Academy P-38E,1/48, 343rd FG,54th FS, Aleutian island

Started by Chuck A. Villanueva · 65 · 7 years ago
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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Small update for the Lightning. Dedicating more time on the Devastator and getting the Vindicator started as well. Started to work on the nose of the P-38, cleaning the seams up went well. With yellow in the airbrush I painted the tip of the nose and prop blades. While doing some yellow on the Vindicator. More to follow.

    2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Editor said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    🙂

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Looking better all of the time Chuck...
    What did you use for filler on the nose ? The gray looking stuff ?

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    That is Tamiya putty. It works really well. As one that has been using 3M Red putty for years, I just started using this only because my 3m tube finally dried up. It fills and sands very well.

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Thanks for letting me know what you use Chuck. I'll try to get some soon and try it out...

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Updating the Lightning, with most of the sanding done, it was time to add the final items on the air frame before we start getting ready for the painting process. Installing the bomb racks under each wing. Next was to install the windshield and canopy. Then masking it off with Tamiya tape. This is relatively easy being a bubble canopy and not so intense in masking it off. Unlike the Vindicator and Devastator and all that glass to mask. Still this is the part I dislike the most is masking the glass. Next is to airbrush Interior Green over the exposed framing. Next to mask off the yellow portion of the nose. Going to try something different for this build. I will pre-shade the lower portion which will be Neutral Grey with Flat black, a well known technique I have used for quite awhile. The upper portion or areas that will be Olive Drab, I will use a combo of pre- shading and overall flat black on certain sections. Since this is a well worn airframe looking at the images of aircraft serving in this theatre, Hoping to capture the effect that these aircraft encountered operating in this environment. Let see how this turns out. More to follow

    11 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Looks really good Chuck !

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Thanks Louis coming along nicely.

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Well after wiping down the P-38, it's time to start laying down some paint. First with using Tamiya Neutral Grey, started with the wheel hubs and landing gear doors. Set those sprues aside and airbrushed the under surfaces. With that we let it dry overnight and will airbrush the OD tomorrow, looking forward to how it will appear once I shoot it. More to follow.

    6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Tom Bebout said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Really coming along Chuck,

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Your P-38 looks even better with the Neutral Gray sprayed on. I really am looking forward to seeing your plane once the OD Green is on ...

    Outstanding Chuck .

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 7 months ago:

    Thanks Tom, Louis, now the Od finish. Using Lifecolor faded Olive Drab, I first blotched over the upper surfaces. Then lightly went over the finish in a fine mist achieving a more blotchy appearance. I think I got the effect I wanted. Then threw on some future to gloss the finish and prepare to decal and weather it some more. While leaving the airframe to set overnight. I assembled the wheels, and bombs. After cleaning the seams I airbrushed the bombs in a standard darker shade of Lifecolor Olive Drab. More to follow

    8 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    david leigh-smith said 7 years, 6 months ago:

    Hi Chuck

    I love a Lightning. It was one of my favourite airplanes to build when I was ... much younger. This is an outstanding colour scheme and as others have said I'm looking forward to following the build to finish.

    Your work is just great so far and really like your writing style - helps other modelers understand what you are doing and learn fro your experiences.

    Thanks,

    David

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 years, 6 months ago:

    Why thanks David, I appreciate that very much. It has been a fun project, this GB got me to break the P-38E out when Louis had suggested that the Aleutian Island campaign could be part of the Midway operation. As it did coincide with the Japanese invasion plans. Though Midway was a tough battle, it was brief. While the Aleutian theatre continued on. Which adds to many aircraft and armor choices that operated in this time frame.

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    Louis Gardner said 7 years, 6 months ago:

    The picture that shows the difference in finishing really looks great! It's amazing how much a little Future sprayed on top of an existing color makes. The OD green turned out very nice.