<-- **** DONE: 1/48 P-38J Lightning - Twin Engined Aircraft of WWII

[Airframes]

Yep, I agree. Looks like the instructions got it wrong. Should definitely be horizontal.

 

[Robert Porter]

Instructions seem odd. This is what the radio gear looks like, as in Andy's photo...

View attachment 359050

...I think it's supposed to lay flat on those two posts

Sure looks that way, I wonder why they went to such lengths to call out that part and placement? I will see if I can reorient it and what that does to the fit overall.

 

[fubar57]

A bit hard to make out but this is also a Monogram -38J

 

[Robert Porter]

Yup I am sold! Luckily for me it was only 3 very small points holding it on so I was able to remove it with minimal fuss and have reattached it flat! Thanks for the catch guys!

 

[Wurger]

 

[JKim]

It sounds like you figured it out but I noticed the angle of the radio rack to the headrest bulkhead seems to match the forward cant of the bulkhead. At least in the instructions.

The headrest plate on my Aires set has a forward angle too.

 

[Crimea_River]

That makes more sense.

 

[Robert Porter]

Indeed, the headrest on mine is canted a bit, not as much as yours but all the sides are lined up. Attached is a pic of the repositioned radio.

 

[Robert Porter]

First dry fit before primer and sanding. Its not bad, all the seams close with lite finger pressure.

 

[Robert Porter]

I do have one question, is this flash or an antenna? I don't see it in the instructions but it looks pretty substantial for flash. Before I cut it off I wanted to ask.

 

[Wurger]

To be honest I have never seen a such mast there at any of P-38s. I would say it's the sprue remnant.

 

[JKim]

I think it is a built-in kickstand for a tail-sitting model. Unless you put weights forward of the center of gravity, the model will sit on its tail due to the booms.

 

[Airframes]

Yes, that's exactly what it is. Cut it off, and lightly sand the area to match the fin contours.
Just make sure you put plenty of weight in the nose, checking that it is enough by doing a balance test, before closing the nose, by balancing the model by the wing tips, on the tips of your fingers, if the nose doesn't drop, add more weight !
Also, do a test fit of the cockpit / radio assembly, to ensure that it all lines up correctly.

 

[Robert Porter]

Just waiting for the radio to setup and then its going into the test fit as well. And thanks all the sprue mast is coming off. I have a ton of old fishing sinkers, the kind that you squeeze onto a line, so I have been mashing them into various size balls to offset the weight issue.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[Robert Porter]

I was digging around and found my fathers old furnace that he used to melt linotype and lead car wheel weights in to then cast first into ingots and then into bullets for hand loading his target ammo. I remember spending hours watching him make an entire rifle, handgun, or shotgun shell. He still had the ingot molds and I found some various shaped molds at a yard sale (same one I got the mitre box at). Fired it up and dang if it does not still work. Smoked like crazy for awhile but there was about an inch of solidified lead still in it which melted and poured just fine! After adding a little flux.

 

[Robert Porter]

I noticed when I painted the landing gear bay doors that I had some serious injector pin marks. At least thats what I think they are. These are on a convex surface so will be interesting to sand, but any advice on how best to fill them? I have attached pics below.

Also noticed the handy dandy copyright statement that I will have to sand off. Question there is how to recreate the raised detail?

 

[Wurger]

The ejector pin marks have to be filled with some of a putty and then sanded in order to get the flat surface. If these aren't too deep you may use a scalpel blade and scratch them off.

As far as the copyright statement is concerned you can sand it down without destroying of the raised details.

 

[Crimea_River]

I use CA glue and a rounded file for those. Much faster.

 

[Robert Porter]

The ejector pin marks have to be filled with some of a putty and then sanded in order to get the flat surface. If these aren't too deep you may use a scalpel blade and scratch them off.

As far as the copyright statement is concerned you can sand it down without destroying of the raised details.

I have several putty's so will try that, I think I am going to need a piece of dowel to wrap some sand paper on as I don't have any round files or sanding sticks. The raised copyright I am going to try and sand down with a small stick and see if I can avoid the raised detail.