Big Beautiful Doll [1/48 Otaki P-51D]

[midnightprowler]

Beautiful.

[speedgraflex]

I am a big fan of this!
BBD was the first P-51 I ever saw flying.
I had just finished a Revellogram BBD...a week later, my buddy said "let's go to the airshow" (his Dad was a B-52 pilot during Nam).
Anyway, this was back around 97, and I had no idea what was going to be there. I was in awe...kinda like the 1st ten minutes in a strip club for the first time , except it was the WHOLE time!

Anyway, I've done BBD 2x with Revellogram kits, 1x Tamiya and 1x Airfix(1/24)

Here's the Tamiya, along with a photo I took at that airshow...



I checked my Arii P-51...guess it's the same as the Otaki...same sink marks at the pit area

I was checking out your current build and making a mental note that “of course it is possible to repaint that odd purple grey color Eduard uses on their photoetch.” I think - no I know - that I have learned more from reading everyone’s projects here. Sincerely. I guess because there’s a rugged individualistic streak amongst us all and in reality what this does is create a great passion. And I mean that of everyone here. And now I feel I have to do better, shit. You built a 1/24 Airfix! That’s one of my goals.

[speedgraflex]

Great choice of subject Bruce, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

Getting my feet wet, and as of right now, I hope John Kim joins the fun, your passion is contagious and good things will happen for us all as a result.

[speedgraflex]

Ok, here we go! Figures it was yet ANOTHER Mustang. We may have to rename this site Scale Plastic Aircraft Mustangs!

The Otaki is a great choice... old but good. I remember building the Otaki Ki-100 back in the 80's. Otaki kits were held in very high regard by the modeling magazines back then and the fidelity of the molded detail looks good even today.

Interesting sink marks on the fuselage. They correspond to the ribbing detail on the interior side and is not uncommon, even on modern molds. But that's a pretty severe case.

Thank you, John. I have truly missed close following your work and seeing you problem solve. A lot of my underlying foundational approach stems from absorbing how you work, I don’t mean that I’m able to copy but I do learn (often the hard way) how to present the details of the kit; which ones to bring to the front, etc. Obviously here kit has some imposed limitations inside the cockpit (which I will probably replace from spares) and wheel wells (undecided).

This kit looks like it was a short shot one. I also have a vintage Airfix Kingfisher suffering the same issues. Here I am going to have to rebuild / fill part of the tail fin with Milliput, which was pointed out by the seller. He just didn’t point out that to address the issue I would have to dig out a small hole. This is easily patched. I plan to do so soon.

[speedgraflex]

Beautiful.

And thank you. Although all I did was negotiate a sale on eBay. I have started cutting the parts free and the molds are simply stunning with the exception of the tail fin issue, which I was surprised to see in a kit of this quality.

[Fermis]

I was checking out your current build and making a mental note that “of course it is possible to repaint that odd purple grey color Eduard uses on their photoetch.” I think - no I know - that I have learned more from reading everyone’s projects here. Sincerely. I guess because there’s a rugged individualistic streak amongst us all and in reality what this does is create a great passion. And I mean that of everyone here. And now I feel I have to do better, shit. You built a 1/24 Airfix! That’s one of my goals.

Helpful tips...that's what we're here for!!!

(1/24 Airfix)...yup, a couple of em! I got em back when they were only $20...mailed a check to Squadron!
The 51 dates back to 97 or so
The Spit was around 01-02
109 was about 10 years ago...

[speedgraflex]

A flying Honda is not the same thing as a Mustang. Not even close. Basically that one room holds three of the kits I want to build some day but I have yet to grow the stones to tackle them. No. Not yet. One day soon. Thank you for the photo. And the dream.



So. I did a thing. With Milliput. Milliputeus Filleous! Shazam! We will see. That hole is all the way through and I felt adding a piece of card would be problematic. I see I wrote “easily patched” above. As if.



Also the sink marks on the exterior seem to work out if you heat the plastic inside and gently push. I’m not going to be responsible if someone tries something like that on their own model...

[speedgraflex]

You guys are taunting/tempting me! Maybe I should buy... the Meng Mustang kit and join the fun???

I’ll send you a kit...

[BlackSheep214]

LOL!

[speedgraflex]

The Airfix cockpit makes a terrific donor piece for the Otaki. This plays to the strengths of each kit very, very well, without modifications. The Otaki has its elegant, hand engraved, fine-tooled plastic, the Airfix has a chunkier feel. Seeing this synergistic effect makes me think about the wheel well, but I may stop whilst I am ahead. Futzing with the wheel well may lead me to that place I don’t want to go... so let us build an engine and cockpit then test fit the wings, first.