P-38 GB

Yes that is another sore spot on this kit. The pilots seat is riddled with ejector pin markings than are not easily filled. The seat belts are not included in the photo etch either, just the buckles so the have to be scratch made. There are also pour stubs on the inside of the wing cavity where the control surfaces are suppose to fit they are very hard to remove without damaging the cavity because they are on the inside of the curve. If you do  not remove them completly they will not allow the control surfaces to fit flush in the cavity. The cooler housings on the booms do not even come close to fitting. I thinned them out as much as I could but they still did not sit flush. The are also do not fit very well in the cut outs on the boom for them. I plan on just filling it all in with putty and sanding all down until the seams are gone. Unfortunalty all of the rivet detail will be history. So far the only high spot is the cockpit. It is very nicely detail and the fit is pretty good. I am determend to finish this big boy even with all of its flaws. The huge size of the kit will probally draw alot of attention away from its shortcomings. I'm going to try and fit the outer wing panels tonight. I will post some more pics when I finish with this.

                                                               Soulcrusher

Man I'm glad to see your right there with me NucMedTech. This kit is a real monster. Progress seems to be measured in weeks instead of days. I have been moving along with my build alot slow than most reguardless of the size and complexity. I have fallen under the spell of a beautifull woman and have my modeling time has been substantially cut into. {I'm not complaning believe me!} I still am trying to keep my commitment to this group build and have made some good progress on this monster of a kit. A word of advice there NucMedTech. Take all of the photo etch hinges and toss them in the garbage glue the control surfaces in the desired position. They do not allow the control surfaces to fit properly and they just hang limp in the hinges. I though about posing the flaps in the down position but I can not find any pictures of parked p-38's with the flaps deployed. So I am gluing mine in the up position. Here are a couple of pics. Lets not let this GB fall by the way side. I will try to post more pics even if the progress is small. Here are a couple of pics.

                                                               Soulcrusher

Helllooo, Anybody still here? Well its been about a month since anyone has posted anything and we slipped down to the third page in the forums. Fortunately I have completed the In my Stash GB and I'm now able to give full attention to my P-38. So here is what I've been able to accomplish this weekend.

I have to go to H-L to get some brass sheets and then I'll try to open the nacelles so you can see the engines.

Thanks for the info... I decided on the 1/48 Revell-Monogram Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Kit #5479- Bong's Marge Option. Not very original, but plenty info out there... seems I will get my "learning" bit on the sanding/fitting part! I look forward to this, I love the plane lines... here is some background info I dug up during my preliminary research, my apologies if this is "old news" in here, can't think of anything else i can contribute at the momment! :)

Kit Reviews:http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/Reviews/usaaf/p-38j_48.htm

Dick Bong's brief bio blurbs

http://www.bongheritagecenter.org/dickbong/

http://p38assn.org/aces/dick-bong.htm

Wild Bill" Boyd  http://www.p38.com/

Museums with P-38s - http://home.golden.net/~dclass/devils/38museum/p38musem.html

http://www.americanwings.org/aircraft1.htm

Basic plane info:http://www.bongheritagecenter.org/p38/?trigger=about_us

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p38registry/p38registry.html

Photo Databases

http://www.p38.com/images2.cfm

http://www.48thfs.org/    - Click on PHOTO GALLERY; second panel from the top

http://www.1stfighter.org/photos/photos.html  - Includes NOSE ART section and VIDEOS section

http://home.golden.net/~dclass/devils/

http://www.p38assn.org/gallery.htm  - includes COCKPIT views and COLOR pics

http://www.475thfghf.org/nose_art_1.htm - 2 pages of NOSE ART

http://www.projectlightning.org/ - click on PROPAGANDA tab to see war-era as posters... click on VIDEOS too

JMart-
I am in the final stages of the Revell P-38.  I have done this one several times as different variants and it is the same kit every time.  The nose can be a challenge (I sanded completely and rescribbed this time).  The booms are hit or miss but even when they hit some work is needed to hide the joints.  I had problems with the canopy more this time but that is partially due to the M that I am building (I was off a little bit when fitting the rear cockpit) but the canopy is a bit off as well.

If you keep the shortcommings of the kit in mind when you build it, you can make a pretty good three footer for sure.  I am certianly no master modeler my self.  I don't get to build often enough to retain much of what I learn on each kit but my models do seem to be better than they were 20 years ago (Yes, I have been building for that long, 30 really, and I am still a hack but it is always fun).

Just have fun whichever you build and it will be the best model that you have built so far. 

JMart wrote:

NucMedTech, ww2modeler - Thanks for the welcome; (David) hope you enjoyed DW, been there done that couple times! I already have couple questions... upon reading some background info on the Revell kit and looking at the parts, seems I am in for some sanding/fitting "practice" (which is fine!). However, I was just given the 1/48 MONOGRAM PRO MODELER P-38F/G/H LIGHTNING kit... should I start with that one instead? (I took a 30 year break from modeling... newbie basically!). Also.. the wheels look a tad large? Off scale? Thanks, Jim

I'm sure a couple of others will help me out on this, personally I'd start out with the revell kit, learn from it, make mistakes and practice some skills such as filling, sanding, airbrushing (if you have one), and weathering. Then if you goof, it will be on the worse kit so that you won't make that mistake on the Pro Modeler one.

Just my advice,

David

NucMedTech, ww2modeler - Thanks for the welcome; (David) hope you enjoyed DW, been there done that couple times!

I already have couple questions... upon reading some background info on the Revell kit and looking at the parts, seems I am in for some sanding/fitting "practice" (which is fine!). However, I was just given the 1/48 MONOGRAM PRO MODELER P-38F/G/H LIGHTNING kit... should I start with that one instead? (I took a 30 year break from modeling... newbie basically!).

Also.. the wheels look a tad large? Off scale?

Thanks, Jim

JMart wrote:

Greetings... newbie here, back to the hobby ... building first kit in 30 years (Revell P51D 1:48), which Im trying to put in the Revell GB... my other open kit is the Revell 1:48 P-38J kit. Only progress so far has been filling in ejector holes (sp?) and priming of parts . Could I join this GB? Complete novice here, but having fun and learning... Thanks!

Sure you can, sorry for delay in replying but I've been at Disney with the family.

David

Welcome back to the hobby.

I'm not the moderator of this GB But I would think as long as its a P-38 it should be okay.

Nice stable of Lightnings you have there.  It reminds me of my goal of one day building all four versions from the R/M kit and displaying them.

I saw your post in the A/C forum and I have to agree with you about this kit, even with it's headaches it is a fun kit.  Your droop is a good example of what can be done with one.

I finished up my Revell Droop Snoot.

Here it is with the Academy F-5 and the Hasegawa P-38J

Wow, that paint job is awesome, and the invasion stripes look fabulous.

Can't wait to see the finished build

David

aggieman & nucmedtech nice work. I was able to get some work done on my Revell Droop Snoot. I got it painted. I need to gloss it to get it ready for decals. I'm doing EZE DOES IT from the 20th FG.

Bad news, I lost the side windows for my Monogram kit and I lost the instructions for my Academy kit.  Can any one out there help with this?

Aggieman-
I am guessing the the Promodeler kit uses the same plastic as the kit that I am building right now, or does it use sombody else's molds?  Mine had more problems at the nose than the booms.  Very nice kit, very nice build!  To me, it looks ready for preflight.

NucMedTech-
My monitor is horribly dark so It is hard to see the engine details but I think that you really need to open the cowls on that 'Devil.  That is great work and doesnot need to be hidden.

Aggieman-Great model and an impressive scorecard to go with it!

I got another step done this weekend with the engines. I think this pretty much finishes them now I get to start on the landing gear and wheel wells. Here are the progress pics so far.

Let me know if I need to fix anything, thanks for your help and comments.

Well, I'm done and have pictures for everyone.  As a reminder, the kit is the Monogram Pro-Modeler P-38E in 1/48.  I've built lots of the Pro-Modeler kits.  This one was the worst that I've encountered.  There were some fit issues particularly the wing roots to the booms, and the canopy didn't want to go together either, but that was probably more a factor of the canopy design and my modeling skills rather than a deficiency in the kit itself.

My photographic skills seem to vary, and these are not among my best efforts.  I did a good bit of weathering - mostly with a wash but also some pastels to effect the discharge from the superchargers, but I don't think that the pictures really show this level of detail.

Since the pictures were taken, I've managed to dislodge one of the antenna wires and am getting very frustrated in my attempts to re-attach it. 

Hi Espins,

     The engines came with the kit, we are not allowed AM products in this GB. There is more to go with the engines, hopefully I'll get more done tomorrow so I can post more pics. These engines are really detailed(from looking at the instructions), unfortunately they can not be seen when the nacells are closed up. Which is why I'm trying to figure a way to open them up without destroying the model. I appreciate your interest and if you have any ideas let me know. 

Aggieman-
Very nice kit!  It looks as if they got the panel detail just about right.  I am looking foreward to seeing your finished work.

I am right there with you!  Only today I have the CU/CSUgame.  I'd be there at the game, but my nephew was not able to get enough tickets (he is a freshman, Right Guard #73 with CU).  So it is watching the game on TV for me.  Don't worry about CU giving A&M a run in the Big 12.  We have a re-building year ahead of us.  But now that College Football is here, Saturdays might suffer some as far as model work goes.  But then, thanks to ESPN, I might get a good deal done....

It may very well continue to be a rebuilding process in Boulder, but you guys did manage to hire a good coach who I believe will probably have the Buffs returning to prominence about the time that the Buffs and Ags are scheduled to play a regular season game again, next season.

I recently got a small LCD TV to put into the garage where I have my workshop with the college football season in mind.  I'll just hook it up to one of the receivers in the house and turn on football.  I'll get to have my cake and eat it too, in that I'll be able to watch football and build at the same time, at least when family matters don't take priority.

Aggieman wrote:

I have to be in College Station Saturday to witness the opening of college football season, A&M style.

I am right there with you!  Only today I have the CU/CSUgame.  I'd be there at the game, but my nephew was not able to get enough tickets (he is a freshman, Right Guard #73 with CU).  So it is watching the game on TV for me.  Don't worry about CU giving A&M a run in the Big 12.  We have a re-building year ahead of us.  But now that College Football is here, Saturdays might suffer some as far as model work goes.  But then, thanks to ESPN, I might get a good deal done....

NucMedTech - thanks for the praise.  I hope to have a completed build to show off over this holiday weekend, but .... along with family obligations (not that these things are "obligations") I have to be in College Station Saturday to witness the opening of college football season, A&M style.

That's a nice set of engines you have in progress there!

Aggieman- Your P-38 looks real good. Looks like your close to the finish. Keep up the good work.

Soulcrusher- Sorry to hear about your problems, but thank you for blazing the trail for me. I don't think I'll catch up with you any time soon. I keep looking ahead to see how to open up the boom to show the engine detail.

Speaking of which here are pics of the engines.

This was just the first step, still have a lot to go.