopefully it helped!

Love the metallic finish and weathering on it!

Thank you! It's so easy to over weather these planes so I had rein it back in and not overdo it a few times lol

 

[curiouslysophie]

Beautiful work! I'm not the biggest fan of Airfix kits, they can be hit and miss, but being a Brit they do hold a certain nostalgia for me
The metallic effect is really well done. What paints did you use?
If you like the Airfix one, try a Tamiya kit, they are almost Bandai in quality!

 

[jusdrewit]

Beautiful work! I'm not the biggest fan of Airfix kits, they can be hit and miss, but being a Brit they do hold a certain nostalgia for me
The metallic effect is really well done. What paints did you use?
If you like the Airfix one, try a Tamiya kit, they are almost Bandai in quality!

Thx Sophie! It was my first one, and it definitely had some pros and cons. I love Tamiya, they make great kits, I just choose Airfix cus it was pretty cheap and on sale haha.

And thanks! I used 3 different brands after I laid down some black gloss primer, Spaz Stix mirror chrome, Montana metallic graphite paint and some metal rub n buff. I was actually experimenting and making it up as I went lol

I should add I wasn't looking into creating the super reflective shiny P-51s seen nowadays but rather a nicely used, P-51 circa early 1940's that had done a few missions, seen plenty of sun but still was in pretty good shape.

 

[curiouslysophie]

Thx Sophie! It was my first one, and it definitely had some pros and cons. I love Tamiya, they make great kits, I just choose Airfix cus it was pretty cheap and on sale haha.

And thanks! I used 3 different brands after I laid down some black gloss primer, Spaz Stix mirror chrome, Montana metallic graphite paint and some metal rub n buff. I was actually experimenting and making it up as I went lol

I should add I wasn't looking into creating the super reflective shiny P-51s seen nowadays but rather a nicely used, P-51 circa early 1940's that had done a few missions, seen plenty of sun but still was in pretty good shape.

No worries! I cut my teeth modelling with WWII aviation subjects, and still do like to build them. Haha, you'd never know it was a cheap kit, you made it look like an expensive one!
I want to pick up the Kotare 1/32 Spitfire Mk.I, the kit looks amazing and the Spitfire is just beautiful!

Ooh, interesting choices of paint! I've not heard of those. I mostly go with Alclad for metallics.

You definitely got the feel of a wartime bird, well looked after, but seen combat. I'm a fan of quite heavily weathered aircraft. These wartime aircraft could get messy!

 

[rbeach84]

Looks like a Mustang, indeed! Nice job!
Regards, Robert

 

[jusdrewit]

Looks like a Mustang, indeed! Nice job!
Regards, Robert

Thank you Robert! I think so too

No worries! I cut my teeth modelling with WWII aviation subjects, and still do like to build them. Haha, you'd never know it was a cheap kit, you made it look like an expensive one!
I want to pick up the Kotare 1/32 Spitfire Mk.I, the kit looks amazing and the Spitfire is just beautiful!

Ooh, interesting choices of paint! I've not heard of those. I mostly go with Alclad for metallics.

You definitely got the feel of a wartime bird, well looked after, but seen combat. I'm a fan of quite heavily weathered aircraft. These wartime aircraft could get messy!

I also love Spitfires, such a beautiful plane. I was actually considering getting one to go along with my 1:48 mustang, if I do I'll definitely take pics

And oh man, 1:32 would be a gorgeous size for a Spitfire, you should definitely get one and take photos of your build!

 

[Zuiun]

That paint work is stellar -- especially the weathering on the silver sections! It's silly, because I have no problems tackling complex weathering on X-wings, etc., but real airplane subjects intimidate me. I have a few in the stash that I hope to work up the nerve to tackle some day...

 

[Bjorn]

You nailed it. Well done!

I especially like the weathering. And the display stand.....classy

 

[jusdrewit]

That paint work is stellar -- especially the weathering on the silver sections! It's silly, because I have no problems tackling complex weathering on X-wings, etc., but real airplane subjects intimidate me. I have a few in the stash that I hope to work up the nerve to tackle some day...

Thank you! And I 100% agree, I've been doing SW kits for ages, but this is literally my first airplane probably since highschool (20 years ago). It was daunting but watching masters on YouTube helped and then I realized it wasn't so bad. Plus the fact that I wasn't rivet counting or trying match a studio scale model reference I just made it up as I went along it became rather fun once I got used to the differences.

You nailed it. Well done!

I especially like the weathering. And the display stand.....classy

Thank you!! And haha that's just a makeshift display stand lol it was the only clear thing I could find I plan on hanging it from ceiling with some clear fishing line later

 

[Matte Painter]

Nice job.

There must have been something missing with your kit and the instructions. Scalemates.com is great for that, a lot of kits have scanned instructions, including the one you did. On the last page you can see the instructions for all the detailed decals.

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/3/5/1015635-23-instructions.pdf

North American P-51D Mustang, Airfix A05131 (2017)

www.scalemates.com

The colours are also shown, though they are using Humbrol number references. Airfix and Humbrol are owned by the same company, so if you want to use other paints you have to find conversion charts to other brands. There are many, just need a google search.

 

[jusdrewit]

Nice job.

There must have been something missing with your kit and the instructions. Scalemates.com is great for that, a lot of kits have scanned instructions, including the one you did. On the last page you can see the instructions for all the detailed decals.

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/3/5/1015635-23-instructions.pdf

North American P-51D Mustang, Airfix A05131 (2017)

www.scalemates.com

The colours are also shown, though they are using Humbrol number references. Airfix and Humbrol are owned by the same company, so if you want to use other paints you have to find conversion charts to other brands. There are many, just need a google search.

Yeah I found that pdf instructions later, and compared it to mine and mine is definitely missing that last page of the decal locations of the little markings. So weird, it didn't even occur to me it might've been printed wrong.

 

[Matte Painter]

Yeah I found that pdf instructions later, and compared it to mine and mine is definitely missing that last page of the decal locations of the little markings. So weird, it didn't even occur to me it might've been printed wrong.

If you picked it up second hand that could explain it of course. Honestly though, Airfix's quality control had been famously bad through the 2000s and it could have just been missed out of your box. I understand things have gotten better with that, as has their quality over all.

 

[jusdrewit]

I think I need to find a way to attach a clear pole to it in case I ever want to display it on a stand rather than me holding it or on a wine glass lol. I couldn't resist a few more photos taken outdoors via a cell phone: