Airfix 1/72 P-38F/G Lightning

I have to thank Jay @ssgt, for providing me this kit to build. This is my second build from the four that Jay has sent to me, my first was the Hasegawa 1/72 Hi-61. I have two more to go.

This is the Airfix 1/72 Lockheed P-38F Lightning (kit no. 03018-0, 1975 boxing) Airfix first released this in 1972. Then MPC/Profile Series released theirs in 1974. In the early 70's Airfix started to put out some really nice kits, getting away from the toyish moving parts or inaccurate shapes. This P-38 is one of their kits that represents their step forward to more details and accurate looks. Now compared to today's new releases, this kit does show its age but all and all, not a bad kit. This was a very enjoyable build, it was not a quick build and I did add some work to it.

The twin booms and the fuselage's nose did take some work to smooth out, and to make the surface even. I did okay on this but it took away a lot of the raised details on the surface.

I also made sure the wing tips were glued into the correct position and after the glue was cured, I sanded the top surface to make sure it was even with the wing's upper surface, and made sure the lower surface was angled upward. All of the Curtiss P-36 and P-40, Bell P-39, and the B-25 had wing tips built this way.

Since most of the raised lines were sanded down, I used a fine point permanent black marker on some of the panel lines. (pre-shade). I hand brushed thinned down Tamiya acrylic (lightened) Olive Drab and Neutral Grey.

I used an old Microscale sheet on P-38 aces. The gloss coats was hand brushed. I used Future (Pledge) floor wax. I later airbrushed Testors clear acrylic flat coats to smooth out the overall painted look to the build.

EZ Line was used for the antenna aerials.

Dry brushed some Tamiya Flat Aluminum, then later on I used a silver water color pencil to fill in the brushed stroked areas. After rubbing the silver with this pencil, I used a small, very thin brush dipped in water to smear the water color silver around and make it a bit more even.

Both booms turbo charger pieces were painted with Tamiya Flat aluminum, and then I brushed on Tamiya Panel line Accent Color, first in brown, then black. Dry pastel powder (light grey) was brushed on to the upper rear section of both twin booms after the turbo exhaust turbine.

I really like the way this build looks, Airfix made a fine kit of the earlier P-38. Sanding down the rivets and panel lines actually made the entire look of the model more accurate and does give the right looks of the P-38. The P-38 is very petite in many areas and it shows in this model.

The markings used for this build represent a P-38G-13-LO "Beautiful Lass" flown by Lt. John G. "Jump" O'Neill, 9th FS/49th FG, Dobodura, New Guinea, late October 1943

13 additional images. Click to enlarge.