Finished: P-38L-5-LO Lightning

Beautiful build and finish!  Those bare metal finishes scare the heck out of me.

Mike

I'm speechless. It's just awesome!

MaxPower wrote:

Oh I know guys I'm telling you I almost gave up on that kit a few times but it cost so much money I was too cheap too! The engines into the boomes... terrible fit. The booms to the wings... terrible fit. Every seam I sanded required replacing rivets. Gah!! I didn't get excited about the kit untill the first coat of Alclad was on it. It was my first Trumpter. Tell me they are not all like that?

It may be the nature of the beast, the P38's complex airframe arraingment has dogged modelers from the git go. I have the old Revell 32nd P38 and the wing, boom, nacelle layout causes heartaches on final assem here too, the problem is less marked in smaller scales.  That said your build is surely a very fine example of the craft.  The finish is incredable, guess I know what I'll be using on my Hasa 32nd P47.

Great finish on the P-38. Built that kit last year myself, became known around the house as the beast. I'd come in from working on it, Mumbling and grumbling, and the wife would say the beast bit me again. Did finish it, not nearly as nice as yours but got done noe the less.

-Stephen

Stunning looking lightning.

From the finish you've achieved, I'd never guess you had any issues at all.

Karl

Wow, what a shine! I'm assuming that's the alclad polished aluminum showing off those reflective capabilities?

Outstanding work! Your p-38 is such a beautiful plane!

Im not really sure I can add anything to the critique of the aircraft, I think all bases are covered as far as how beautiful it is. Really just an amazing peice of work, I would however like to add that I very much like the look of the pictures, the majority of us go for a very bright almost sterile look that shows off every tiny detail, you definitely taught me something, the lower light level and darker color background really adds some nice dramatic shadows that do wonders for the lines of the aircraft. Great job all around

TLP

Wow this thread came back to life!! Thanks everybody.

I did start another thread about the model contest but it didn't do well so just to mention here the Lightning took a silver and Best Natural Metal Finish!!! It was a great day. The awards were almost as much fun to win as spending the day with my daughter was!

jmabx I know you asked about NMFs the other day. That link Swanny posted? I followed his instructions to the letter, using the gloss black Krylon as a base coat.

TLP I allways take very blah pictures on my dinningroom table. You can see my house in the background and it just takes the focus off the model. So I wanted to take better pics. I didn't have any paper to use as a background. I had 2 sheets, one grey the other blue. I found the grey sheet didn't contrast well with the model. Also too much flash was bad. (hence the darker look) This was my first try at taking ok pictures. I thought they made the model stand out well and I liked the way colour of the reflections off the paint. So thanks very much!!

Alclad takes second place when I enter .