1/48 P-38 Lightning

[muller]

Don't know if you can get Mr Muscle oven cleaner in the States, but if you spray it with that, it removes all the paint so you can start over. But don't forget to mask your pilot and interior.

 

[Maglar]

Its good. The first re-spray I used cotton balls and stuffed them tight in there, nice and efficient mask. Also learning my airbrush better.. more control over paint flow and its spray.[AKA less glops, but I always shoot off the model then work into it to avoid those damn paint glops]

 

[Wayne Little]

Clean the nozzle tip regularly if you have build up,...to avoid the dreaded paint splatter effect!

 

[Maglar]

I know of that but it still shoots splatter even when the tip is as clean as a polished floor. Aztek.. I do love how I have an electric compressor though.. plug and go

 

[ppopsie]

Good old Monogram kits. In 60's and early 70's the imported Monogram kits were the most expensive airplane kit items in hobby shops in Japan.

Especially, the 1/48 P-38 kit having with allay of optional parts allowing the conversions for the day fighter, the night fighter, the photo-recce and the pathfinder, was the champion. They cost about 1200 Yen in those days which is probably equal today's 10000 Yen or more.

Up to that time the standard scale for the medium sized airplane models in Japan was 1/50, probably originated from then dwindled handcrafted models based on the metric measurements. The 1/48 scale accompanied with imported foreign kits as represented by the Monogram's seemed to have expelled the 1/50 scale ever since.

Indeed there were a host of plastic kits sold from Japanese makers at that time but the details and the quality (and the air) never match the Monograms'. It is hard to explain the excitement of buying one which was expensive for a boy's money and maybe one per a year at most, and opening the box to see the highly detailed parts though in a little messy condition. I still love that feeling and miss it a lot.

 

[Maglar]

Thank you for sharing your story. And yes old, but some are non-quality kits. Luckily this once has good dry-fits and needs very little "pre paint" work. Slow progress guys, have a 5-day school week

 

[Maglar]

Ok heres some progress. I observed that the long spike on the bottom tail (in picture) could possibly be to counter a "tail sitter" which would be awesome. I'm still putting fishing weights in the front of both tails since it seems they will fit, if I get enough weight I might cut off the long spike to enhance the look, not decided yet. The tails are ready to be sprayed, the wheels are done, and the main body received a nice re-spray.

 

[109ROAMING]

8)

 

[Airframes]

Good work so far. You should be able to get enough weight in the engine nacelles, forward of the gear, and also under the guns in the nose.

 

[Maglar]

The last pic shows why you don't rush things, but it will be gloss coted and look fine for me. The next build will be better

 

[ccheese]

Just saw this today. Looks like it's going to be a good build. Keep up the
good work...

Charles

 

[muller]

Looking good Maglar! 8) You did a fine job painting those wheels!

 

[Maglar]

thanks all.. tomorrow night I should get way more done, the rest of this night is for studying!

 

[Wayne Little]

Good stuff Maglar doin' ok.....

 

[Heinz]

Gteat work so far

 

[Maglar]

To go forward, you must step back... yeah. The booms made it on put I saw some gaps and filled them with milliput. At doing this, the paint job around lifted then my hand grabbed the sand paper and started going nuts all over the plane . Atleast the particles and gunk are gone, some rivets might have been scratched but at this point I dont care. I will be glad to give it its final spray job once the milliput hardens and I sand it out, I think I will finish the rest of the plane though. This is probably my worst job on a model since start, but it seems a lot of people have stored their P-38s in the 'cabinet'. This is also my first time using an airbrush to its full use and I jumped the gun, the next plane will be sprayed after its complete

 

[Airframes]

That's not at all bad, especially as the P38 is not the easiest model to get right. Everyone has their own way of doing things, but it's generally easier to paint the whole model after the main assembly, leaving off such things as wheels, props, antenna etc., as you've found out! This is even more important when a 'natural metal' finish is required, as anything like cement, thinner, filler and so on will damage the paint. But, from what I see, I reckon you'll still get a reasonable finish. Good work.

 

[Maglar]

You can add "finger contact" to the list.. its sticky when it meets your fingers and it just pulls on the paint, damn metallic!

 

[Lucky13]

Love the P-38 and this one really looks the part! Nice going mate, looking forward to more pics!

 

[Maglar]

Put some weights in the booms, didnt need it in the gun area.. weights are a perfect fit, next is a respray and we're almost there!