Well, Murph, I agree. Several versions of the P-38 are long overdue. I do have a Hasegawa P-38J in my stash that will eventually be done up as "Yippee", but an earlier version, like a P-38E (Glacier Girl) and a P-38M night fighter in 1/48 scale would be top sellers.

I agree,long overdue

I'm really hoping Tamiya will do one. They would be printing money even if they came in at a $69-$79 price tag. Look at how their F-14 is selling.

I'd prefer to pay $40 or less for it, but that's not realistic.

But if we can have good P-61s, Fw-189s and those sorts of things, why not a P-38?!

-BD-

Couldn't agree more, it's long overdue. Are you listening Tamiya?

I built the Academy 1/48 P-38 as a comission a while back and it is a very nice model to build having good fitting parts. As I recall I used maybe a dab of PPP as filler on one of the boom to wing joins but otherwise no filler.

The old Dragon 1/72 P-38s are also pretty decent. The 1/32 Trumpeter P-38 has some nice detailing but have read about fitting issues and other issues about the engines.

I do agree if Tamiya would come out with one it will be with the usual excellent quality with glove fitting parts.

Does seem like a no-brainer eh!?!

I've built the Monogram and Hasegawa kit a few times and there's nothing a little elbow grease won't take care of. Still I certainly wouldn't pass by a better quality kit.

Steve, thanks! One I haven't built is the Academy, I'll give it a look next time I want to build a P-38.

Which kit does not have those huge rivets all over the wings and fuselage?

Maybe Revell will bring one out along the lines of the recent offerings (RoG) of the FW190 and others, nice detail and in the $35-40 range, although most of the new offerings that I've seen are in 1/32

No, Lockheed built 10,000 of them.

That’s encouraging about the Academy Lightning’s. They do make most of the entire family in 1/48. Or at least they did at one time. I have a few in my stash. From what I’ve read, the new Hobby Boss 1/48 P-38 in their easy kit line is supposed to be the kit to beat currently, at least as far as alignment and engineering go. But they only make a J/L. I suppose that one could convert it into other versions using parts off of the Academy or Monogram kits for the recon, bombardier, or night fighter variants.

I have built the old Monogram many times in my time, and I recently built the Academy. I did the Monogram Pro-Modeler about a decade ago; that kit seemed to be a really good one. Who was the original manufacturer? I have never built the Hasegawa but considered picking that one up at one time or another. I also have done Revell's old 1/32 kit a few times, but never the Trumpeter offering.

Now if Tamiya was to release a Lightning in their usual quality, I would certainly grab it. Even though I don't have much room to display yet another P-38.

Aggieman

I have built the old Monogram many times in my time, and I recently built the Academy. I did the Monogram Pro-Modeler about a decade ago; that kit seemed to be a really good one. Who was the original manufacturer? I have never built the Hasegawa but considered picking that one up at one time or another. I also have done Revell's old 1/32 kit a few times, but never the Trumpeter offering.

Now if Tamiya was to release a Lightning in their usual quality, I would certainly grab it. Even though I don't have much room to display yet another P-38.

 

In 1/48 there are plenty of choices. Even if you eliminate the Revellogram 60’s vintage kit, the older and OOP Aurora kit, and the Nichomo kit...

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=Lockheed+P-38+Lightning&fkSECTION%5B%5D=Kits&fkTYPENAME%5B%5D=%22Full%20kits%22&fkSCALE%5B%5D=%221:48%22

you can’t tell me that none of the rest of these are workable...

I'm currently building the monogram P-38. Lot's of work to do on the nose, fit was awful. The rest is going together okay but the canopy is going to be interesting to work with. Not really a fan of a five part canopy. I'm doing the Maj. Bong version. I would not buy this kit to build the other versions, I'd buy a better quality kit probably the Academy one.

stikpusher

In 1/48 there are plenty of choices. Even if you eliminate the Revellogram 60’s vintage kit, the older and OOP Aurora kit, and the Nichomo kit...

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=Lockheed+P-38+Lightning&fkSECTION%5B%5D=Kits&fkTYPENAME%5B%5D=%22Full%20kits%22&fkSCALE%5B%5D=%221:48%22

 

you can’t tell me that none of the rest of these are workable...

 

Can't argue with you Stik,plenty of kits out there,just would love to see something "new tooled" Tamiya,Eduard,Airfix,or GWH would fit rhe bill for me.

Just spoiled I guess 

GMorrison

No, Lockheed built 10,000 of them.

 

Don't forget the millions and millions of the 38 stroke opening device for "C" rat cans.

fotofrank

Well, Murph, I agree. Several versions of the P-38 are long overdue. I do have a Hasegawa P-38J in my stash that will eventually be done up as "Yippee", but an earlier version, like a P-38E (Glacier Girl) and a P-38M night fighter in 1/48 scale would be top sellers.

 

stikpusher

In 1/48 there are plenty of choices. Even if you eliminate the Revellogram 60’s vintage kit, the older and OOP Aurora kit, and the Nichomo kit...

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=Lockheed+P-38+Lightning&fkSECTION%5B%5D=Kits&fkTYPENAME%5B%5D=%22Full%20kits%22&fkSCALE%5B%5D=%221:48%22

 

you can’t tell me that none of the rest of these are workable...

 

I have this fuzzy rememory from the early 7s of a P-38 kit that had optional parts for six or seven different versions.  I distinctly remember the "bombardier nose" and the piggyback cockpit.

I seem to remember that many of those versions were actually incompatible for variations in engine cowlings, wing spans or widths or some such.  But that was later, when research became as important as building.

Really heavy rivets, too, if memory serves (and it might not).

But, yeah, the Lightning deserves some modern representation.

So, knowing how wacky the market is, that means likely there will be three 1/32 examples of the same variant all out at once.  No matter that the customers would rather hae 1/48

CapnMac82

I have this fuzzy rememory from the early 7s of a P-38 kit that had optional parts for six or seven different versions.  I distinctly remember the "bombardier nose" and the piggyback cockpit.

I seem to remember that many of those versions were actually incompatible for variations in engine cowlings, wing spans or widths or some such.  But that was later, when research became as important as building.

Really heavy rivets, too, if memory serves (and it might not).

But, yeah, the Lightning deserves some modern representation.

So, knowing how wacky the market is, that means likely there will be three 1/32 examples of the same variant all out at once.  No matter that the customers would rather hae 1/48

 

Could be the Monogram kit. It has parts and instructions to cut and modify the model for the nightfighter and pathfinder versions. I have no idea what the Nichimo or Aurora kits were like though. 

It was one of the first 'serious' models I ever built.

Murphy's Law

 

 

stikpusher

In 1/48 there are plenty of choices. Even if you eliminate the Revellogram 60’s vintage kit, the older and OOP Aurora kit, and the Nichomo kit...

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=Lockheed+P-38+Lightning&fkSECTION%5B%5D=Kits&fkTYPENAME%5B%5D=%22Full%20kits%22&fkSCALE%5B%5D=%221:48%22

 

you can’t tell me that none of the rest of these are workable...

 

 

 

 

Oh I'm very aware there are numerous kits out there but nothing is "newly tooled" like I was saying in my OP. To my understanding from all I have read the kits availble out there now are mediocre at best. Even with the decent kits it seems it's hit or miss if you get good booms, tail alingnment, etc.  I consider myself pretty good at body work but there isn't much one can do if one boom is pointing up and the other down from warpage. I guess it's just wishful thinking, I just know what a company like Tamiya, Hasegawa, Airfix etc. are now capable of.

 

 

Look at the other major players in the WWII fighter game in the past, say, 10 years.

Bf-109G: Zvezda, Tamiya, Eduard have all released new tools.
Spitfire: Airfix, Eduard
P-51D: Airfix, Meng, with Eduard coming next year
Fw-190: Eduard and, again, Eduard. They are competing with their own tooling with a new tooling because they sell so well.

That's just off the top of my head, and with the P-51, Tamiya already had a boxing from the '90s that beats the pants off of any P-38 in 1/48 quality-wise. But other manufacturers still kit them because they are so lucrative. I can't imagine that a good P-38 wouldn't sell a ton. At this point, I think it's the worst-represented major WWII fighter in kit form. We have two new-tool Boulton Paul Defiants, but no P-38 up to today's standards? That's crazy to me.

But I'll go build my Hasegawa, because as soon as I get really into it, I'm sure Tamiya will drop one.

-BD-

Murph ;

 Here's some bad news for you and all P-38 officianados . You'll NEVER see one of these or variants from TAMIYA .The reason ? I had heard many years ago that the owner of the company would not allow his firm to manufacture a model of the plane that brought Yamamoto down !

  Or is that somebody else ? That's how long it's been since I heard that . I am not sure if it was scuttlebutt either !

Tanker - Builder

Murph ;

 Here's some bad news for you and all P-38 officianados . You'll NEVER see one of these or variants from TAMIYA .The reason ? I had heard many years ago that the owner of the company would not allow his firm to manufacture a model of the plane that brought Yamamoto down !

  Or is that somebody else ? That's how long it's been since I heard that . I am not sure if it was scuttlebutt either !

 

Murphy's Law

 

 

Tanker - Builder

Murph ;

 Here's some bad news for you and all P-38 officianados . You'll NEVER see one of these or variants from TAMIYA .The reason ? I had heard many years ago that the owner of the company would not allow his firm to manufacture a model of the plane that brought Yamamoto down !

  Or is that somebody else ? That's how long it's been since I heard that . I am not sure if it was scuttlebutt either !

 

 

 

 

Not saying you didn’t hear that but I think thats total hogwash.. The Corsair did more damage to the Japanese than one P-38 taking Yamamoto down and they make plenty of Corsair variants. 

 

 

True, But Mr.Tamiya has a certain outlook towards certain items of US WWII hardware. A gentlemen I know who had professional contact with Mr Tamiya was told by him that Tamiya would never do a B-29 kit. Ever. The P-38 inflicted a similar particular injury upon Japan, so I would not dismiss that outright. It’s not the amount of damage inflicted, it is the specifics of the events.

In the meantime, we can build what’s out there and to the best of our own capabilities while doing so. Or we can wait on a hopefully maybe someday somebody will come out with one....

stikpusher

 

 

Murphy's Law

 

 

Tanker - Builder

Murph ;

 Here's some bad news for you and all P-38 officianados . You'll NEVER see one of these or variants from TAMIYA .The reason ? I had heard many years ago that the owner of the company would not allow his firm to manufacture a model of the plane that brought Yamamoto down !

  Or is that somebody else ? That's how long it's been since I heard that . I am not sure if it was scuttlebutt either !

 

 

 

 

Not saying you didn’t hear that but I think thats total hogwash.. The Corsair did more damage to the Japanese than one P-38 taking Yamamoto down and they make plenty of Corsair variants. 

 

 

 

 

 

True, But Mr.Tamiya has a certain outlook towards certain items of US WWII hardware. A gentlemen I know who had professional contact with Mr Tamiya was told by him that Tamiya would never do a B-29 kit. Ever. The P-38 inflicted a similar particular injury upon Japan, so I would not dismiss that outright. It’s not the amount of damage inflicted, it is the specifics of the events.

 

In the meantime, we can build what’s out there and to the best of our own capabilities while doing so. Or we can wait on a hopefully maybe someday somebody will come out with one....

 

I'd love a Tamiya BB-39!