P-51D gun bay door detail please - Aircraft of World War II

chook · 11-23-2008, 05:31 AM

Hi all. I'm getting there with my Hasegawa 1/32 P-51D Big Beautiful Doll. Nearly ready to join fuselage so am searching now for detail on gun bay doors. I have the Detail & Scale book and that is very good but not quite enough. I am having the starboard side guns exposed and have good detail of the larger square hinged door and latch but don't know if the other 2 rectangular ones are bolt on or hinged also. I spent a lot of time scratch building internal vents because otherwise you would see the bottom of the engine through the carby scoop and the underside of the cockpit through the main vent so am not willing to skimp on detail. Unlike my mrs I know you guys will understand this. To me it's about the detail you may not see as well as the detail you will see. All and any help very much appreciated.

Airframes · 11-23-2008, 07:24 AM

Hi Chook. I have some excellent shots of the upper feed door, the hinged one, on disc. But you already know what that looks like. The bottom door, and the ammuinition tray door, were both 'hatches', which unscrewed and were removed, not hinged. I have yet to see any good pics or drawings of them, but the lower feed access door had a similar pressed - metal finish to the upper door, whilst the ammo tray hatch cover had vertical internal stringers as reinforcement. If you have a look in my thread 'Bare Metal Made Easy', there's a vertical shot of the 1.32nd Dragon P51D, in which you can just make out the inside surface of the ammo cover. I'm afraid I left off the other two doors when the shot was taken. Hope this helps.
Terry.

Eighthaf · 11-23-2008, 11:48 AM

As I recall, the Squadron walk around for the 'Stang has some shots.

http://midwestaero.com/articles/daddysgirl.pdf
Has a good shot of an open gun bay. It's a .pdf, you have to scroll a bit but the shot is more than worth it.

Eighth

drgondog · 11-23-2008, 12:42 PM

Try these - oops these are wheel bays

Airframes · 11-23-2008, 02:46 PM

He He! Might be the wrong shots, but VERY useful none the less! Thanks for posting them, they're going in my files!
Terry.
Note to other modellers:- The interior colours of the wheel bays during WW2 was NORMALLY, but not always, laquered aluminium, with the main spar (the rear wall of the well) in that sickly yellow chromate finish, or, green zinc chromate. As per usual, field changes, or a vist to a BAD, could produce modifiications!

Trebor · 11-23-2008, 08:26 PM

wow! you may have just inspired me to do a lil bit of detail work in the gear bays of my Mustang!

chook · 11-24-2008, 04:19 AM

Thanks guys. Terry your info answers my questions and drgondog I can use those photos too cause the model gives you the flap up only option so I need to scratch build the strut. My next problem is to get that black section with loading details on it. I have never made my own decals but would like to one day but for this case I may just try shrinking a photo and sticking that on. I'd ask for help here but my computer illiteracy would mean you'd need far too much patience and I think it'd be easier to get help face to face.

Airframes · 11-24-2008, 05:07 PM

Hi again Chook. If you mean the gun-loading data plate, the black rectangle with the white writing and diagrams, on the inside of the upper feed way door, there should be a decal for it on the Hasegawa kit's decal sheet, there was on the one I built about 16 or 17 years ago. I didn't use it on that kit, but did on the scratch-built door for the Dragon kit! If there isn't, here's a tip for making a fairly good replica, which works well for cockpit placards etc also.
Get a piece of self-adhesive silver foil, or, if unavailable, ordinary kitchen foil, and paint it matt black. Once TOTALLY dry, take a pin, or the tip of a sharp craft knife, and scratch the lettering/ diagram into the paint. The silver will show through. Then, cut it to size, and fix it in place. Don't worry if the 'words' aren't totally legible, as, in this scale, it would be difficult to read anyway, and, on the 'real thing' they were often scuffed, or dirtied, looking rather feint. It's the effect that counts, as the brain will 'read' what it thinks the eye is seeing! Might take a couple of practice attempts, but it works well, and looks effective! Sorry I haven't goy any examples to hand at the moment, but, if you look in my Gustav thread, you can just about make one out, on top of the motor-cannon cover, in one or two of the cockpit shots.
Good luck,
Terry.

Micdrow · 11-24-2008, 05:58 PM

Try these,

Wurger · 11-24-2008, 06:00 PM

Nice stuff Paul.

Micdrow · 11-24-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurger

Nice stuff Paul.

Thanks Wojtek,

Wurger · 11-24-2008, 06:14 PM

In addition I have found this one.Source - Squadron/Signal publication "P-51 Mustang in action".

Micdrow · 11-24-2008, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wurger

In addition I have found this one.Source unknown.

That exact same picture is in the book P-51 Mustangs in Action by squadron signal if you are interested in knowing.

Micdrow · 11-24-2008, 07:18 PM

These may help also

Enjoy

Airframes · 11-24-2008, 08:26 PM

Great stuff again Paul! Both of the data plates are applicable to the 'D', and there was a third style also. I've got some excellent shots on disc, which I can convert and upload, but I'd need advice on copyright, as the pics are overprinted with the photographers' name, date and copyright. They did originate off the net though.
Note, the original WW2 colour on the inside of the door(s) was normally chromate yellow, as were the sills and the intenal parts of the bays; the ammo trays were interior green but, some aircraft had interior green coloured door panels. The outer faces of the locking latches were either 'silver', with the rounded end -pieces in red, and all-red latches could also be seen on occassion. BTW, there are also really good shots of the instrument panel etc and K14 gunsight, in colour, on this same CD.
Terry.

11-23-2008, 05:31 AM	#1
chook Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 92	P-51D gun bay door detail please Hi all. I'm getting there with my Hasegawa 1/32 P-51D Big Beautiful Doll. Nearly ready to join fuselage so am searching now for detail on gun bay doors. I have the Detail & Scale book and that is very good but not quite enough. I am having the starboard side guns exposed and have good detail of the larger square hinged door and latch but don't know if the other 2 rectangular ones are bolt on or hinged also. I spent a lot of time scratch building internal vents because otherwise you would see the bottom of the engine through the carby scoop and the underside of the cockpit through the main vent so am not willing to skimp on detail. Unlike my mrs I know you guys will understand this. To me it's about the detail you may not see as well as the detail you will see. All and any help very much appreciated.

11-23-2008, 08:26 PM	#6
Trebor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,110	wow! you may have just inspired me to do a lil bit of detail work in the gear bays of my Mustang! __________________ THANKS NJACO FOR THE SIG PIC!! Southern Comfort III of the 8th Air Force, 44th Bombardment Group. Captain George R. Insley (pilot) commanding, Rudolph Jandreau Engineer/top turret gunner

11-24-2008, 06:00 PM	#10
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	Nice stuff Paul. __________________

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11-23-2008, 07:24 AM	#2
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Hi Chook. I have some excellent shots of the upper feed door, the hinged one, on disc. But you already know what that looks like. The bottom door, and the ammuinition tray door, were both 'hatches', which unscrewed and were removed, not hinged. I have yet to see any good pics or drawings of them, but the lower feed access door had a similar pressed - metal finish to the upper door, whilst the ammo tray hatch cover had vertical internal stringers as reinforcement. If you have a look in my thread 'Bare Metal Made Easy', there's a vertical shot of the 1.32nd Dragon P51D, in which you can just make out the inside surface of the ammo cover. I'm afraid I left off the other two doors when the shot was taken. Hope this helps. Terry.

11-23-2008, 11:48 AM	#3
Eighthaf Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 44	As I recall, the Squadron walk around for the 'Stang has some shots. http://midwestaero.com/articles/daddysgirl.pdf Has a good shot of an open gun bay. It's a .pdf, you have to scroll a bit but the shot is more than worth it. Eighth

11-23-2008, 02:46 PM	#5
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	He He! Might be the wrong shots, but VERY useful none the less! Thanks for posting them, they're going in my files! Terry. Note to other modellers:- The interior colours of the wheel bays during WW2 was NORMALLY, but not always, laquered aluminium, with the main spar (the rear wall of the well) in that sickly yellow chromate finish, or, green zinc chromate. As per usual, field changes, or a vist to a BAD, could produce modifiications!

11-24-2008, 04:19 AM	#7
chook Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 92	Thanks guys. Terry your info answers my questions and drgondog I can use those photos too cause the model gives you the flap up only option so I need to scratch build the strut. My next problem is to get that black section with loading details on it. I have never made my own decals but would like to one day but for this case I may just try shrinking a photo and sticking that on. I'd ask for help here but my computer illiteracy would mean you'd need far too much patience and I think it'd be easier to get help face to face.

11-24-2008, 05:07 PM	#8
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Hi again Chook. If you mean the gun-loading data plate, the black rectangle with the white writing and diagrams, on the inside of the upper feed way door, there should be a decal for it on the Hasegawa kit's decal sheet, there was on the one I built about 16 or 17 years ago. I didn't use it on that kit, but did on the scratch-built door for the Dragon kit! If there isn't, here's a tip for making a fairly good replica, which works well for cockpit placards etc also. Get a piece of self-adhesive silver foil, or, if unavailable, ordinary kitchen foil, and paint it matt black. Once TOTALLY dry, take a pin, or the tip of a sharp craft knife, and scratch the lettering/ diagram into the paint. The silver will show through. Then, cut it to size, and fix it in place. Don't worry if the 'words' aren't totally legible, as, in this scale, it would be difficult to read anyway, and, on the 'real thing' they were often scuffed, or dirtied, looking rather feint. It's the effect that counts, as the brain will 'read' what it thinks the eye is seeing! Might take a couple of practice attempts, but it works well, and looks effective! Sorry I haven't goy any examples to hand at the moment, but, if you look in my Gustav thread, you can just about make one out, on top of the motor-cannon cover, in one or two of the cockpit shots. Good luck, Terry.

11-24-2008, 08:26 PM	#15
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,062	Great stuff again Paul! Both of the data plates are applicable to the 'D', and there was a third style also. I've got some excellent shots on disc, which I can convert and upload, but I'd need advice on copyright, as the pics are overprinted with the photographers' name, date and copyright. They did originate off the net though. Note, the original WW2 colour on the inside of the door(s) was normally chromate yellow, as were the sills and the intenal parts of the bays; the ammo trays were interior green but, some aircraft had interior green coloured door panels. The outer faces of the locking latches were either 'silver', with the rounded end -pieces in red, and all-red latches could also be seen on occassion. BTW, there are also really good shots of the instrument panel etc and K14 gunsight, in colour, on this same CD. Terry.