Hi Guys 'n Galls,

Since I'm on the Eve of a new experience (building my very first aircraft), I'm looking for some help.
I've been a armor modeller for quite some time now, but I want to try something new... So I took the plunge and bought me the Trumpeter 1:32 Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning, complete with the BIG-ED etched set by Eduard.
The next step was trying to get some reference pictures...Yes trying!!
In the armor modelling world it's very easy to get close-up pictures from various vehicles, but I find it quite difficult to find reference pictures with decent close-ups from the P-38 Lightning.
So now you guys come in....Is there anyone who has some close-up pics from the P-38, and then in particular shots from the landing gear, the cockpit and the engine-bay, who wants to share them with me??
Also tips 'n tricks about aircraft-building are highly appreciated!!

I know, a lot of Q's, but hey...I'm new in this area!!

Thanks for your time...

Regards, John.

Hi John, welcome to aircraft

I don't have any reference pics of the P-38, but I'm sure some of the guys will, so hang loose they'll be on the way I'll take a look around the web as well as there are a few sites that might be useful and I'll add links

Tips and tricks on building?
It is probably better for you to get the info as you approach each stage so, if it works for you, we can give you tips for the first stage, do that, post pics and get comments/suggestions, apply those then we can explain the next stage. This might be a bit frought as we all have our own little ways, but we have done this in the past and it sorta works

Is it going to be in Neutral Grey and Olive Drab or a Natural Metal Finish (NMF)? What colours do Trumpeter suggest for the cockpit and undercarriage bays? If interior green for both then they can be sprayed at the same time, so stage one would be preparing the cockpit and undercarriage bays, including doors but probably not gear legs, for painting.
We would need to know wether the etched items include things like the instrument panel and how the dials are depicted, film or paper. You can see that we may have as many questions as you unless there is someone here, in aircraft, who has already built the kit. Rest assured though that we will all be more than willing to help.
For now
Mal

Hello John

What about this :
http://www.kazoku.org/xp-38n/walkaround/index.htm
I'm rather an armor modeler, but the Lightning is one of my favorite WW2 fighters....

HTH

Frenchy

Thanks for the fast replies Guys,

@ Frenchie: That is the exact reason I bought this big kit, I simply like the looks of this AC.

@ Mal: Thanks a lot for the heads-up. It's going to be finished in bare metal. And yes, the wheel-bay's and the cockpit interiour are going to be Interiour Green....

Grtz, John.

John wrote:


Really trying?

A quick goggle and I found this http://www.kazoku.org/xp-38n/walkaround/index.htm

EDIT. Oups! I didn't see that Frenchy had posted the same link! Well, now you have it twice! :-)

Some really great photos at that site, with approx 100 dealing exclusively with the L-version;


There are also about ten pages jammed with photos from the time that might serve as inspiration, for example





Don't forget to keep us updated!

Cheers!

Take a look here. I found that they have a CD of the restoration of a P-38 that has downloadable pics that you may be able to use. Hope it helps.

http://www.buffiesbest.com

If not, try Google images. Just enter P-38 and I do know you'll get lots of pics there.

Hi John, welcome to the AC world.
Here you have some images, hope this helps.

I´m not an expert in the P 38 and I´m not sure if these are of the L or J version.

From the pics in the references you guys gave, it looks as if the wheel bays weren't painted at all. I am also interested in doing the Trumpeter P-38.

Nils