perry Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 The stance looks right and that pilot is cracking, beautifully detailed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 Probably end up using the True Details wheels, as they're a bit taller/fuller/more scale sized, but I just wanted to see if all the oleos were 1/2 way the correct height. Time to take all this tape off, and start glueing stuff together! I'm going to start with the wheel wells first. More pics as things progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 Hey, thanks Perry! I'm no P-38 'smexpert' by any stretch of the imagination for sure. That's why I'm taking a lot of time to test fit stuff first. I've been dreading building this kit for so long because of all the imagined potential for error in the fit and all, but it's really a nice model. I'm going to be getting into this thing big time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 And we're all watching mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big matt Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 It is always a treat to watch your builds. I am looking forward to seeing which head you choose and the aggressive stance on that beast looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0t0rdr1ver Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 SO.....this is where you've been hiding! Don't know how I missed this one. Great choice on markings as usual Russ, I'll be watching this build with much anticipation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironman1945 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Hey Russ Looking very nice. I especially like that pilot figure. I usually dont have pilots in the pit, but that one looks very very nice indeed. May have to rethink on that one. Yes, look out for those swine like radiator housings on the booms.... endless hours of filing and sanding. However, perhaps I messed up when I went to attatch them. Keep up the great work! Dave/Ironman1945 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Aaaah yes, the infamous 'swine radiators'. They didn't stand a chance against 'Mr. Dremel', Dave!! Couldn't resist the temptation to go toe to hoof/nose to snout with these little piglets. Amazing how Trumpeter got so much right and tight on this kit, that these could be so ill fitting. Got them shaved down to fit flush, and a little dribble of dissolved putty down the seams to blend them in seamlessly now. Didn't even lose ONE of my infamous Trumpeter rivets. Here's a looky at the booms right after I applied the putty. It'll shrink up much more and suck down into those seams OK in a little while. This kit is pretty expensive, but it's like building 2 kits in one, cuz there's so many booms/engines/tails & stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Different views. Wish I'd got one of how the radiators fit BEFORE whittling,...but the excitement chopping/puttying something made me forget. Alas. Down to no sprue trees in my kit box now, cuz I've already got the 1/2's of everything assembled,(like the rudders,flaps,elevators, ect.) and everything else is jigged up into little sub-assemblies. Been working on putting some hydraulic lines and what-nots in the gear bays, so should have some pics later on tonight after painting. See ya'll then, eh?! Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJ Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 The P-38 has long been a fav of mine but frankly I've avoided this kit because of everything I've read about the various issues it has. I'll be taking lots of notes on this build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Great work Russ. She's coming along nicely! This is gonna look terrific with those dragons on it. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Whoohoo! It gets better Kevin!!! Just like everything else on this plane,....the dragons are going to be 'double trouble'. (by that, I mean all the parts count. 4-radiators/ 2-rudders; props; booms; ect.) Was looking at my paint refs real close today, and there are dragons on the INSIDES of the booms too! Cooool. Can't wait to start laying some green snakes down the sides of this sucker...inside & out. Gotta have a nekkid woman on the side too, and I've been thinking of a good name for it.( I had to give up on 'Goat Whore', as the art-work was a little too risque and I had my bout with political incorrectness in my Oscar thread. ) On the lighter side; yep, I know what ya mean about the fit worries there Dave. Check out some of these pics of the cockpit/nose gear 'assembly'. I had to press an imaginary button that said,"I believe" (and a lot of dry fitting), before I've come to realize that most things click together pretty darn well. I LIKE this kit! I'm going to be showing in some detail how what the 'deal' is with the wing, and how I'm going to blow right by it. The radiators weren't that big of a whup either, just some careful sanding on their inner faces to get them to match the contours of the booms.(admittedly, I'm not doing a NMF either like Dave/Ironman 1945 did on his bird...it would have to be done perfectly with no 'whupses' the first time. But it's really doable.) Speaking of fit issues; while my wheel wells are drying I took another opportunity to check out my cockpit/pilot fit with the glass installed. Glad I did, as my pilot was bonking his melon on the upper canopy. Had to drop the seat base 3-4mm's to get him behind the gunsight. Kit seat height is perfect for the 'canopy open...seat jacked up for taxiing pose', but I'm going with canopy closed on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Okay, time to play with the pilot, cuz I'm bored and I've got everything jigged together. Pilot head #1 in the pic above looks a bit too Northern Europe for my tastes, and I haven't seen many pics wth the pilots wearing an oxygen mask on the ground. Sooo....lets try head #2, with goggles down, and no mask. Meh, dunno about this chucklehead, let's try head #3 with goggles up and no mask. I really want a head with a USAAF 'crush hat' with earphones over the top,(working on that) but most pilots in this theatre wore a baseball type hat. This is looking a bit more tropical to me, and I just might put a mask hanging off the side later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Fit of the cockpit/nose wheel assembly clicked in like it was made from the factory. Cool!! Here's some shots of the pit with head #3 before I dropped the seat down a bit. I've got all the PE throttles, and assorted what-nots ready for paint, but this is just a pilot fit test run and all stuff isn't installed yet. Without glass; With front glass in place. Was wildly surprised at the nice tight fit of the sidewalls and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Here's the taped together assembly. I was sure something like this would be a major fit problem, but it just slides into place. After seeing how much of the pit is visible thru the glass, I have decided to actually use the PE buckles to strap this pilot in. Okay, pilot still looks like he's from the wrong theatre, so I've started to give him rolled up shirt-sleeves by carving away the jacket on his left arm. Right arm is in-process of being modded to grasp the wheel, but will get the same treatment. I think ya'll get the idea, eh?! Whelp, I'm ready to start painting the cockpit now, and my wheel wells should be dry...so it's time to say adios and get back to playing around. More pics soon! Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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