P-38 Lightning Eduard 1/48

[Second Air Force]

This is looking really great and the PE is top-notch. I've been looking unsucessfully for a Hasegawa P-38 kit in my collection to compare with yours. The photoetch really is bringing yours to life!

[No.1]

This is main power of the kit Is there any upgrade set for Hasegawa?

[Second Air Force]

I don't know if any upgrades were made for the Hasegawa kit. It was molded in the 1990s if I recall. I do remember it is an earlier version. I'll dig through some boxes this weekend to find it.

[No.1]

After making one boom with direct instructions steps, I decide to change this and make in more easy and more precise way. I assemble boom and landing gear bay separately and then push bay in boom without any problem. I also change order of etched parts placing in landing gear bay, I complete all plastic parts first, and put four etched parts from above, deep inside. This also pass easy. One thing I forget to do before boom assembly is cooling flaps, I decide to alter them and make area ready for later etched parts elements.

I skip completely mounting of landing gear as suggested by instruction and find much better to place it at the very end.

Last two images present final assembly of wings with cockpit inside. In first step I put stabdard cement from tube in pins and holes and after that I will pour liquid cement over all join lines.

[Sall]

Good progress mate!

[memitus]

Hello No.1,

Sorry by delay. I had a busy day yesterday in the office (my scanner is here, and I can scan my books in a little chances).

Well, this is what I have and I hope it helps you.

I scanned this book from 1968, it has very rare photos. Mainly, you can find what I was telling you about seat color. All cockpit interior is Interior Green as point of comparation.
http://www.dogfightmoldel.com/p38/P-38 Lightning - A pictorical history.pdf

I would like to show some photos as future reference about seat and back plate in early model previous J model. But, I have found some units with dark tone in black-white photos in L and M models.

Well, these photos comes from In Detail & Scale book of Bert Kinzey. It it about of restoration of Glacier Girl (P-38F), he was recovered as it was found it. So, I am confident that it is an excellent reference about color applied it!! Olive drab!!


But, I found some -G model with a dark tone in other books. In a color photo, there is no doubt and in B&W is possible to compare it with headrest. This is what I have.



In Fighter Command book, you can find these.......



One more in B&W from model -G (Rex Barber, pilot)


Talking about serial number, I share this to pages from Wardbird Tech book, you can see in plans view a note, doing reference to a serial number. It is from J-25 block series. Not -20 as I had described



Finally, landing gears.........
I think it is the best reference for you in this time. In NASM, P-38J-10 is displayed in a unrestored condition. So, we can pay attention of colors of landing gears and internal covers, as were painted in wartime. Sadly I have two photos by now that I show this. I would like to have inner views.



One point more, check that oval mirror in engine nacelles are flat, not as Minicraft mold them. You have to remove them, take a look in last photo.

I hope this information helps you now and mates in a near future.

Thanks

P.S. Sorry about high resolution in some photos, but I believe it is better to check some details very clear.

[No.1]

Excellent images and it show Lightning perfectly! Tomorrow will make changes in color of the interior, make few more details and close with front parts,

[Sall]

Really great images mate!!

[memitus]

Thanks to you, mates.

I forgot to indicate that dive flaps must be sand from model. But, it is curious if you watch left side of last pictures, it has dive flaps being a J-10 model. So I think may be it was upgraded in its service in USAAF in the USA.
As I mentioned before, from J-25 block were installed dive flaps.

If you need more details, please don't hesitate to ask for them, anybody of you.

[Second Air Force]

Yes, the maneuver flaps could be installed as part of a field-modification kit. This can make it hard to decide whether your airplane had them or not.......because some few J-10s and -15s also had them.

[No.1]

I look at that flaps yesterday and did not know what to do. No additional images of machine I have to do, only one available.

[No.1]

Main sections assembled and all join lines coated with Mr. Surfacer 500

[Sall]

 

[memitus]

No.1

Great, 

Scott,

Thanks for your input. This is something I always suppose about J-10 and -15 models.

[Second Air Force]

One reference I've read mentions that many of the field modification kits were lost in transit. If that were true then not too many 10s or 15s would have gotten the modification.