The tale of three P-38 Lightnings...Matchbox, Monogram and Academy.

[rtfoe]

I hope everything's ok Tony. I'm off to bed now.

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

The Monogram canopy is a jigsaw puzzle that if done properly the hinged top door even works.

Careful dry fitting showed some areas that needed rectifying and rework.



I wanted the right window wound down halfway to show the car door like mechanism so it had to have a top sill and the four tabs removed...



With the tabs removed I secured the front and back canopy pieces and glued the ends





I did the same to the left window except it would be full up. I glued that in place.



The tabs were removed and panels added with plastic strip...





I sanded the brim flat and polished off the tabs...



Later I added plastic strip to the front canopy joint to the fuselage and filler as well.



Cheers,
Richard

[Vaughan]

Richard great work very skillful. Will look great when finished.

[Guest]

As usual your attention to detail is superb. Like the open canopy.

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
The canopy looks excellent.

As usual your attention to detail is superb.

My thoughts precisely.
Jim

[rtfoe]

Thank you gentlemen,

I approached the masking of the canopy differently for this and painted it not attached to the fuselage with the usual three steps of the cockpit color then black and then primer. This will give the framework panel a solid appearance...



I have left the edges in cockpit interior green and also masked off the bulge on top of the door having painted that chrome silver for the rear view mirror...



I also covered the insides of the airscoop in zinc chromate...



And drilled a few holes.






Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Scribing panel lines...haven't done a full one on a completed build before. So I had to have some tools to help with it.
What I should have done was get some new blades for the scriber, it would have saved a lot of headache. Rulers didn't help with the curves, I used Dymo tape for this.



The flatter surfaces were easier.



I followed the raised lines and after scribing sliced them off with a curved blade.



Some scribing created holes where filler was loosened. Care was taken while sanding down the rivets to preserve some screw heads on the engine cowling and wing root here.



Cheers,
Richard

[Lee Drennen]

Don’t know how I missed this one but it’s looking great

[scottie3158]

Richard,
Great work your detailing is always special.

[rtfoe]

Thanks guys, Lee, you haven't missed much as there will be a third P-38. Scottie, I don't know but the close up shots make it look very crude. :smiling6:

Ok, seatbelt time... These are in 1/48 scale so buckles need to be seen.



Standard house masking tape was used, measured and cut into different strips for main belt and straps.



I used two types of gauge of wire for the buckles...teased them into shape with the help of tweezers and a flat nosed plier.



I threaded the tape through the buckles like the real thing and glued the ends with CA.



I mixed up some off white and a dash of green and sprayed a based coat...



Then I dark washed areas to highlight the straps.



Painted in the silver for the metal fittings...



And walah...homemade seatbelts.



Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Here is the fun part of seat belts...attaching them to the seats in the cockpit.



The belts were secured down with CA.



Monogram has given locating pins and holes for the canopy which can either be good or bad depending on the mating cast accuracy. This however is because of the complex 5 part assembly of the canopy which I have negated by attaching them altogether so I can remove the tabs and adjust the fit accordingly.

Cheers,
Richard

[Guest]

Envious comes to mind !

[scottie3158]

Richard,
Nicely done

[rtfoe]

Thanks guys,

Ok, masked canopy on, scribing done and proceeded with priming.



Good old Mr Surfacer will give the surface a good bite for the base paint and reveal any blemishes...



Speak of the devil...gaps filled sanded and re-scribed...



The detachable door molding posed real gap problems that a shim or two can't fix.



Fit issues addressed...the ridge sanded down.



Tail boom joint addressed as well.



Cheers,
Richard

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
Your filling, sanding and rescribing is coming on a treat. Mind you with this kit you are getting plenty of practice.
Jim