1/18 Scale P-38 Lightning

[JayW]

"One thing I found out when doing my own dials, at least in 1/32, was that the (white) details need to be fattened compared to to-scale appearance, to beat the limitations of the printer ... and of the human eye.

Hubert"
 

 

You are right Hubert.  And I did, but not enough.  Therefore some of the dial detail is a little faint.  Thanks for looking in.

[JayW]

Just a bit more progress on the cockpit; a big breakout is coming after I get a couple more things done.

 

Here is my collection so far:

 

 

You see the IP unchanged since last post, and then you see the center main switch box which spans the width of the cockpit, the engine control stand which will mount onto the LH sidewall, and the control column which is same as before except I added a switch box and a radio button.  You also see the sidewall waiting to get installed, and lastly the just started center stand which will have the choke, rudder trim control handle, and oxygen equipment.

 

Here is a closer shot of the center switch box with many toggles:

 

 

And here is a closer shot of the engine stand, with many levers with balls on top (actually drips of epoxy):

 

 

The engine stand was a real sombitch.  It's close!

[Guest]

NICE !.........Harv

[Loic]

Amazing job 

[JayW]

Loic - I just visited your F4U engine bay stuff.  I have to say I am among some mighty talented modellers.  It is humbling.

[Loic]

You are just too good to me

[JayW]

Continuing, the center stand is complete.  Here are some shots of it "on the bench":

 

 

 

 

The body of the stand, due to its funny shape, was made with a frame of sorts made of .25 inch thick plastic stock, and then "skinned" on the sides.  The RH side has a trapezoidal shaped bump that required a bent up .005 inch piece of plastic sheet that was tricky to get right.

 

It serves as a mount for (starting at the bottom) - the rudder trim crank handle (note home made decals), the engine primer handle on the trapezoidal bump, a tricky bracket which holds the oxygen "blinker" instrument, the oxygen regulator unit, and up top is the engine choke handle.   

 

The regulator was a project in and of itself, and it is basically a duplicate of the one I made for Miss Velma a couple of years ago.  The blinker bracket was a fun little sub-project too.

 

Here is what it is going to look like installed.  Note I have added the oxygen hose with its clamps:

 

 

 

All I have left of the cockpit are the rudder pedals.  Once made, I drop them in and add the other stuff I already made.  You will see that next post. 

[JRutman]

as usual,this is spectacular work. I remember full well how difficult it is to fabricate that center consol. Great job!!

J

[Loic]

What Jerry said, spectacular! 

[JayW]

"....and up top is the engine choke handle."

 

Correction - that is the parking brake! Geez Louise - I knew that. Thanks Johnny.

 

Now, I finished off the rudder pedals, and rushed it and it shows:

 

 

They are pretty simple - just plastic sheet, rod, and some alum tube stock. The secret as always is to get them to scale with accurate shape. If they were seen, I would have done them over. But I am here to tell you, they won't be seen. They only serve to stroke my ego because I know they are in there.

 

Now - another big milestone in this lengthy build - the cockpit is finished after several months and several hundred scratch built parts. Here are a bunch of pictures, none of which do it justice as it's hard to get good shots of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obligatory top view:

 

 

This all replaced a pretty toyish 21CT cockpit. I am glad it's done. BTW - anybody see the rudder pedals in those shots? I didn't.

 

Now - on to a VERY challenging task which is to build up the windshield area. More to come; thanks for looking in.

[alberto49]

Yes, it's impossible to see the rudder pedals, but you know that they are there and that can be enough!!!

In facts is a common issue with many models, including out-of-the.box ones: many details are carefully built to be hidden somewhere.

Alberto

[Hubert Boillot]

One thing for sure: the time spent on this cockpit is time well spent. Spectacular (and fantastic) workmanship and results, Jay !

 

Hubert

Edited March 25, 2015 by MostlyRacers

[dodgem37]

Great detailing.

 

Sincerely,

MArk

[p38johnny]

That cockpit came out just fantastic Jay!! Really wonderful work!

[JayW]

Thanks John!

 

So next on the docket is the center fuselage pod including canopy. I am approaching this part of the build with much trepidation and caution. One, I am not a very skilled panel line guy and this model really needs new panel lines. And two, I am scratch building a new canopy because the original is unacceptable, and it's going to be a bear.

 

Here, I'll show you:

 

 

 

The windshield has so many problems it is tough to know where to start. It is shaped wrong (it must be flat), and its transitions into the fuselage surface and the sta 126 frame (that is the frame the windshield terminates on) are wrong as well. It's trapezoidal shape is also wrong, being too narrow up top and too wide on the bottom. The side glass - it just sucks. Can't think of a better word. I will make new ones properly shaped.

 

In the picture you will see scribe curves where I will cut away the fuselage to make room for the entirely new windshield and side glass assembly I intend to make. You also see the deep trenches that are the existing panel lines - they will be filled in and done new.

 

And here is some of the demolition work - scary stuff:

 

 

Here are some of the new parts - a windshield glass with side posts, the sta 95 frame that the windshield attaches to at its forward (lower) end, and the beginning of the sta 126 frame that the windshield attaches to at its aft (upper) end. Lacking are the side glass details and canopy frame strips.

 

 

The windshield has me pretty excited. In real life it is bullet-proof and very thick (1.5 inches or so). The thickest clear plastic I could find easily was 1/32 inch thick, so I cut out three pieces and glued them together with 2-part epoxy. That (about .100) is good enough for me. It was messy but it cleaned up pretty good. After some future floor polish, it is just about perfect. Now to keep it that way with all the work I have to do with it. It will receive some contour grinding at its aft end, and it will receive three critical drilled .025 inch holes for the gunsight mount fitting (yup it was attached direcctly to the windshield via threaded studs - at least for the J-model).

 

It has become time for me to figure out how much balast to put into the nose and engine cowlings such that the model will not tip on its tail. Because before long I will button up the fuselage. So I assembled it as best I could on wheels, and added nose weight until I got there (nearly a full pound of material).

 

Here is a shot of some of the material:

 

 

Those are lead mini-ball slugs - I got a bucket of them from my Dad when he died last year. There are more bonded in behind the props.

 

Lastly, a little teaser - here is what the cockpit looks like installed:

 

 

Exciting times for the big P-38 build. I have major challenges ahead with the canopy build. Take care.