Hi all

I am not sure if I already started a Blog but as Jim did not implement the BLOG feature yet and I could not find any using the search I just start this one. Yes another one but time is tunning and if I want to make the dead line I should better start this thingie.

Looking at the 4 PE frames I get a pretty bad feeling in the stomach. At least I won't need it for the pit .. well I will use the dash board, but everything else comes from the KMC set. I started cutting and testfitting it and I painted it XF-5 ...

Here are two pix of the stuff I will use (forgot I already had one but the wheels are new):




all the best

Steffen

cool!

Love me some lightning action!

I look forward to your thoughts on this kit as well, I need another p-38 in the que.

Starting with the pit:





sorry for the dust... wo gehobelt wird da fallen Späne.

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen-
Nice job so far.

I'm building a Hasegawa P-38H for the Pin-Ups campaign, so will follow yours with interest. Due to the deadline and my terrible slowness, mine is OOB. The only problem I've had so far was with warped tail booms - and it turned into a HUGE problem because I ruined one trying to unwarp it in boiling water.

Good luck!

That's really interesting

The cockpit is good
Clean the wash in some areas.

Keep going


Cheers Nick

Hi Tom and Nick

Tom: the booms look straight in my kit, what I have read is that the F/G/H kit is more critical in that area.

Nick: no need to do so, but thanks for the hint!

@all: any Idea where I have to cut to separate the canvas cover for the instrument panel?

all the best

Steffen

I posted the question on Hyperscale and luckily there were a few people that shared their knowledge. So I cut that part of the Hasegawa Kit away. While I was at it i fit in the pit and then all the joy began to fit the two fuselage parts together. Sanding resin, grinding, sanding plastic, check .... and again ... and again... and again ... you get the picture.

Well finally I got it fit. The clamps you see in the picture are only there to ensure that the kit sticks together in the right position. There is almost no pressure on them just enough to keep everything in place while the glue sets



all the best

Stefen

Great work Steffen, as Shawn said earlier you gotta love the Lightning action !!

How do you think you'll go with the August 31 checquered flag ??

Keep the progress pics coming, you know I love your threads mate !!!

Cheers, D

Hi Damian

Well, I am not sure yet. It all depends how the PE parts fit and how fiddly these are... also the decals look really bad and I will have to find a solution for that problem. The last campaign project went very well (FM-2) .. but that is rather the exception than the rule with my projects .....

so we'll see in a few weeks

all the best

Steffen

More pix .. control column still missing, but the cockpit is starting to look the part







all the best

Steffen

looking good steffen I watch with a close eye

Thanks Justin!

There went some work into this, but I am not sure if it is visible on the pictures. i glued in some weight, than it got some putty around all seams ... after that sanding and rescribing ...



all the best

Steffen

Steffan, that wing glove (large sheetmetal piece on LE / fuselage joint) sure looks like a challenge.

Looks good, Steffan, especially the seams. We're about at the same point on our builds, but you will pass me now, as I am waiting on a replacement boom.

Tenax was my friend while gluing the fuselage halves, and I think helped minimize seams. I had to use a spreader bar at the front end of the fuselage section in order to get the fuselage to match up with the nose cone diameter. Unlike you, I was not brave enough to cut away the instrument shroud (although I do plan to cover it with some tissue to make it look more canvas-y.

Thanks Mark and Tom!

I did not check the nose befor but I just did it. It sits very well! I have a slightly larger gap on top, but way below a mm so not a problem at all and if ther yould be a sloght overhang It will be easily polished away.

I mounted the PE in the front wheel bay today and it went all well one done but two more and also a bit more difficult Also testfit the booms, but they are a bit flimsy without the u/c bays..

all the best

Steffen

Here is a picture of the nose wheel bay:



all the best

Steffen

Today I finally found some courage to do some cutting at the booms and start working on the wheel wells .... lots of PE parts here



I hope I can show a bit more of those tomorrow ...

all the best

Steffen

Hi again

not much to comment. I am working my way through the Eduard instructions. Luckily these are mostly larger parts. I am using Gators glue with some CA here and there for some extra strength:




all the best

Steffen

Looking good Steffen, I was wondering how you were going with this build. The PE additions are time-consuming but well worth the extra effort.

Cheers, D

Cheers D.

Not sure I will make it, but at least I want to try. And yes the PE is really worth it. This is one of the sets from Eduard that mostly has necessary or at least useable parts and does not only replace similar kit parts.

At the moment I see the biggest problem with the gun sight mount, because it is sooo close to the clear part .. we'll see

all the best

Steffen

Nice work with all the PE- getting the curves in the radiator exit flaps looks tricky.

Will you be using the kit's markings?

Hi Ben

Yes I have to, but I got myself the latest Bombshell decals so I will only use a few of the badly yellowed kit stuff and take the insignia and stencils from the nice BS sheet .

all the best

Steffen

Looking good!

Thanks Mark!

This is the lhs boom maybe 80% done .. the other is at about 40% and will hopefully get in this state tomorrow (I have not enought clamps to do both )



all the best

Steffen

One of the problems with planes like the P-38 is it's sort of like having to build 3 fuselages to get one plane.