1:48 Tamiya P-38G Lightning
I've wanted to build a P-38 for a while and have had the Tamiya P-38 F/G kit in my stash for about a year. I chose Lt. John G. O'Neill's “Beautiful Lass” as the subject. I've always thought P-38s looked much better in flight than parked. They just have the elegant look so I opted to build a flying version of the kit. The first hurdle was close up the bay doors. This proved to not be as big of a challenge as some kits so that only took one night at the bench.
While working on the kit, I mentioned to a modeling friend that I was building it in flight and he said, “A plane in flight can't have stationary props. It just looks wrong”. While I agree, I've never been fan of the PE spinners available to achieve the "spinning" look. They're opaque and super thin. A prop spinning has depth, especially at the base.
So with some prodding from said same friend, I decided to 3D model spinning props myself and then print them using clear resin. Once I had them printed I painted them and feathered the airbrush so the paint doesn't go all the way to the edge. I'm not sure I've got the process nailed down, but what you see here is what I was able to achieve.
Lastly, was the treatment of the taped panel seams. Most, but not all, P-38s had wide strips of tape adhered over many of the panel lines during transport to their theater of operation. Presumably, to thwart saltwater corrosion. When this tape was removed it left trace residue that causes distinct weathering of the panels. Of course the “Beautiful Lass” was one such plane.
I achieved the look by placing Tamiya 2mm tape over the seams after the initial base colors were applied and then spraying darker mixes on top of the tape. Once the tape is removed all that remains is the over spray which replicates the tape residue fairly well.
There you have it gang, a flying P-38 with my own spinning props. Comment away and keep building.
Georgeous build Matt! Great idea and execution on the prop.. it helps make for a fantastic in flight display!
What an ingenious solution for the props. Beyond my abilities. But now I want to build a flying P 38 to hang from the ceiling. Excellent work.
Excellent result, Matt! Fantastic idea for the props!
Excellent paint and weathering, Matt. It is a sleek bird in flight. I recently visited the Richard Bong museum in Superior Wisconsin so got to see a P-38 up close.
@rongenev665 I was tempted to build Richard Bong's P-38 for this since he's a midwestern boy, but the nose art for Beautiful Lass won out 😉
Very nice build, Matt Minnichsoffer @coondog
Indeed a nice solution to get the spinning effect.
Very nice results from your efforts. The propellers look great !
G’day Matt, very nice build. Props look great as everyone has said, but I like the paint too. Thumbs up.
Very cool
Nice looking P-38, and the props came out great! I decided long ago - since I build all mine in flight - that I didn't want the extra expense or time to have to make props look blurred, so I just live what I get. The blurred props definitely add some energy to the static display of an in-flight aircraft.
@gkittinger I thought of you while building this knowing you do in-flight builds. I'm fine with static props, but didn't want to back down from the challenge on this build as long as I have the ability to make them.
Matt, this is a terrific build! Before reading your description of the process, I thought the props were aftermarket additions. Well done. Eons ago I tried to simulate in-motion props for a Monogram P-38 using 1/8 inch thick polycarbonate discs sanded to opaque and tapered at the edge. I think it worked to an extent. Anyway, this build is beautiful. Did you use oils to weather?
I thought seriously about going the same route with the clear discs. I think since these are printed clear I could forego the "fingers" in the prop blur and just print a solid taper. Requires a steady hand with the airbrush.
All the weathering is either done with the airbrush or pastel powder. Since I use only acrylics oils would eat through the base coats. Thanks for the comments.
Great work, Matt (@coondog). The OD finish looks very realistic. I have never seen anyone depict the residual effects of the sealing tape. Cool idea.