Lockheed P-38J Lightning, Academy 1/72


Model, text and images by Luca Cinacchio

In the last months I enjoyed more and more the 1/72 scale: perhaps because it is still possible to find them a place inside my home crowded with models; or because i can start and finish a full project within weeks and not months.
One of my last was the Lockheed P-38J Lightning by Academy.
It is a very nice kit: very easy to assemble, although the shape of the plane can potentially present some troubles; nicely detailed; with no fitting issues at all (all the pieces went together in a breeze); and last but not least very reasonable priced.
Since i was happy with the completed model, i also added a small base.


 
Construction started as usual from the cockpit, painted with Gunze Aqueos interior green. The radio equipment was painted in black. Some drybrush in metallic color here and there to pick-out the details. Seat-belts were scartch-built using some 0.6 mm tape. The job was completed with some black-brown wash.

 
Assembling of the main components followed

 
They were glued together: no problems at all, although the problematic shape of the plane, no fit issues. After danding the seam lines, i rescribed the missing panel lines, and added the missing rivets with the tool that you see in the image.

 
After primining, the pre shading followed.

 
Lower side of the model painted with Gunze Aqueos custom mix, in the ratio 50% paint 50% thinner, applyed in thin coats to preserve and control the pre-shading. Then i added some white to the basic color, further thinned everything and highlighted the center of the panels.

 
Same procedure for the upper part, this time in olive drab. No masking, but free-hand aiurbrushed.

 
The tail was originally painted in white and green. Because i try to avoid the decals as much as possible, I masked the area and sprayed the white...

 
...masking again with 0.5 mm. tape, and sprayed the green...

 
...for the final result.

 
Weathering started on the upper part, with an enamel sand wash from AK range: i roughly  applyed it all along the panel lines, waited for 15 minutes, and then cleaned it with a brush slightly damped with white spirit, moving it in the direction of the airflow, to obtain some subtle streaks.

 
For the lower side, firs a brow-blue wash, applied same as before, followed by a damp heart wash, this time in a much more "clean" way, focused only on the inside of the panel lines.

 
Also the wheels had their own weathering: sand on the rubber, black/brown and some rust on the metal part.

 

Here you can see the lower side almost completed.

 
It was at this time that i realized that i did a big mistake: i forget to weight the model, and as a result it was a perfect tail-sitter.  To correct the mistake, i drilled an hole in the wheel, inserted a needle inside: it will keep it attached to the base (i drilled an hole on the base too).

 
For the base, as usual some Vallejo paste for the airstrip, and some static grass around (masking the airstrip when applaying the glue for the grass)
Some weathering with washes and pigments completed the base...
...and here you can see the completed model before the final reveal images.
   

Final reveal images



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