1/72 Lockheed P-38E -- Laven's First P-38E

[TheRealMrEd]

Hello,

 

Here, finally, are the finished pics of George E. Laven, Jr.'s FIRST P-38E, #41-2076.  This model presented a difficult problem about exactly how is should be  finished and weathered.  The base colors were O.D. and Neutral Grey.  The problem is, it served in the Aleutian Campaign of WW II, and was subject to harsh weather and volcanic dust and mud -- but only for a fairly short time.

 

The aircraft was moved to the Aleutians somewhere between June and August, 1942.  After registering two kills with this aircraft in September and November of 1942, Laven was allowed to fly the aircraft back to Dallas, Texas for repairs, while be had a brief R&R at home in December of 1942.

 

Laven re-appears in Alaska, but by the "red surround"  period of U.S. national markings, he was then flying his SECOND P-38E #41-2069, buzz no. 80 . I do not know when (or if) #41-2076 ever returned to Alaska, and we may never know, as official records are said to indicate that this aircraft was lost on April 04, 1942, in a fatal accident in Washington state -- clearly an impossibility!

 

In any event, how to paint and weather a model that flew around 6 months in some of the harshest climate on earth?  I don't know, and I WISH someone would write that how-to book for us modelers!! Dana Bell, do you have one more left in you....  :<)

 

Meantime, this model is my best S.W.A.G. interpretation, and undoubtedly is NOT the final answer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The RS Models P-38E is a nice kit, but definitely has it's quirks. For more on that, see the Build Thread 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Ed

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Beautiful Lightning 

[kapam]

That is excellent!

I have considered one of these RS kits for my stash for quite some time, but never taken the plunge.

Any elaboration about the "quirks" would be welcome.

In any case, your example has come together extremely well and I love the well-used look it has.

[BIG X]

Very nicely executed - a classic warbird

[Unfinished project]

Lovely looking Fork Tailed Devil 👍

[TheRealMrEd]

Thanks for the kind remarks, everyone. It's as much about experimenting with new (for me) techniques as anything else. Maybe someone can think of something new to try, as I find myself doing when looking at other peoples' posts.

 

Ed

[Roman Schilhart]

Not an easy kit to build, as I know just too well - I've tried myself on the F5A photo recce earlier this year.

Your model turned out really well, and the chipping looks convincing.

In my opinion, the exhaust stains are a bit heavy though.

Thanks for showing,

Roman

[F-32]

Nice work, looks really good

[TheRealMrEd]

Thanks, F-32.

 

Roman, I think you're right, particularly atop the right boom!

 

Ed

[Cookenbacher]

Wow, great to this one complete Ed, and it certainly looks like a fighter that's spent some time in the Aleutians, well done!

[TheRealMrEd]

Thanks Cookie,

 

You're right. Seems like the hardest part for me lately is figuring out how it should look given age, service, location, etc...

 

Ed