Well, after a few hours on the table the $30($15 of which was shipping) EI P-51 I got on Ebay is back together somewhat. First, the radio mast was broken half way down but still attached. Per the advice of our beloved Harry, I got myself a pin vice and set of bits and set to taking the model apart and seperating the wing assembly from the main body. I removed the canopy and then drilled a small hole from the inside out through the canopy insert in the body and the remaining part of the mast until it came out and left the empty hole in the body. Next, I mixed Doc Obrien's powders with with a little OD acrylic until I got what I thought was the right shade of green and painted the area around the hole (some paint came off with the broken mast piece).
The new mast is wood. Toothpick to be precise. A nail file and exacto knife. I brush painted the mast with the same shade of paint. Tricky getting the one end big enough to fill the hole and have the rest look right. The hole was kind of big.
Another issue was the landing gear. It only came with gear down and the doors, which should have been attached were not. A previous owner had broken the pegs that connect the pieces and CA glued them in the wrong position. The plane would not sit on its gear really and it only came with gear down. Pin vice to the rescue. After carefully scraping away the glue I drilled new holes in both the plastic wheel covers and the metal (WOW!) landing gear. Now to dowel them together. A tinsy snip of paper clip x4 (maybe 2-3mm) and some more CA and the pieces are once again together and support the plane. Odd, I found that the covers actually sit in the holes better and carry most of the weight. The wheel piece pegs provide just a little support. Last enigma is the tail wheel which I mashed trying to get it out. It has also been glued in. I've yet to get the putty out and fix the dent I put in it with the needle nose pliars but it shouldn't be too bad. Then I'll paint it the same shade of gray. I don't have a stand anyway so this is a gear down bird. I really like this plane and will likely get another EI bird in the future.
08-24-2007, 04:38 PM 
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