Airfix Model World – September 2019

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

P-38J LIGHTNING

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

P-38J LIGHTNING

80 Airfi x Model World

 The main wheel well bays needed further sanding on the top and sides to fit into the
tail booms.

 An optimal fit of the tail booms to the wings was only possible after much scraping;

patience was the watchword, with repeated test-fitting until the desired effect was achieved.

80 Airfi x Model World

planted on its tricycle landing
gear. Next, Hasegawa’s integrally
moulded gunsight was removed
as Medallion Models provided a
superior resin replacement, which
was mounted directly onto the
armoured glass windscreen – a
common fitting on late-model
Lightnings. Lastly, water and
white glue-dampened tissue
paper was attached to the
coaming to simulate the type’s
canvas covering.

There’s the problem
Many of the kit’s alignment
issues come from the assembly
of the twin booms, as without
care and correction during the

initial steps, any mistake will

be compounded subsequently.

Similarly, construction of the main

landing gear bays was hampered

by Hasegawa adding rivet detail

to the sidewalls, just where

they would join with the main

undercarriage bay parts. This must

be removed to provide a smooth

mating surface and enable them

to fit within the tail booms.

Similarly, the main landing gear

units were complex and fiddly to

build, each comprising

five components.

Once satisfied with

the construction, the

sub-assemblies were

painted with 1725

Neutral Gray FS 36270. After

curing, they received AMMO-

MIG’s A.MIG-1008 Dark Wash, to

accentuate the detail.

Small pieces of curved plastic

card were added to the inside

of the booms at the radiator

openings to prevent them being

‘see-through’ when the halves

were joined. Despite all earlier

efforts, the undercarriage bays

were still too wide at the rear,

which prevented a flush mounting

inside the tail booms, but several

swipes with a flat file rectified

this. Again, identifying these small

problems along the way prevented

larger issues later.

 With tricycle-type undercarriage and long tail booms, 14g (½oz) of lead nose weight was
added to prevent the model from becoming a ‘tail-sitter’.

 As engineered, the model would have had a notable ‘see-through’ issue with the

radiators, so sheet styrene was cut to size and attached to the inside of each housing.

“much work

with filler

and abrasive

paper was

needed to

smooth the

joins”