Small Scale Military Headquarters

Probably posted original request in wrong category...
I need some guidance on how to swap the prop between my two 21st Century 1/18 P51 "Old Crows"...I have one hanging & one new in box...The new in box has a broken blade (at the base) which looks like their was an attempted repair at the factory - There is smeared glue & paint - Looks awful...Anyway, I would like to swap the props, so the screwed up one will be out of view on my hanging plane.
I'm not a modeler at all, but I have an extensive 1/18th scale collection & would like to get this fix done.
I would be grateful for any advice on how to pull this off.
Thanks!

I have not had the P-51 apart, but if it is like the other 21st Century stuff it will entail spliting the engine cowl area if not the whole fuselage by removing the screw caps, screws, and breaking the glue joint. I have only performed this on AC that I am repainting, so it is difficult for me to know how much care must be exercised on one that will not be repainted. Hope that helps.

Kris

The spinner and propeller hub are held on with a screw. When you take the wings off the plane, you can see the screw back up in the engine area. It really cannot be reached without disassembling the whole plane as Buckyroo noted.

What would be a FAR EASIER thing to do is simply switch the fuselage pieces. Since your original plans already involved opening the boxed plane, all you would simply have to do is untie the fuselage piece from the plastic tray, carefully remove the rubber bands (they pull off), switch it out with the better fuselage, replace the rubber bands, retie it back to the plastic tray, and reseal the box. No one but you would ever know it had been opened

Most 21c planes were designed in such a way that at you can do this quite easily. It works well for storage and collectability as one can carefully open a plane, display it, and then carefully put it back in the box if desired. (It also made it easy for thieves to swap out parts, but thats another story...)

If I was in your shoes, I would actually display the more pristine example and leave the other in the box where the damage is less noticable

Thanks, guys, for your quick response...I figured there was no really easy way, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I have over 70 1/18th aircraft on display in my rec room (yea, it's crowded but it's my "man-cave"), and most of them were near perfect out of the box, although several had obvious factory scratches & such that are no big deal.
Someone may have pulled a switch on my "Old Crow" as it did come from Wal-Mart - Who knows?
Again, thanks for your advice - I think I'll just hang out in my "man-cave" and procrastinate - It's becoming one of my favorite past times.