By Ian Nelson

What seems like a decade ago I started building a 65” Top Flite P51-D Mustang.   This came after the sad demise of my Cambrian kit Mustang at the 2001 RAFMAA Champs.  I opened the box in September 2002 intending to put it in the 2003 Champs.  Well here we are in 2005 and it is now finished! 

The kit itself goes together very well, everything is die cut with jigging tabs on the wing ribs to make assembly easy.  I opted for the ‘bells and whistles’ version with retracting undercarriage and working flaps.  Sadly the Merati air-up spring down undercarriage I had would not fit in the depth of the wing, so I had to buy the Robart fully pneumatic set.  I had already decided to stay with a fixed but steerable tailwheel.

I was breaking new ground with these extra functions and also I had decided that I would glass-cloth the whole model.  The wings were built in quick time but with the autumn and winter just around the corner the garage is not the place to be so progress was slow but I got the basic construction out of the way. Then I got into lack of interest mode and left it for some time.  Only the fact that Hazell and Mark started to nag me to get it finished did I drum up the enthusiasm to continue some months later.  Spring 2004 arrived and it was time to start glass clothing, taking advice from many people and amalgamating them to hopefully get the best results.  I tackled this job with extreme trepidation, but I was pleasantly surprised at the results, there are areas that could be better but it was a learning experience.

After much rubbing down and another period of interest fade it came to painting.  Although I had bought an airbrush and compressor I was not having much success with it so opted for the old fashioned method of car spray and Humbrol tinlets.  At the start of the project I bought a kit of the Revell Mustang to get detail and have something to inspire me!  It depicted two aircraft, Big Beautiful Doll (BBD) and Miss Marilyn II.  There are many examples of BBD, even the kit has all the decals in for it; I had to go for something different so chose my current subject.  Research was easy, just go to www.mustangsmustangs.com and you have all the information you want on the aircraft and the Ford Mustang.  All the natural metal areas have been sprayed with Halfords car spray (Ford Strato Silver); the other colours are Humbrol paints brushed on.  I have fuel-proofed it with Ronseal clear satin, unfortunately this is now an acrylic product and has left brush marks on the finish, however from a stand-off position it looks fine. 

The nose art was achieved by downloading the details from the web site and transferring it to “Word” to resize it and print the outline onto sticky-backed decal paper and then paint the logos in by (shaky) hand.  The checkers were a challenge but I think I have achieved the desired effect. 

There is more detail that I could put on panel lines etc, but I have decided not to do so until it has had a few proving flights.  I am told that these kits fly very well.  A side-mounted Super Tigre 91 2-stroke provides power with in-cowl muffler provided by Just Engines.  The flaps and undercarriage have been functioned and all flying controls work well.  The engine has to be run-in.  Once this is done it will be time to fly her that is the nerve-racking part.  Hopefully you will see her at the RAF Champs in September this year.  If all goes well I have a Top-Flite Spitfire and Sea Fury in the loft awaiting the building board, I might just start one of them!

Ian Nelson

RAFMAA Compsec

email: rafmaa-compsec@rafmaa.co.uk