1/18 Scale P-38 Lightning

[Ironwing]

JW

 

Youve found the key to success...patience. The end item will come in due time. Tenacity and skill, when combined, have no equal. Stay the course. We're all right with you...

 

Geoff

[JayW]

I was busy today.  Mostly just getting the RH side to the state of the LH side:

 

 

The little parts in the middle are lower fin parts.  The shaped one with the bump is the lower fairing with the skid.  You can see the other one in the process of being sanded and filed into shap.

 

Wow - the tail is really alot of work, but I finally got to the point where I can begin the lower tail surfaces.  Stay tuned.

[Guest]

I am staying tuned !...........Harv

[chuck540z3]

All that picky detail with the vertical stab's is crazy Jay.  Just crazy, but also crazy good.  From what I can see of the original parts and all the other parts you have changed or modified, you are creating a whole new 1/18 P-38 model that will be totally awesome when finished.  Model on sir, you have all of our attention!

[JayW]

Harv - you have six plus years into a build?  What is it?  Full scale? 

 

I forgot to add, the previous picture showing the booms - the squadron letters (WC H) are painted on because I didn't trust the decals I made.  It took me half a day to do one boom, then half a day to do the other.  Lacking stencils, it took three maskings each and then waiting for paint to dry.  What a pain!   At least other things can be done as paint cures. 

 

Craig - thanks for the many compliments Mate.  The serial number decal was easier this time around.  Perhaps letting the varnish I spray on the decal sheet dry for a week (instead of a day) helps with the edge tuck-under.  The hinge rib alignment - I just do it one at a time and slip the pin through.  If alignment is bad, I yank the offending piece out and do what I have to do to it.  PATIENCE is the key!

 

 Ironwing - waiting for another post for the P-51.....

[JayW]

WC H????   MC H!

[Guest]

No, my 1/32 P-38M in WIP..........Harv

[Ironwing]

Harv - you have six plus years into a build?  What is it?  Full scale? 

 

I forgot to add, the previous picture showing the booms - the squadron letters (WC H) are painted on because I didn't trust the decals I made.  It took me half a day to do one boom, then half a day to do the other.  Lacking stencils, it took three maskings each and then waiting for paint to dry.  What a pain!   At least other things can be done as paint cures. 

 

Craig - thanks for the many compliments Mate.  The serial number decal was easier this time around.  Perhaps letting the varnish I spray on the decal sheet dry for a week (instead of a day) helps with the edge tuck-under.  The hinge rib alignment - I just do it one at a time and slip the pin through.  If alignment is bad, I yank the offending piece out and do what I have to do to it.  PATIENCE is the key!

 

 Ironwing - waiting for another post for the P-51.....

Working on it... I spent the weekend making a lot of parts that were no good. The criss cross rivet pattern on the horizontal stabilizer skins is turning out to be a real sore spot. You wouldn't think it would be all that hard, but getting the intersections to line up is giving me fits. Along with patience, there is also tenacity

[JayW]

Oh dude - I love your JFK quote!!  LOL!

[JayW]

The lower vertical tail work has continued in earnest.  Here is a built up structural assembly sans clothing:

 

 

The build-up is very similar to what I did with the upper fin and rudder, just a different shape and alot smaller and more finicky.  Here the skin panels have been glued on:

 

 

You also see the lower tip fairing with its skid bump.  It doesn't fit very well, so as usual massaging is going to be required.  It is very small so I don't really look forward to it - like how do you hold it.....   The LE part is going to have to wait until I fit up the lower fin and rudder and see how it matches with the upper fin and rudder.  Then I will adjust its shape as required.

 

I have a fear here (no Geoff - I really do).  It's all going to come down to how well the lower and upper rudders match up with one another.  There is so much tolerance between them that the chance of a good match is about nil - I won't know until I complete the lower fin AND the lower rudder which I haven't even started on yet..  It will require massaging extraordinaire methinks - hopefully it won't be a disaster because as you know I am committed to a new tail. 

 

Meanwhile, as proof that I have indeed lost my mind,  I have been eyeing that h/stab.   Whereas I had thought I would salvage it, when I compare it to the much improved vertical tail, it just sticks out like a sore thumb.  So I think I am going to replace it.  It won't be that hard, except for the leading edge which will have to be "hogged out" from plastic bar, a continuing theme.  The vertical tail components are much harder because of all the contours and having to match the upper to the lower.  The h/stab and elevator are just long constant section planks.  Besides, I was going to replace the bullet shaped mass balance parts anyway.  The ones on the toy are grossly inaccurate.  That task will be easier if I remake the entire component.

 

Here is what I see (the toy part):

 

 

 

 

I see an elevator and tab that are crying out to be separate parts.  I see trench lines that will be all too visible, and I seem to be unable to do new lines well.  I see (importantly) a significant warping that would be very tough if not impossible to get rid of.  And I see very toyish looking balance weights.  BTW - can you imagine bailing out of a P-38 and having to deal with the h/stab and those balance weights and towers?  Yikes. 

 

So here is the plan:

 

 

 

The stab itself minus the elevator:

 

 

And the elevator:

 

 

Substructure (very repetitive stuff):

 

 

Hope those pictures came out OK.  This is not going to be that hard.  Just time consuming. 

 

Seems as though I don't want to get onto the outer wings!  But I really do.  I looked them over thouroughly also, and they really need alot of work.  Oh brother - what a project.

[Shawn M]

wonderful work

[JayW]

The lower rudder LH side is done.  First some innards:

 

 

No tab - that makes it easier right there.  It is also smaller by about half compared to the upper rudder.

 

 

 

It fits well to the lower fin:

 

 

You know the biggest PITA for the lower rudder?  The balance weight.  It is a six-sided box tapered in two directions.   

 

Here I show the method to the madness:

 

 

 

I was right to be concerned about how the upper and lower parts mate up.  But, with some heavy modification of the mounting surfaces on the boom, the fit will be fine.  Here are a couple of shots of the boom mod:

 

 

 

Every interface plane had to receive some sort of mod - either file it down, or build it up.  That's OK.

 

Next post my friends - those tail surfaces will be permanently installed.  At least the LH side.  Maybe RH side as well.  I am pumped about it - it will look like Lucky Lady.  Then, the H/stab.

[Guest]

Incredible !!.........Harv

[JRutman]

Those tail feathers are a complete model unto themselves man. Wow!  You and Geoff both continue the gobsmacking,as it were.

  Any thoughts on what you will use for the large rounded rivets on the rear booms?

J

[JayW]

 

"Any thoughts on what you will use for the large rounded rivets on the rear booms?"

 

Jerry - I suppose I can putty them in and re-do them. I was just going to leave them alone. This model is only showing larger fasteners, just because that is as much as I was willing to do. So I am showing dzus fasteners as you know. Rivets, no. Screws (better flush head bolts) - probably no, although I did some drill starts to show them on the engine nacelles. I think the tail fillet fairings are attached with flush head bolts. So what to do......

 

Well if I do anything to them I will put them all in, not just the single row you already see.