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

That's possible. However the 44-23856 and the 44-24843 are serials before the 44-23964 one. And both of them had the landing light at the leading edge.

Wojtek, I think you're right. This "Yellow 42" is probably not a P-38L but probably a P-38J (we can see the little hole on the nose for the gun camera).
Maybe the Bong's logbook is findable to enlight this problem but, for the moment, I put this project on hold while waiting to find what to do

That's what I had thought initially.

Well, finally this model will be P-38L-1-LO SN44-24155 "Pudgy V" flown by T. B. McGuire Jr during November/December 1944 or P-38L-1-LO SN44-24843 "Putt Putt Maru" (3) flown by C. H. MacDonald during December 1944.
The problems are that I'm not sure to have the good decals for both.
Regarding "Pudgy V", I only have the Hasegawa model kit decals with 38 victory markings over a yellow square outlined in red... Not sure for the yellow color under the marking.
And regarding "Putt Putt Maru" (3), the "Putt Putt Maru" marking that I have from Academy model kit and Aeromaster are for "Putt Putt Maru" (4) et (5) but not for "Putt Putt Marru" (3).

I'll build and paint the model and I'll see at the end what scheme I do

That's true most pics show the victory markings on the dark background. But the image below shows that it could be of different colour though..


the pic source: Pudgy V Reference Photos by Gary Boyd

However the shot doesn't make that clear fully..

the pic source: 475th p 38 — Images and pictures search system — [IMG]

And these make that matter worse ..


the pic source; Lockheed P-38 Lightning World War II USAAF fighter | World War Photos

And this one suggests that the frame of the victory list was of diofferent type ..

the pic source: Stock Photo - Thomas B. McGuire Jr. with Pudgy (V), his regular P-38L-1-LO, S/N 44-24155, although he was killed in another aircraft (P-38L S/N 44-24845). (U.S. Air Force photo

I think it's black under the victory markings... A difference between panchromatic and orthochromatic film.
On the photos 1 & 2 "Pudgy" is in dark color with color a little lighter in shadow and the color under the marking seems to be the same color as the shadow, but in fact, it's the opposite => "Pudgy" is red with black shadow, therefore, the color under the marking is black IMHO

To my knowledge the panchromatic and orthochromatic films don't affect the black colour. Just black is black . Contrary to that the yellow and red may get the different tones especially if a filter was used for taking of the pic. As you may notice in the second pic above, the red at the prop blade tips , the red rings on spinners and the numbers are so dark that the colour looks almost like the black. As I know the only film that can cause the appearance of the red and yellow very dark is the orthochromatic one. But in the case the yellow tone is almost the same as the red or a little bit lighter usually. If the image would be taken with the kind of the film, and the rings , numbers and prop blade tips were of the red, the background could be of the yellow.The hinomaru emblems seem to be of the same dark tone that the mentioned details. And these were of the red rather weren't they? So the yellow background is possible.

Here is an example of a such pics taken with the orthochromatic film...



I have enlarged the pics and used the Gamma correction to make the pic brighter. IMHO the colour pic shows some of the red tinge of the background. But it could be the effect of using of the red for the hinomaru markings. The second enlarged shot shows the grey tone of the background quite similar to the tone of the colour of the letters of the name. The colour of the background is much lighter than the one used for the antiglare strip in front of the cockpit windscreen. Both shots present the 30 victories.





And the third image reveals a quite light grey colour of the background for the 25 victories. The letters seem to be darker than the background. So that may indicate another colour there. However it can be the light trick.



To sum up.. .. I'm going to agree with you that the background for the victory markings was of black rather than the yellow. However the more I look at the pics the more I'm getting convined that it might have been the red paint there. It seems to be as dark as the spinner rings and numbers. About the prop blade tips I don't mention at all. What is more using of the colour would make applying of the hinomaru markings easier. Just you would have to use the white only for adding the new victory markings. But it is just my opinion only.

Hello,

First, you can find here the explanations for why I changed the project

And, work of the week...
Booster fuel pumps deleted, I have to re-engrave.

Carry on then

Hello,

Some work...
Deburring on the radiator outlets


And some detail added: interstice between the boom and the radiator air intake

Looks much better Steph

Agreed.
Them "thick as" areas just bug me
They gotta be thinned a bit.
Nice.

Good stuff Steph.

Hello,

Thank you all for your comments
Here is some work:
Wings assembled



Re-scribing and riveting... I decided to spread the 20g weight necessary so as not to have too much weight on the front landing gear => 5g (tin balls) in each engine housing and the rest in the nose

Good work Steph.

Very intetesting build