Trumpeter 1/32 P-38L Lightning
By Michał Jurczak
This is my Trumpeter P-38 in 1:32nd scale, flown in the Pacific in 1945.
The list of changes or added details:
- Eduard PE cockpit details, cockpit cables and seat moved forwards.
- Additional rivets added between existing rivet lines near cockpit.
- Added cables in wheel bays, landing gear drilled and 1mm steel wire placed inside. Side struts are from wire, too.
- Changed side mirrors shape, added landing light made from scratch.
- Opened side panels in one engine nacelle, magnetized propellers.
- Really, really many grains of fishing lead placed in nose.
- Outside parts of the wing weren't glued - it helped with handling, and the model was more elastic which prevented bonds from cracking.
- And more...
For paint, I used Gunze SM2 metallics - Duralumin and Chrome Silver. I didn't want it to be as shiny as the airshow’s Red Bull aircraft so I didn't polish every area - it helped for differentiation of surface, making dull and shiner panels. For sealing I used Vallejo Polyurethane Gloss (kind of Aqua Gloss – does not damage metal effects in greater extent).
I used Kagero’s decals from their Pacific Lightnings book.
The kit isn't perfect; nose panels don't fit (canopy too), large amount of weight is needed so it is making gun bay opening harder, and too large rivets. Geometry checking is needed for correct alignment of the wing to fuselage join. But I'm overall happy with the result.
More photos are on my Facebook site.
Hope you like it!
© Michał Jurczak 2023
This article was published on Wednesday, April 26 2023; Last modified on Saturday, April 29 2023