Barrel color for the P-38, and powder marks?

[[SC] Arachnicus]

Question one: On the drab top and grey bottomed P-38's. What color were the gun barrels in the front?

Question two. With all the guns on the nose did the firing create powder marks and if so, when did the powder trails look like?


Thanks. Tom

 

[Wurger]

I think these barrles were of oxidated steel colour.

 

[stona]

Not powder marks. The propellants were virtually smokeless. You will see streaking running back from gun ports and barrels because there are all sorts of other things that are ejected frrom a gun barrel besides the projectile. You will often see staining from the cartridge ejection ports too.

My old school method for gun barrels is to paint them black and then brush graphite from a ground pencil lead onto them,giving a metallic sheen.

Steve

 

[Airframes]

In general, if it's a gun barrel, then Steve's method is good. If it's a barrel sleeve, such as the perforated sleeve on a .50 cal or a MG17, then these were black anodised, which after time often tended to take on a slightly brown tinge. For these in most model scales, then a very dark grey, almost black, is adequate. The perforation holes can be touched-in with black, for emphasis, although in small scales this can be tricky!

 

[A4K]

That's good advice from Steve and Terry, especially Terry's comment re the brown tinge (maybe that's why they're called 'Brownings'! Alright, alright, I was just leaving... ).
Colour photos of P-38 barrels bear this out.

 

[[SC] Arachnicus]

A brownish grayish trail on the turbos?

 

[A4K]

In photos I've seen, the whole area around them always seems to be burnt a medium/light brown, even new aircraft in flight testing. Pics up a little later on.

 

[[SC] Arachnicus]

I have a whole new problem now with the plane sitting on it's tail. Apparently it's a common problem. I may be able to remove the instrument panel in the **** pit and feed some lead weights in.

 

[A4K]

You could try supergluing ball bearings or fishing weights in behind the dash via the nose under undercarriage well Tom, seems easier than ripping the dash out.
..and it is indeed a common problem with tricycle undercarriage birds!

 

[[SC] Arachnicus]

It's so frustrating because I spent a lot of time on this model.

 

[A4K]

I hear ya Tom... I think most of us have made that mistake atleast once sadly...

Try what I said though - BBs behind the dash via the undercarriage well, and maybe a simple square of plastic (painted Zinc Chromate and weathered) placed over them to hide them.

Even better if the kit dosen't have the forward wall in the nose well, then you can fill the nose with BBs or lead shot and make the angled wall to cover (which was a feature of the actual machine, seperated the gun bay from the undercarriage well.)

 

[[SC] Arachnicus]

I did it. I had to drill a bigger hole in the front where the props go and put lead shot in that way. It sits the way it's supposed to. Ones the props are on you won't tell what I had to do. Yeah the props won't spin but it will sit right.


Tom

 

[Wurger]

Wasn't it easier to make a base like to made for the FW 190A and attach the model to the one using these three pins?

 

[[SC] Arachnicus]

The stand I made is a "multi-stand. The FW isn't attached. I like to put different planes on it.

 

[A4K]

Good solution with the sit problem Tom!