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

Looks good Robert. Just be sure to seal your decals before the wash, particularly if using oils. If not I've found the wash can wick under the edges of the decals and other undesirable places with bad consequences.

Also as an aside, I reckon a clear coat over a NMF is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you want a weathered finish that looks a bit oxidised and dirty.

By set do you mean with like MicroSol? I always use the MicroSet/MicroSol combo and so far have had very good luck with that combo. Or do you mean clear coating over just the decals before a wash?

Yep, clear coating. It's usually best to protect your decals prior to weathering but not absolutely necessary depending on what techniques you plan to use. As I mentioned above I wouldn't do oil washes over unprotected decals for instance. Also, unsealed decals can sometimes have a different texture/appearance to the surrounding paintwork.

Also, on a metallic painted surface, the decals can sometimes crack and lift at the edges after time, if not sealed with a clear coat. This can be measured in months, or years !
I have a 1/48th scale B-17, built around 24 years ago, where the upper wing decals are starting to crack at the edges, although those on the NMF fuselage and the red-painted fin are fine, as they were clear-coated. Close inspection shows I must have forgotten to clear coat the two wing decals !

Well it is as finished as I can make it! Will be creating the FINISHED thread shortly. The clear coat is on, decided not to do a wash on it. Some of the decals shifted slightly over night but were too well dried for me to moisten and move so I will live with it. The little clear lense in the wing actually pushed into the wing and disappeared, no amount of fishing or shaking will dislodge it so "its out for maintenance".

I destroyed one of the two canopies I got for it. And for the life of me could not get paint to stick to the remaining one, so it is on but unpainted. Eventually I will add the antenna attachment and string once I can figure out how to get it painted.

This build was fun and educational. I would do a lot different now than I did at the start but hey it was a learning experience.

Nice work!