**** DONE: GB-56 1/48 P-38G - Thunderbolts and Lightnings

[Vic Balshaw]

Always think the weighing down of noses a dodgy business, its always a hit or miss if you have enough weight, then you add just a little more and worry if the nose wheel will take it. Nice work though, hope it's enough.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Davecww1]

Not too worried about the weight, I did an Academy P-38 with open gun bay and extended nose gear. I filled both engine compartments with a mixture of clay and lead pellets until I couldn't fit any more in! I reinforced all 3 landing gears by drilling them out and adding brass rods, and it sat nicely on all 3 wheels with the tail tilted back. So if I need a little more weight I can just add some more lead to the engine compartment around where the ball bearing goes.

 

[Davecww1]

Started the landing gear bays, for the aluminum painted bay it should actually be 3 different colors, the upper bay piece is stainless steel up to the forward step, that part was painted zinc chromate primer. Both sidewalls were aluminum, along with the end bulkheads and most of the details. The inner doors were also aluminum paint.

 

[fubar57]

Very nice

 

[Wurger]

 

[Davecww1]

Glued the rear armor plate and headrest in, then attached the upper wing to the lower part with the gun bay, all fits together nicely, and glue was finally added locking them together nicely. No gaps so far to worry about, will need to sand down the fuselage top and bottom seam before painting.

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

very nice

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[dneid]

I was very tempted with the resin gun bay. I stepped back and decided to build the bird mostly stock with the Quinta bits in the cockpit. You are doing a lovely job on your build.

 

[Davecww1]

I was very tempted with the resin gun bay. I stepped back and decided to build the bird mostly stock with the Quinta bits in the cockpit. You are doing a lovely job on your build.

Thanks very much. When I recently did the J version I spent the time to add all of the hydraulic lines to the landing gear bay. But with the opened gun bay I will skip doing that as all of the detail will be seen from the top side, may even mount it to a base. The Eduard gun bay set is definitely a worthwhile set, much more detail than in the old Monogram kit.

 

[Davecww1]

Some more weight is added right behind the metal ball in the engine compartment, just don't put too much weight there or the oil coolers won't fit.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Davecww1]

Did some work on the intake/turbocharger area, first drilled out the scoops (easier to do while they are still on the sprue) and cut off the turbocharger blast tube and carved it out to match standard performance modification done in the Pacific.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice details.

 

[Davecww1]

First try at chipping, looks good to me, might try to add a couple of spots of olive drab to blend it in a bit.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks good.