**** DONE: 1/48 P-38J Lightning 44-23675 "Les Vin, Les Femmes, et Les Chansons"

[ozhawk40]

Hi

I was actually surprised when on going through my video collection I found some film of the operations of the 370th Fighter Group, but not only that, I found a few clips of Les Vins and her pilot (well not 100% sure it's Major Sabo). Here are some screen shots from the video. The interesting thing is the colour of the wing fillets that join the fuselage pod. I previously surmised they were red, but they also appear to have blue stripes. The clips also make it clear that the anti-glare was in fact OD.

I'll need to make a few changes. but that's okay.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Wayne Little]

Great shots Peter, gives you some real good reference to work with.

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks Wayne!

Here's some current progress pics. everything is together, and I'm just concentrating on the details, before getting to the decal stage. Just in the middle of attaching the gear doors and making things a little dirty in the gear bays! 8)


Cheers

Peter

 

[T Bolt]

Nice!

 

[Airframes]

Looking the dog's Peter! And what a great find with the video. Judging from other pics you posted, that looks like your man in the stills.

 

[A4K]

Great work Peter!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Oustanding!

 

[bemay]

fantastic work peter.

 

[Crimea_River]

Lovely!

 

[Wayne Little]

Beautiful!

 

[rochie]

bloody hell Peter give the rest of us a chance will you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

very nice mate

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice one Pete, giving them a run for their money.

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks for the comments guys - appreciated.

bloody hell Peter give the rest of us a chance will you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

very nice mate

Thanks Karl. This build is testing me though, and I've not been showing all my "stuff ups". Try this. I had a batch of pre-mixed future+flat base for the matting. It worked just fine on the B-25 Dirty Dora, but doing Les Vin, this is what happened to the props! No big deal, and window cleaner fixed it up, but multiply this by 50 and I'm beginning to think the modelling god is very angry with me at the moment!

Soooo...with the god in your favour - get back to the workbench before I make a sacrifice to appease her! (hmmmm what make a good sacrifice?)

cheers

Peter

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Mmmmm.......nasty mate, but good outcome. I've just given 'On Go' a try prior to decaling with mixed results, not sure if I should use water, thinners or nothing mixed in with it.

 

[ozhawk40]

Hi Vic

I use nothing to thin, but I must say I am getting better gloss results with gloss enamel ( Humbrol Clear) , but that may be just me - and I may change next build!

I use the One go mixed with acrylic flat base for the final matt coats only after decals and weathering.

Cheers

Peter

 

[ozhawk40]

Okay

Finished off the decals today and tidied up lots of details.

Pic 1 Detailed the undercarriage with a dirty wash.

Pic 2 I added the blue stripes to the red fillet with a brush. The original was a bit rough here so please excuse my efforts. Decals all turned out fine, however the proportions of the nose art were not quite right, so I had to settle for a happy medium. The shoes of the lady should be closer to the front edge of the gun bay access panel.

Pic 3 I added the stick on polished panels on the inside of the front cowls. These were used as mirrors to check that the gear was down.

Pic 4 I added the downward pointing antennae under the nose, as well as the elevator balance weights. I forgot to mention before that I added nose weights, which worked out well because it sits okay without "tail sitting".

Pic 5 Overall view. I did some exhaust staining along the top of the booms and vertical tail surfaces, and painted the navigation/ recognition lights. I've just started to do some dirty wash to the hinges and panel lines. So nearly there. I just need to finish of the gear doors and guns and it will be ready for the final photos. Very soon, fingers crossed.

Cheers

Peter

 

[lesofprimus]

Looks fantastic Peter....

Whats the story with the ? kill??? Noticed it in the other pics and never asked before...

 

[ozhawk40]

Looks fantastic Peter....

Whats the story with the ? kill??? Noticed it in the other pics and never asked before...

Major Sabo was officially credited with 1.33 kills, the others are (I guess) his opinion that he was due a couple more! The combat reports I posted earlier describe at least two other probables.

Cheers

Peter

 

[bemay]

looks fantastic peter!

 

[Wayne Little]

Fine work mate!