chuck540z3 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) After 14 months and hundreds of hours, this replica of “Marge†is finally finished. For information on how I assembled this project, I have a build thread here:1/32 Trumpeter P-38L, "Kicked Up A Notch"I have always wanted to build the iconic twin boom “Fork Tailed Devil†P-38 Lightning fighter of WW-II. I prefer the larger 1/32 scale for all my builds and there are currently only two choices of this aircraft at this scale from both Revell and Trumpeter. I heard that the 2011 Trumpeter kit was better than the much older Revell offering, but having recently built the 2001 release of the Trumpeter A-10A kit in 1/32 scale, I was very apprehensive to use this kit due to the many difficulties encountered in that project. Thankfully, I found that Trumpeter has come a long way in improving their products during these 10 years, but this kit still has a number of big challenges to overcome if you want the model to look both well-constructed and fairly accurate. The other thing I have always wanted to try is to build a “restored bird†with a clean Bare Metal Finish (BMF). My aircraft builds are usually fairly weathered, to replicate how they looked in the field or runway during a war or heavy use. Besides making the aircraft look more realistic, weathering can also hide small flaws in the paint finish or construction. A BMF hides nothing! As a matter of fact, on a very smooth and shiny metallic surface, every tiny flaw will be magnified, so extra care must be given to both the model construction and the painting to eliminate as many flaws as possible. The subject for this build brings the two wishes together in Major Richard Bong's “Margeâ€, as it appears at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Major Bong was a member of the Army Air Forces in World War II, a Medal of Honor recipient and was referred to as the “Ace of Acesâ€, having shot down at least 40 confirmed Japanese aircraft, all while flying a Lockheed Lightning P-38J fighter. This P-38 is actually Serial # 44-53087, which is a later P-38L, although it has the markings of one of the P38J's that Major Bong flew during the war, Serial # 42-103993, which has 25 of his kills recognized. At the nearby Richard Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior Wisconsin, there is another P-38L, Serial # 44-53236, which has the same markings as #42-10993, but the entire fuselage is painted aluminum which I find much less interesting to look at – or model. The nose art on both of these aircraft has the image of Major Bong's girlfriend at the time and later wife, Marjorie Vattendahl, hence the name “Marge†beside her image.I like to use a lot of aftermarket products in my builds to improve the quality of the finished model and this build was no exception. Besides the Trumpeter P-38L kit (#02227), I used the following products to “kick it up a notchâ€:1. Cutting Edge resin cockpit set (CEC32159)2. HGW Webgarden P-51D cloth seatbelts (which are the same for the P-38)3. Scale Aircraft Conversions metal landing gear (scissor links only)4. Masterdetails resin supercharger5. Grey Matters corrected props (GMAJR3217)6. Aires resin wheels and vinyl masks (2105)7. Eduard Exterior photoetch brass (32126)8. Eduard undercarriage photoetch brass (32134)9. Profimodeler brass gun set (32138)10. Pyn-Up decals (PYN32001)11. StencilPal vinyl canopy paint masks (SP 32031)12. Airscale instrument panel decal Now the pics...... Edited July 6, 2016 by chuck540z3 leoasman, rafju, mpk and 22 others 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) Edited February 4, 2016 by chuck540z3 Rod Bettencourt, Hartmann352, Dragon and 20 others 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywifehatesmodels Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Chuck, This is such and amazing build and it was fun to follow along with, in the WIP thread. One of the most "off the cool charts" models I've seen in a long time! John mpk and CANicoll 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fins Up North Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 She's a beauty! Awesome cockpit work! mpk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Such an immaculate build, Chuck. No hiding grungy paint work with weathering, no hiding anything in fact, with a finish like that. Absolutely awesome. May I publish it on the website? Kev mpk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urs Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Have to confess that non-weathered models are not my taste - but your your paintjob is really stunnign here. Flawless, mpk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Buddee Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Absolutely gorgeous Chuck! She simply looks fantastic. What a build Sir. Cheers, Wolf mpk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 It's been an epic (and entertaining) build to follow, with a lot of useful lessons fro us lesser modellers. And the result is exactly as you wanted it : shiny and clean. Absolutely magnificent in fact ! Chuck ! Hubert mpk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Pretty damned special work, Chuck. Bravo! Thank you for sharing. Sincerely, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClumsyDude Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Said it in the WIP, I'll say it here, masterpiece ... such a pleasure watching your work Chuck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Immaculate is the word, Stunning fits nicely as well! :thumbsup: Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal_Belford Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Wow...it looks fantastic.... No washes....just precise, well built, neat and clean...and very very nice even finnish that caches my eyes.. I line it very much..... High numbers from me on this one.... /Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn M Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 classy as always, another gorgeous build Chick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alain11 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 a master piece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! , interesting WIP ,excellent job !!!!!!!'( as always ) Alain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hworth18 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Absolutely beautiful work!! A stunning P-38!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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