Tamiya P-38J "Marge" (#123)

[Edbert]

Moving many items from the stash to in-progress...

 

[Pantherman]

Moving many items from the stash to in-progress...

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And that would be........ ? Pantherman

 

[Edbert]

C'mon man! Oh yeah, you're the armor dude.

I thought the yoke coming in from the right side would be the tipper.

 

[Pantherman]

C'mon man! Oh yeah, you're the armor dude.

I thought the yoke coming in from the right side would be the tipper.

Nope, you got me beat. Not a clue. Pantherman

 

[Schaf]

Tamyia P-38? That would be my guess.

 

[Edbert]

Tamyia P-38? That would be my guess.

Nailed it!

Several people are saying it is the greatest kit ever, I'm not experienced enough to validate that it is the best. I'm "in-progress" on multiple right now.

I thought the 1/32 Corsair from Tamiya was amazing, barely underway on another candidate is the 1/48 F-4B. But I see on YouTube and elsewhere that the 1/48 Lightnings are the current crown-wearer.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

It's no secret Tamiya P-38 Lightning (along with the F-14 Tomcat) is one of the better aircraft kits out there…. PERIOD!!!

 

[Schaf]

Nailed it!

I'm not experienced enough to validate that it is the best. I'm "in-progress" on multiple right now.

I thought the 1/32 Corsair from Tamiya was amazing, barely underway on another candidate is the 1/48 F-4B. But I see on YouTube and elsewhere that the 1/48 Lightnings are the current crown-wearer.

I am interested to see how the kit goes together for you, I have not gotten around to getting one yet, though I want too. There always seems to be something else that comes up.

 

[Edbert]

I did not know the gauges were off-center until hours later via the telephoto zoom. Not gonna try to fix it, too many coats of Micro-sol.

Damn old eyes!

 

[Schaf]

The cockpit looks very good, lots of detail.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

I am interested to see how the kit goes together for you, I have not gotten around to getting one yet, though I want too. There always seems to be something else that comes up.

I've read numerous topics on the Tamiya P-38 Lightning kit. None of them mentioned it had fit issues. One of THE a best P-38 Lightning kit out there.

 

[Edbert]

None of them mentioned it had fit issues.

The decal (gauges) being off-center is 100% on my old eyes not the kit. I need to start using my magnifiers more I guess. It does look really good from a few inches away instead of millimeters.

 

[TimM63]

I'm to the point where I'm using a magnifier almost exclusively. Otherwise I would have all kinds of mistakes and alignment issues.

 

[Edbert]

I'm to the point where I'm using a magnifier almost exclusively. Otherwise I would have all kinds of mistakes and alignment issues.

Since you said that, I've been using them much more. It could be an incorrect impression, but since using them for a week or so, it seems my readers are worse than before.

Anyway, this kit pretty much falls together. The biggest problem I have had so far was finding sprue D (I think), I could not find it since it was a sort of addendum to Sprue J or something...LOL.

A super way of putting a weight into the nose, kit ships with three heavyish (not lead) ball bearings that fits into a molded round spot with no wobble. Nice feature for nose-wheeled planes.

The kit ships with a sheet of masks, but unlike the Eduard 1/48 kit that I am about finished with, they are printed, not cut. I think that will be fine for canopy, but not for those lights! Way too small for me to cut a circle that small out of tape. I gave up quick and used liquid mask.

 

[Edbert]

I was really disappointed to see the huge gaps between the wheel wells and the outer skin in this shot.

Then I remembered how well everything was fitting so I ignored it and pressed on. Of course when the time came to install the bay covers, the fit was so tight I considered not using glue. This kit is really amazing! But a great deal more "stuff" has been put in there since this shot, I'm worried about painting details inside there now.

 

[Edbert]

I found a flaw!

While applying masks I discovered a small bubble, more like a blob, on the rear canopy. It could be seen of course, but also felt with a fingernail. I failed to get a picture of it before filing it off with a sharp blade as seen here. That blurry spot at high 5:00 from the pilot's view.

Took only a few minutes of polishing to remove the scratches.

Then I decided while I had my compound out I'd remove the ridge/line on top of the Phantom's glass as well.

Before ^^^

During ^^^

After ^^^

 

[Edbert]

It is primer-day!

 

[Jim62]

Looking good.

 

[durangod]

It is primer-day!

It is primer-day!

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two projects at once or is that a flying tank LOL

 

[Si B]

It is primer-day!

It is primer-day!

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Is that a Bradley's on the bench too?

 

[Edbert]

Is that a Bradley's on the bench too?

Yessir. I have a problem, with 6 kits in various stages of completion at a time. That is down from 9 having recently finished a Spitfire, a Corsair, and a Mig, but my ability to keep blaming the squirrels is fading.

 

[Si B]

Yessir. I have a problem, with 6 kits in various stages of completion at a time. That is down from 9 having recently finished a Spitfire, a Corsair, and a Mig, but my ability to keep blaming the squirrels is fading.

I wouldn't say that was a problem, I always have several on the go….keeps it interesting
I found your Bradley's blog so I'm off for a look through

 

[user 22148]

Really nice looking build. I have this kit kicking around in the stash - I think I started painting up the cockpit about two years ago and kind of forgot about it - I really must pick it up again.

 

[Edbert]

This is three (very) thin coats of AK Extreme Metal, I think any more will not help. I am seeing some fluctuations that I intended like leading edge and ailerons, but other inconsistencies that I cannot explain, like what would be the wing-roots of a normal monoplane.

I'm wanting to apply the olive drab (anti-glare) parts, but playing it slow to decide if I need to address the inconsistent silver. Here are some better pics of what I mean.

Underside of starboard wingtip, there's an unevenness of the plastic that looks like tiny waves, hard to photograph. But the more obvious issue is towards the leading edge. Those look like finger-swipes, maybe with residual thinner or glue? However small, the silver/aluminum paint really makes it show.

That small circle is part of the molding, but the 5 or 6 "ticks" on the trailing edge are...who knows what I did there.

 

[Edbert]

Follow-up...

Would you do a gloss coat to protect the silver BEFORE applying olive drab and red wingtips?

Part of me thinks yes, the masking might alter the silver, even without a bleed.

But I'm always worried about too many layers.

EDIT: Clear coat applied

 

[Edbert]

Getting close to wrapping this one up.

Latest pics...

Those dee-kalz (evil grin) for seat belts look like ass in my F-4B, I'm afraid to put them in this kit.

 

[kevin]

Those dee-kalz (evil grin) for seat belts look like ass in my F-4B, I'm afraid to put them in this kit

I've made rifle slings for 1/35 figures out of strips cut from toothpaste tubes, maybe try that and add the dee- kalz over them?
The plane is looking real good.

 

[Edbert]

I recall toothpaste tubes in the 70s were metal, maybe lead? While that might explain some things about Gen-X, I think the newer ones are plastic. That is what you mean, the plastic toothpaste tubes? I'm willing to try.

Ironically these arrived today...

"Cloth" belts with metal components. I'm a little afraid, but those are 1/32, in 1/48 I think it might be beyond my fabrication skills. But, I'm willing to try!

 

[docsudy]

Getting close to wrapping this one up.

Latest pics...
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Those dee-kalz (evil grin) for seat belts look like ass in my F-4B, I'm afraid to put them in this kit.

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Nice job on Marge. You should be pleased.
Doc Sudy

 

[Jim62]

Nice build, looks great.