P-38J

Bart Goesaert
nice work. Descent model, or avoidable? Interesting with regards to it that one can make a nightfighter of it..

Holger Kranich
This kit is awakening some childhood rememberance in me... 🙂 I bought it because of the noseart😄

Marc Stecher
@Bart, I´m not sure yet. 😄 Fittings are quite good, but the covers of the engine compartments and the nose cannons will still require a lot of sanding. Also, there are quite some sink holes and ejector marks are on visible parts. But I´m sure it will become quite a fine addtion to my small fleet. The P-38 is one of my favourite warbirds.
The build serves two purposes, first, I have to train my fingers for the small scale because I will build another 1:72 model in a contest, and, second, I want to test the new metal color line from vallejo.
@Holger, yes the noseart ist great, that´s why I decided to build the J Variant, not the nightfighter. The decals became also a test. The one for the instrument panel broke to pieces on applying, so I had to paint it myself. As a result, I will test the capabilities of the Microscale Liquid Decal Film saving the old decals. 🙂

Curtis Caden
Revell had a good run with their 1:72 aircraft. My hobby shop guy taught me to spray my decals with either Testor's Decal Bonder Spray 9200 or Testor's 1260 Dullcoat Lacquer. Other than picking the small pieces up off the floor that go flying out of my fingers as I try to work on them I still prefer the Revell kits to many other brands. I am going to do a Revell of Germany kit next and am told that the quality is much better. I wish you well on your project.

Marc Stecher
@Curtis, even if 1:72 is not my preferred scale (I do 1:48 mostly), I have a few little gems in my stack which are, indeed, fine models with quite good quality. That P-38 is one with not so good quality compared to others I own, but that comes from the age of the mould I think.
You still have to be careful regarding models from Revell, because they exchange moulds with other companies or use very old moulds for re-releases which results in very bad quality of the kits. I have that 1:48 UH-1 in my stash whose quality is catastrophic (the mould is used since the 60´s). Sink marks, fish skin all over the parts. On the other side, I have a quite new kit of the Arado Ar 555 whose quality is near to superior. The value-for-money ratio is great when buying Revell kits. Where else can you get a huge 1:32 Beaufighter in quite good quality for 20 bucks? 😄
But regarding solely the quality from my experience with warbirds, Revell is, in most cases, behind companies like Eduard, Hobby Boss or Tamiya.
Now I first have to finish this one (very excited about the new Vallejo Metal colors) before I will enter the Revell modelling contest with a 1:72 Horten Go 229 (also from Revell 😉 )

Marc Stecher
Gaps, gaps, gaps...

Curtis Caden
Putty, putty, putty and liquid paper?

Marc Stecher
Oh yes... 🙁

Marc Stecher
At least, wasn´t so bad using water dilutable putty from vallejo...after applying the first coat of primer, I will see, if there´s additional filling needed.

Marc Stecher
Vallejo Metal Color Aluminium....great finish and a real pleasure to work with!

Curtis Caden
Still following you. I appreciate your comments and commentary. Be well and keep up the good work. (:

Marc Stecher
Thanks so much Curtis for the kind words! Now, that the P-38 is painted, I discovered a few, no, many, gaps, that the filler didn´t reach. From the distance she looks great, so I´ll keep her that way and use her for testing my weathering skills. So the next step after applying final colours and decals is the washing...

Marc Stecher
Long time no see. In the meantime the P-38 literally crashed. I accidently broke the cannons and the canopy also went wrong. So, this project is finished, the P-38 went into the trash. But that bird is not forgotten, a 1/48 kit from Hasegawa is still lying on the shelf.