GB-41 1/48 P-38L - PTO from 1937

[le_steph40]

Username: Le_steph40
First name: Stéphane (Stéph)
Category: advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Academy 2215
Model Type: Lockheed P-38L Lightning
Aftermarket addons: True Details cockpit set, QuickBoost air intakes & supercharger and maybe Ultracast wheel set.

The kit: in box details here: Academy 12282 P-38J COMBINATION VERSION

True Details cockpit set

QuickBoost air intakes & supercharger

And maybe Ultracast wheel set

 

[Jock Tamson]

Great choice!

I look forward to seeing it started.

Cheers Greg

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

My subject is P-38L-1-LO "yellow 42", sn 44-23964 from 49FG/8FS based at Tacloban during October/November 1944. This aircraft was Mjr Richard I. Bong's personal mount as gunnery instructor and claimed 5 victories while flying this aircraft (29, 30, 34, 35 & 36).


I didn't find any picture of the tail of this aircraft, so, I added the serial number on this illustration; I thought it was more common for the period. => This illustration is wrong

Correction of the post => Here is the "real" P-38L-1-LO SN44-23964 number unknown flown for the missions on 10 October, 10 and 11 November 1944.


Here is P-38J "yellow 42" probably (?) flown for the missions on 27 and 28 October 1944 => A P-38J is noted in his logbook at this date


As you can see, this P-38L is an early L series: it seems that the landing light is under the left wing and not on the leading edge; no booster fuel pump visible and a very dark color at the bottom of the front landing gear. Also, I think that the anti-glare is black but not olive drab...
Ready to start !

Edit: I think it's a booster fuel pump that we can see behind the man's left shoulder on the 1st photo...
Re-edit: finally it's not a booster fuel pump
Re-Re-edit: after some researches, this P-38 "Yellow 42" is a P-38J flown late in October 1944, not a P-38L. The P-38L SN44-23964 flown on 10 October and 10 & 11 November 1944 have an unknown tactical number => This is the reason why I modified this post

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

The problems begin
The armor plate of the cockpit set is not straight and with defects: a hole under the headrest and a "walk" (it looks like a duplicate) in the molding behind the headrest.
I tried to fill the holl with putty but with no success, it does not paste with the resin


I think to cut the back part and use the kit part for the armor plate/headrest

 

[Wurger]

It appears that the armour plate could be slanting slightly... additionallt there wasn't the headrest mostly. IMHO the resin detail seems to be fine with that. The armour plate without the headrest was used with later Lightnings of the flat windshield while the headrest can be found in the cocpits of the early-curved windscreen planes.

the pic sources:
Lockheed P-38 Lightning World War II USAAF fighter | World War Photos
Roger Weatherbee - Wednesday, September 26th, 2012
P-38 "Miss Virginia"

 

[Wurger]

... with defects: a hole under the headrest and a "walk" (it looks like a duplicate) in the molding behind the headrest.
I tried to fill the holl with putty but with no success, it does not paste with the resin

If you want to fill a hole in the resin parts you have to use either the epoxy or a CA glue. Because you filled the hole with the putty and it has already been hardened you may use the CA glue for that. Just apply some of it into the hole to fill the gap. Then, level out the surface with sandpaper or Debonder.

 

[fubar57]

Looking forward to it Steph. Good info Wojtek

 

[T Bolt]

Good one Steph

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[SANCER]

I like the P-38, she get a very innovative design. Good start Steph.
I will pay attention to your thread, because I have to make one of these. To see how the P-38 of the Academy brand behaves.

Saludos

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

I started to paint the cockpit.


Until it dries, I'm going to fill some structures lines on the wings (in blue) but I've a doubt for one... But, all my docs give this detail .


Does anybody have an idea regarding the very dark color at the bottom of the front landing gear ?


Another point regarding wheel wells color I thought to paint it neutral grey or alu (Lockheed painting) but I read somewhere (I don't know where ) that it could be repainted interior green or yellow zinc chromate in PTO to prevent corrosion... Several P-38 in NMF show dark color in the wheel wells... Any opinion ?

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Steph.
At a guess, I'd say the landing gear wheel yoke was probably dark metallic grey.

 

[Crimea_River]

No idea.

 

[fubar57]

Neutral grey is a colour I recall for the gear

EDIT: a quick check through references show the gear and gear well could be in underside colour, Neutral Grey, aluminum and a combination of both. Heading out the door now but I'll dig deeper later

 

[Crimea_River]

From Squadron Walkaround. Wheel wells and struts the same colour. I would even guess zinc chromate???

 

[Wurger]

IMHO, in all B&W pics above, the oleos and the wheel bays with doors were of the Neutral Grey colour.
The colour shot is incorrect with the tone because of the Sun and mud/dirt there that gave the more orange-yellowish tinge of the parts. The enlarged shot reveals some of the grey colour at the top of the leg and at the stroke limiter of the shock absorber. I would say , the silver ( possible oxidised ) and the light trick are very likely.

However the enlarged part of the pic with the particular plane shows that he colour of the fork was darker than the NG. I would say it could be of the black. But the very dark green colour could have been used too.

 

[fubar57]

Author Tom Cleaver on the subject..."P-38s never had Interior Green or Yellow Zinc Chromate wheel wells. Up through the P-38G, the wheel wells were aluminum lacquer. From the P-38H through the P-38J-15 (even the P-38J 10s and 15s in NMF) the wheel wells were Neutral Grey. From the P-38J-25 through the P-38L they were unpainted aluminum"

 

[fubar57]

....and a discussion here with participation from D Dana Bell P-38L's Landing Gear Well Color?

 

[Wurger]

Yes Geo. Good find.
I would say the Lightning in the colour shot is the early plane judging by the air intakes at the front of the engine cowlings. So these should be of the silver tone rather.