Andwil Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 (edited) As an opportunity to further my goal of stash reduction, I have pulled out from deep down Airfix’s venerable 1/72 Lightning. The sprues: A little aftermarket: I wont be using the kit decals as I have this set from Exito: which includes superb artwork for each option: My subject, John O’Neill’s “Beautiful Lass” is a P-38G while the kit is an H but this shouldn’t be a problem ad I understand the two models were externally identical. Being an older Airfix kit it is generously endowed with rivets, so my first task will be to sand them all off! AW Edited October 11, 2022 by Andwil 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 Hello AW great choice, I believe the only difference externally between the two may be a location change for an antenna ? Id have to look tomorrow as Im not near my books/research. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torbjorn Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 Oh, this is the kit I wanted but never found as a kid. Will be happy to follow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 5, 2022 Author Share Posted September 5, 2022 1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Hello AW great choice, I believe the only difference externally between the two may be a location change for an antenna ? Id have to look tomorrow as Im not near my books/research. Yes, I think the antenna under the fuselage maybe a different shape, I’ll check my references, but should be an easy fix. Also I think I’ll use the pilot figure to fill up the basic cockpit provided. AW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 welcome along AW and with an amazing classic!!! I think I built of of these many many years, she was something special way back then and still a nice model now. Are yes the "Airfix Rivets", I'm sure someone got paid for the number of rivets they could fit on a model!!! Those couple of bit of AM should do the job nicely. I love the scheme choice, so good luck with the build, will bring back memories seeing her built! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 10, 2022 Author Share Posted September 10, 2022 Got the sandpaper and micromesh out and got stuck into the rivets today. Although plentiful and obvious they are delicately moulded and so didnt take much to obliterate. As the panel line detail is also moulded as fine raised lines it was necessary to preserve them by scribing. Now, this is the first time I’ve attempted to rescribe a kit so learning as I go. I soon found that several light passes with the scriber was the best way to do it. A few scratches and wonky lines to fix, but overall for a first attempt I’m happy. Wing upper surface in progress: Undersides: I noticed that the rear of the radiator ducts are just a solid face so I opened them up by drilling small holes which were then joined by cutting and filing Looks horrible in macro, better with the eye! Of course the radiator ducts are now see through so plastic card blanks to suggest the presence of radiators were added. Once painted and closed up I’m sure it will look ok. Also assembled the cockpit tub. Most of this will be hidden by the pilot. Thanks for looking. AW 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 off to a great start I see, those few mods to her have made a real difference, keep up the great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 11, 2022 Author Share Posted September 11, 2022 Thanks @trickyrich, I’m only doing a few little things to improve the kit but it is a lot of fun. My main focus will be trying some new approaches to the painting. Today was mostly prepping the small parts. The torque link on the nose gear as provided by Airfix is a solid triangle, I don’t know whether it was just flash but the excess plastic completely filled the space, so I drilled and filed it out. I also found that the radio equipment on the rear cockpit deck didn’t match what I could see in photos so I carefully cut the radio box off, reoriented it and added an additional box fashioned from some of the sprue filed to a square cross section. The rear box also got some tiny slices of thin rod to represent terminals: should have dusted first! The kit wheels vs the Reskit AM wheels: which ones to use…. No contest really. Thanks for looking. AW 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Small improvements that make a big difference, now work AW After seeing your Do-217 build, I'm sure this will be great too James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 On 9/11/2022 at 11:17 PM, 81-er said: Small improvements that make a big difference, now work AW After seeing your Do-217 build, I'm sure this will be great too James Thanks James, no pressure then! Since my last post I have been painting the smaller components. To make up for the lack of detail in the cockpit I will be using the pilot, painted here in the light weight one piece overalls and life jacket. I have used a darker skin tone to represent a tropical tan and added tiny drops of PVC glue to the goggles for glass. Cockpit: Undercarriage: wheels (still to get a coating of New Guinea dust): Props: I think I’m now ready to start some assembly. Thanks for looking. AW 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Nice work, AW James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 17, 2022 Author Share Posted September 17, 2022 Today I cemented the halves of the booms together, some clamping was required: and assembled the central nacelle: Fit is not brilliant, filler and sanding will be required! That step on the port side is not quite as bad as it looks, the black overspray from the instrument coaming rather highlights it in the photo. I should add that weights were placed in the nose and also the very forward sections of both booms. Thanks for looking. AW 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 Nice to see the Airfix kit getting some love. The pilot looks superb and will provide a nice focus on the cockpit too. I see you have gone for no rivets and scribing. I am going to try the opposite approach and keep the rivets, so we have a science experiment on our hands! Regards, Adrian 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 you are certainly giving this old classic so love, she's looking great, awesome work AW!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 Did a little this afternoon, but gave it away as I was rather tired after staying to 1:30 am last night watching the Queen’s funeral on TV. I’ve got most of the airframe together, there are a few gaps that needed filling. The port boom required some fettling to fit properly. Still got the outer tailplane pieces and scoops on the booms to attach. Also made some other small improvements, the rollover(?) bar behind the seat armour added from thin plastic rod: small intake scoops on the front of the booms drilled out: and the open ends of the nose gear well blanked off with plastic card: I’ll do the same with the main gear wells. Thanks for looking. AW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Nice progress there, AW James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Looking very smart. Thanks for the tips on open ended bays and the like - very useful. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 22, 2022 Author Share Posted September 22, 2022 Today I managed to get the test of the airframe together: Painted the rollover bar and put in a gun sight Still have some seams to rub down and the canopy to mask. Thanks for looking. AW 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 24, 2022 Author Share Posted September 24, 2022 Yesterday, before I was struck down with a rather nasty 24hr tummy bug 🤮 all I managed was to mask the canopy (possibly the cause of the bug 😉) and glue the pilot in. The pilot had a tendency to face plant into the sight, so I had to file a bevel into his backside and use CA to hold him place. This morning I attached the canopy. I did try to mask for the diagonal criss cross frames on the canopy sides, but it was just too fiddly. I’ll paint them by brush later. Hopefully paint should commence this arvo. Thanks for looking. Happily recovered AW 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 24, 2022 Author Share Posted September 24, 2022 Primer sprayed this afternoon. Ss expected, a few areas requiring further work were revealed. I also, despite taking great care, managed to knock off and lose to the carpet monster the aerial under the nose. Now I’ll have to scratch a replacement. One day I’ll learn to leave these bits off until the end! Thanks for looking. AW 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 Great seeing this kit coming Together Andy and so well too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 25, 2022 Share Posted September 25, 2022 On 9/24/2022 at 9:01 PM, Andwil said: One day I’ll learn to leave these bits off until the end! Definitely a good idea. Looking good considering the kit you've got, it's getting a new lease of life. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattheCat Posted September 25, 2022 Share Posted September 25, 2022 Your improvements make old plastic look quite younger. Nicely done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted September 26, 2022 Share Posted September 26, 2022 Coming along very nicely indeed James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komedy Posted September 27, 2022 Share Posted September 27, 2022 Great job so far, looking forward to seeing the colour go on Kom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wedge-TailedEaglePortraitRaptorDomains.thumb.jpg.41a306d3445a68f0f2df773e01776ea6.jpg)
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now