Jump to content

1/48 Minicraft P-38J Lightning


timbo33

Recommended Posts

Well, at the risk of the GB being somewhat dominated by Mustangs and Lightnings - I plan to do one of each, only 'cos I've started them (well less than 25% though)

Here's the Lightning, Minicraft 1/48 P-38J. The previous owner had started the kit and made a hash of the cockpit so I've bought a True Details Resin set. I'll have to salvage the control column fromthe kit as the TD set doesn't seem to include one. He's also b*ggered one of the main undercarriage legs so I'll have to drill and pin it. I'm a bit light on information for these planes and my recent plea on the WWII forum went unanswered which leads me to belive I can probably get away with some liberties with this kit and no-one will know!!!!

The only bit of research I did unearth on Google is that Jimmy Doolittle personally flew a P-38 over the Normandy invasion beaches on D-Day itself so that couldn't be a better subject if I can find out more about the aircraft he flew:

P1010124.jpg

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice one Tim, got to ask why are there German markings in a Lightening box :)

Yes it probably wasn't the most symapthetic composition in hindsight.... :whistle:

They're one of about 18 options on that after market set which includes both an Italian and German captured version - Not sure why anyone would want to model one except for some wild urge to be different!! As it is I'm trying to research the Doolittle Aircraft so I may have to fudge the decals anyway - I'm hoping that I've got decals for the right squadron but will need to knife and fork serials/identification letters etc.

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good, more "fork-tailed devils" ..........for the G.B. :devil:

D-Day Cheers,

ggc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice choice Tim I was planning on a P-38 too, once I can find some suitable decals. Hopefully the MK show will produce something.

Plus the tank I got from some kind soul of course

Tanks just ain't ma' thang......... :fraidnot:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Well I've fallen at the first hurdle as I need to resurrect some of the cockpit bits that the previous owner caked in paint:

P-38J006.jpg

I've invested in a True Details Resin 'pit set, but this has a few crucial items missing:

P-38J007.jpg

Namely the Control Column, the tubular support for the Pilot's seat and the Pilot's Armour. These have already been (badly) painted. I've tried soaking the parts in All purpose cleaner and nothing's shifted so I presume he's used Enamels....out with the Oven Cleaner then....

P-38J008.jpg

I've invested in loads of Alclad but I just don't think the finish of this kit will do it justice so I've decided to do this kit in the OD/NG finish of the P38J-15-LO 48-24341 "L2-W" of Captain Robert Olds, 434th FS, 479th FG flying from RAF Wattisham. This is a pretty simple finish as when they painted the invasion stripes on the booms they painted over the code letters so I've paid £6.36 for a single nose art decal!!!! :doh:

P2240191.jpg

P-38J009.jpg

I might hopefully make ome progress on this soon - only 3 months left!!! :frantic:

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You think you have problems I thought i'd make a start by cutting the resin pit from its blocks and when it came to washing the pieces I lost 2 down the sink

:rofl:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Slowly making some progress - have now largely detailed the cockpit - just need to cut everything up then glue it back together....

P3170197.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cockpit's now in....Had to do quite a lot of surgery on the True details parts to make it all fit and I reckon the Radio deck's still too low but (hey ho) this is modelling not life and death... :whistle:

P1010212.jpg

The Instrument Panel is set so far forward under the forward cowling that you could probably get away with a piece of black plasticard....so much for all that dry brushing and then carefully dropping Klear into the instrument recesses...

P1010210.jpg

P1010211.jpg

Just noticed that huge sink mark in the back of the Pilot's armour!!! Arrrghhh! Mr Surfacer, where are you? :frantic:

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I look at this kit, the more :shit: I realise it is - still, onward and upward!!! What the Kit maker doesn't provide, the modeller must scratch!!!

My attentions now are turning to the undercarriage bays:

P1010208.jpg

I'm not a huge fan of detailing up the bays as most of the time they're hidden. There are limits, however - these are the kit bays:

P1010209.jpg

They should look like this:

P-38.jpg

I'm not going to go mad but I'm going to put some Plasic Strip ribbing in and attempt to replicate the gas bottle and ducting that are prominent in there.

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Having agonised over and over about this model, which the more I do, the more I realise is just a heap of :shit: I've decided that you can't polish a :shit: and so I'm just going to crack on and finish it, accepting the kit shortcomings and make what I can of it. In many ways, this is a huge relief and now that I've accepted it won't be perfect I've at last made some decent progress.

Checking my references, I realised the kit is a late model (P-38J-25) with the Compressibility Flaps, which the P-38J-15 that I'm modelling didn't have - so out with the Razor Saw and Sandpaper.....

There are quite a few detail differences too, such as the landing light position, which I've got to drill and there are a number of panel lines I've had to fill and re-scribe. As I've assembled more of the kit, I realise it's really badly designed as the clamping required to get the fuselage front to line up with the cockpit mean the nosecone wouldn't fit :doh:

Lots of Green stuff and sanding later, I've got something which looks almost but not entirely unlike a P-38:

Dakota013.jpg

A bit more sanding and then I'm gonna throw some primer on to see how bad it really is. I might try to re-scribe some of the sanded off panel lines....or not. I'm waiting for the Dak to get to the same point as they'll both be in the same Colour Scheme and I might as well paint them at the same time. Hoping to have this one done for Hendon too. :frantic:

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Tim looks like we are at roughly the same stage.

I hadn't realised you were using the TD Cockpit as well :doh: I thought it was designed for that kit as well as the Academy one.

It looks like there's been a good workput with the filler. After a while of that it can get very close to the bin but I think you are almost there.

Good job keep going

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a while of that it can get very close to the bin ........

This one's been pretty close to the bin from the beginning. It just goes to show you get what you pay for. I was looking at your photos and the panel lines and rivet detail are nice and crisp, the ones on my kit look like they've been done with a hot butter knife......I came very close to salvaging the cockpit and wheels and binning the rest but I've just decided to crack on 'cos I need the experience :wall:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

....:rant:...Sanding.....endless sanding..:shit:...Mr Surfacer....@!!$$** .....green stuff...:deadhorse: nothing fits.......:raincloud:...too weak..:badmood:..losing the will to live.....:hanging:...must finish....:wall:...buy Tamiya next time....:suicide:....or Hasagewa...:toilet:!!!

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

.....anyway isn't hours of sanding why we're in this stupid hobby in the first place.

:rofl:

I have made SOME progress....Having spent about 3 hours filling and sanding I'm still nowhere near happy with the thing but I've decided to give it a coat of primer and see what needs further attention. This will be my first effort with a Vac Form canopy, which is a bit nerve-wracking. The Squadron canopy has two complete canopies, for closed and open. I'm going to model this P-38 with an open canopy which will effectively have no sides as the side windows wind down, so I'm planning to use the 'closed' canopy as a mask for the cockpit area whilst I paint everything. I've cut it out, shaped it and stuck it on as a dry run for the final one. I must say the Vac canopy is massively clearer than the kit part:

P-38001.jpg

Edited by timbo33
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...