[Don Boose]

I am going to try to build Nobi’s 1/48 P-51D-5-NA Serial 44-413586 in the markings of C5-T as flown by Captain Richard (Bud) Peterson, 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, 66th Fighter Wing, Eighth Air Force, in Europe in late 1944. Peterson was credited with 15 ½ aerial victories and 3 ½ hostile aircraft destroyed on the ground by strafing.

It has been some time since I finished a paper model successfully, and I hope that if I manage to complete this – following Nobi’s tutorial – it will beak the jinx.

So far, I have done all the construction laid out in Nobi’s thread.

I printed the model on Neenah Bright White Premium Cardstock, which is 0.19mm thick. I laminated the former sheet to white 0.65mm card, making the formers 0.84mm thick, a little thinner than the optimal 1mm.

For edge coloring, I have used Tombow Art Brushes N95 (light gray), 027 (olive drab), and N15 (black); Faber Castell PITT artists pens 120 (Ultramarine – close to Insignia Blue), 223 (Deep Red – close to Insignia Red), and 109 (Deep Chrome Yellow); and a Caran d’Ache Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastel 75.00.003 (Light Gray).

The model is very well designed; the parts fit perfectly, although my cutting and scoring is not always as perfect as the model.

Images 5 and 6 show my method of cutting out card formers with the instruments of con-struction, including sandpaper wrapped around dowels from my stick-and-tissue toolbox, and beeswax to lubricate the knife blad. Image 8 is my jack-legged device for inserting formers (stamp forceps and a spring clip).

The forward fuselage is a bit lumpy and scruffy, but I deem it acceptable, given my skill level.

Thanks for the model and the instruction, Nobi Standing by for the next steps.

Don