Revell/Monogram P-38 Lightning

Mr, Toshi, Just a heads up on the putty.  I have tried several brands of putty and found that the Bondo Glazing and Spot putty in the "single tube package" works very well and can be purchased at any auto parts store.

When appliing it to difficult areas like wing roots etc., I put it in a hypodermic syringe without the needle and shoot it out like a mini caulking gun.  be sure to tape off the details that you don,t want to lose in the sanding process.

Thank you for the tip, that is so cool, you and the rest of the forum members have so many special skills it's just amazing!  Thank you sir!

Toshi

Hi, Toshi - Over the years I have found that some hobby store fillers are prone to shrinkage, when you have the surface leveled, dried and then sanded smooth the area looks very good, after you have painted the model and some time has gone by, the filler shrinks and then you find cracking at the spots filled. Others, like body fillers from the auto parts store or paint supplier, do not have a tendency to shrink as they dry and cure.

Some from the hobby store that I like are Tamiya filler and Perfect Plastic Putty, I have yet to find cracking after it dries. But still, my favored method is to fill large seams or gaps with plastic strips, cut and shaped to a slight oversize, then liquid plastic cement applied. After a day of drying the plastic material and cement have fully dried, then you can sand it to the smoothness you wish. Any minor spots not perfectly filled, can then have a touch of the filler you use to finish it off before painting. The less tube filler you can use, the less likely any shrinkage will occur.

Nice job on the P-38, (the Fork Tailed Devil,) as some on the receiving end called it. I like the paint stand, I have to get one too. Hope to see the progress continue. And you're quite correct, you really struck gold when you were lucky enough to find Mrs.Toshi. Likely you deserve her, the way you speak of her.

Patrick

To Patrick206,

Ok, so bondo or Tamiya Filler.  I have to pick up some paint tomorrow, I'll just pick up some Tamiya Filler at Hobby Lobby, they carry a huge inventory of Tamiya brand products.  I've heard and seen (MBrindos) the large gaps in where plastic strips are utilized.  This makes sense!  

Thank you for the support in regards to my P-38 build.  Mrs. Toshi is truly gold as you describe her!  Thank you for visiting my thread as well as the great tips.  Also thank you for the read and reply.

Toshi

Here is what I've been working on all day. Cleaning up the seams and sanding/filing. I re-primed to see how well the putty and sanding went. Here we go, please see below the outcome.

Shiny!  :D

To MBrindos,

Slowly but surely it's getting there.  Having some minor fit issues with the nose cone guns lining up.  I'll have a plan later tomorrow.  

Toshi

Most excellent!

As Kelly Johnson said: "we added the landing gear behind the engine, then the supercharger, then the radiators and before you knew it we were at the tail

Toshi, that looks outstanding!

LOL!  Thank you for the read and reply.

Thank you!  Also thank you for the read and reply.

Who photo bombed your picture?  I have (or rather the cat has us) a black & white cat but he so far has stayed out of my modeling area.

Nice progress.

Toshi

I'm chiming in late on the filler issue but better late than never. Jay suggested the Bondo Glazing in the tube which works great as I used it for many years until I discovered Perfect Plastic Putty. This stuff is amazing specially in hard to sand areas like the wing root. Just apply, let it dry and wipe with a water damp Q Tip and most of the sanding is eliminated. It will not shrink either.

Great job on that P-38. I love the old Monogram models but that one I remember building it as a youngster and needing a lot of TLC.

Lookin good Toshi!!!  I have 3 of these in progress--the 38M. 38J(Bong's A/C, and the F5 recon.  Insane yes but the guys in the white van haven't found me yet!

Anyway the decals I used on the M night fighter were horrible.  It is an 80s vintage kit and I should have known better, but.........

To sandbox,

Her name is Hina, the photo shows some strange color.  She's actually a turtle gray, tan and white.  She is an indoor cat only but is allowed outside to eat grass every now and then.  I have three cats.  The other two are my daughters.  My daughter moved out and left the cats with me to care.  Oh, the things we do for our children.  Thanks for the read and reply.

toshi

Wow, 3.  I might have to call the white van to come pick you up!  LOL!  I would love to see your masterpieces when you get a chance.  Thanks for the read and reply.

GMorrison

Cool plane, Chef.

You might change the title of this post; it's a Revell kit.

It's the Monogram kit, whatever the current label on the box says.

And I should add, nice progress, Mr. Toshi!

If I may add my mustard to the discussion about seams, I use Squadron putty, smoothed or thinned with acetone, to do seams.  I also sometimes use Aves Apoxie Sculpt, a 2-part epoxy putty, which I have on hand for sculpting.

To GMorrison,

Thank you for the clarification.

To Baron,

Thank you for your support.  As for the putty, I will definately look into it.  Thank you for the read and reply.

To my fellow forum members,

          This is the next step in my P-38 build.  I think this build was much more difficult than the P-61 Black Widow.  To be fair, the assembling of the fuselage and the twin booms were next to near flawless.  It was the next step of which was attaching the fuselage to the twin booms, this became something of a challenge.  Please note, building a aircraft as an example like the P-61 that's completely black has the ability to mask some of it's imperfections.  With the P-38 being completely silver and of course reflective definately shows the error of my ways.  Whew, I admit, it's tough but I must be calm and take my time as this is only my 4th build.  I can't believe in three months, I built a F4U Corsair, P-61 Black Widow, P-40 Warhawk (Flying Tigers), and now the P-38 Lightning.  

My next project will be a PBM-5A Mariner, followed by a huge 1:48 scale B-24D Liberator.  Guess what I have next?  This is unreal, Mrs. Toshi got me a 1:32 Tamiya P-51 Mustang.  I've never touched nor seen a scale model kit that cost $100.00 dollars plus shipping and handling.  WOW!!!  I am as shocked as you are as well as a little scared and a lot of nervousness, with a dash of anxiety.  I would like to add a tablespoon of OMG!  LOL!

There is a thread of a fellow forum member that's also assembling the very same kit.  I've been following his thread with religiously.  I also purchased a "Fine Scale Model" month of May Volume 33, issue 5.  At the time of purchase, I did not realize that the build on the front page of the magazine was none other than the same Tamiya P-51 kit that Mrs. Toshi purchased for me.  After this realization, I exclusively, nay rabidly began to engulf my every sense of being into the build of kit number 60322.  I feel as I'm way over my capabilities at first, but with the proffesional expertise here on this very forum that I am a member of, I know that the love of the hobby as well as the brotherhood will give me the support I need to start and complete the P-51.  

That's not until I have two other large kits (PBM-5A and B-24D) under my belt.  That would make my total builds as my 6th build with the P-51 as number 7.  I'm going way ahead of myself in past of my builds here.  I still have time to hone my skills and practice with patience.  Until then, let's take a look at my current build the P-38 Lightning.  My current obstacle is the nose cone of this aircraft.  To get all 5 guns lined up in the nose cone while trying to literally square off the attachment of the nose cone to the front of the fuselage is like trying to split the Red Sea as Moses had done.  Well, that's an exaggeration, but you all know how difficult such a small part plays into a larger part.  So here is where I currently am.  I'd like to thank everyone for the feed back and the support, you don't know how much this means so much to someone like me.  

Toshi

By the way, I now realize how much more of a challenge building a model kit can be, but I will prevail!

Toshi

Looks like you're getting this one conquered just fine Toshi.  :)

Looking forward to your Mustang build!

To MBridos,

From your teachings, it's a matter of taking my time to do it right.  Thanks to you, and the many forum members too many to list here, I've gained the basic know how on scale model building.  Again, thank you so much for the support and the read and reply.  You're the best!  By the way, I went to hobby lobby and purchased a artists pen to detail a scale figures face as you recommended.  It doesn't look like the PBM-5A Mariner has any figures to detail, the B-24D has several figures.  This is where I can practice and apply the technique that you utilize to the best of my abilities.

Toshi

That is a great old MONOGRAM kit. It is currently in a Revell labeled box, but it is the old Monogram P-38. Revell and Monogram are currently owned by the same investment group so they are in essence the same company. Anybody know if Revell of Germany is also part of the group? Toshi, distribute the weight  if you are going to add weight so the model does not "tail sit". Put some weight in the left and right booms where the engines would be as well as in the nose. If I remember the front tire/wheel is in two hollow halves. If this is the case add weight there (in the tire) as well.

To Rangerj,

Thank you for the information, I will definately look into adding weights to the front end of the P-38.  Thank you for the read and reply.

Toshi

rangerj

Anybody know if Revell of Germany is also part of the group?

Toshi, if you plan on putting your Lightning on a diorama base, or on a base at all, it's also possible then to make a hole in the nose wheel, trap a small bolt between the halves, and bolt the model to the base.  That makes using weights unnecessary.

True, and or drill a hole in the tire, insert a little pin and glue it in. drill hole in base, stick pin in etc. same idea