Which is your favorite kit for a P-38 in 1:48 scale?

[Robert Porter]

I want to build another one, question is which kit?

 

[fubar57]

Having only built one, hands down, bar none it's the Academy F-5 though the fit of the nose is a bit sketchy and the cockpit innards are a bit bare

 

[Airframes]

I've built Monogram, Hasegawa and Academy (not Academy/Minicraft, which is an earlier kit), and found the Academy to be the best overall. There are a couple of minor points, such as the turbo 'scoops' on the booms just locating onto a scribed line, no locating pins, and the mirrors on the cowlings being convex, but overall it's a nice kit, with adequate cockpit detail, and goes together well.
It also includes the photo-recce noses, in two styles.
Not a very good pic, but here's my still unfinished model, built around 9 years ago.
EDIT:- Forgot to add - the 'scoops' are the ones on the booms below the wings, not the rad housings.

 

[Crimea_River]

I'm only part way through an Academy early P-38 and it's the only one I've tried. I had a fair amount of filling to do and the rad intakes are a but annoying in that they left a big hole in the boom that you can look right inside.

 

[Robert Porter]

I know that was true on the Revell kit as well. I did see a build review where the builder used plasti card inside the booms to block that view and added a little detail.

 

[Crimea_River]

Yep. I did that too.

 

[Airframes]

I forgot about that point. But it's easily taken care of, and just blanking-off with plastic card and painting it a dark colour works well, with extra detail if required, although little can be seen inside without contortions !

 

[Craig Porter]

I want to build another one, question is which kit?

I am building an Academy kit now (My 1st) after a few misdirection its coming along ok. I purchased another Academy kit to build next and also ordered a 1/48th scale Hasagawa P-38 to build as it appears to be more detailed.

 

[Michael Stolting]

Robert,

So far I've not built any P-38 kits. I've always wanted to build one but was slightly put off by what I read regarding both inaccuracies in some kits and just poor fit in others. Now I've come to a stage where I feel I don't mind being a little challenged but I still want the best option I can find for both of the shortcomings I've mentioned. I therefore, after searching for a while, bought the Eduard Pacific Lightnings Limited Edition kit. It's now toward the top of the que in my stash of 34 unbuilt kits. Here's the review that pushed me over the edge:

Eduard Kit No.1175 – Pacific Lightnings Limited Edition Review by Brad Fallen

I hope this helps.

Mike

 

[Robert Porter]

Thanks guys! I have decided and ordered an Academy kit, which according to Scalemates is the same kit you were referring to Mike, Eduard had reboxed the Academy kit with a bunch of their "extras" for detailing. I also ordered the resin engine air intake replacements, the Turbo/Supercharger resin replacements along with their airscoops, and the cockpit resin replacement from Aires all for that kit. Now I just need to decide on a subject and possibly order some new decals for that subject. From the reviews I have read every kit out there has some degree of fit and finish issues. Especially boom alignment etc. Just due to the nature of the plane design.

I was totally unimpressed with the cockpit of the Revell/Monogram kit which is why I decided to buy the resin replacement even though the Academy cockpit is much better. no less than 5 reviews I read said the Aires cockpit was really nicely done. One reviewer even shoe horned it into the Monogram kit with some serious surgery!

 

[Lucky13]

 

[Robert Porter]

Very nice! Hmmm would not want to part with one of those would you?

 

[mikewint]

A bit late to chime in but I've built about 4 P-38s (don't remember the kit makers but My latest was the Revell P-38J kit. I liked it because it could be made into 3 different P-38 types, two of which I did not have, the Droop Snoot bomber version and my initial pick the two seater Night Fighter version.

 

[Zaggy]

Academy, closely followed by the Hasegawa.

Both have minor issues, but the Academy is probably slightly easier to build (and can be had for one-half, even one-third the price of the Hasegawa). I have another two Academy P-38F's (the Glacier Girl boxing) in the stash, in order to make two of the F-4-1-LO's operated by the RAAF (1PRU/75SQN), once the "Ronin" PR-nose conversions arrives (I know Red Roo do one, but the Ronin one is shaping up to be superior).

Plans are to do one as A55-1 in it's RAAF Scheme, and the other as one of the 'loaner' a/c, 41-2220, in the 'Haze' Scheme:

Dan

 

[Robert Porter]

Very cool! Mike on your Revell/Monogram kit, are those aftermarket superchargers?

 

[Robert Porter]

I was looking at the Glacier Girl packaging, I might get another one just to do a different version. Mike was correct in the Revell kit comes with parts for 3 different birds. But the aftermarket stuff for the Revell/Monogram kits is getting harder to find.