Jump to content

Lightning fit for a little prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's P-38/F5)


Recommended Posts

rsmodelsp-38f52019-09-14_17ec.jpg

 

Lightning fit for a little prince:

https://everardcunion.com/plastic-models-2/world-war-2-plastic-models-part-2/lightning-fit-for-a-little-prince/#top

 

This once common scale, 1/72nd scale, really is too small for aircraft of this size, in my opinion. I find that I can hardly hold the smaller parts and, if I drop one on the floor, it is gone for good. (Notice the absence of the underside elevator mass balance.)

 

A couple of related topics on this forum...

Antoine De Saint-Exupery:

1re escadrille du GR 2/33, F-5 lightning colors?

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/14/2019 at 4:04 PM, Roman Schilhart said:

I've built one, and don't want to repeat the experience...

Why do we do it to ourselves? Maybe it is the modern equivalent of cave painting.  😕

 

In retrospect, maybe a better way would be to use a 1/48th scale kit of the equivalent fighter version, fill in the gun ports, and use black paint for the camera ports, maybe with a bit of filler and filing to create the squared off contour under the nose. French roundels are obtainable and the fin flashes would not be difficult to paint. The tricky bit would be the intricate paint work on the nose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Buzby061 said:

I can recommend a biography of him by Stacy Schiff. 

Thanks. I looked up the reviews on Goodreads and I have ordered a copy. Goodreads reviews:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8840.Saint_Exup_ry

 

It occurs to me that another way of avoiding the problems of the RS Models kit, while taking advantage of its superb decal sheet, but of course retaining the small scale, is to buy a better 1/72nd scale kit of the fighter version and convert the nose -- maybe using the RS camera nose. (Somewhat expensive, of course.) We live and learn...
:-/

 

I console myself that mine looks ten times better to the naked eye (well, my eyes anyway) than it does in the photos, which on an average computer monitor show it larger than it is and seem to highlight all the rough edges and mistakes.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...