Tamiya P38J

[paddy]

This might be interesting for others doing

a P-38 build

 

[moon puppy]

It is interesting, the hashed area is NMF? I didn't realize they had the filled and painted sections like the P51 wings.

 

[paddy]

The hashed area is painted like the leading edges and rear of the Turbo as these areas took more wear.

the side nose panels were also painted as they are shown but not in the top plan picture so thats a mistake.

Like you i was just checking the P38 as i knew the P51 was like this

 

[paddy]

Cockpits are not my thing but fortunately you will not see much so the overall impression will be passable.
I had to do a bit of serious chopping to get this together so i,am quite pleased, i was nearly going to revert to the Tamiya kit parts instead.

You cant fix the armour plate till the cockpit is in the fuselage and i need to do something with the head rest still

 

[sharkman]

Looks awesome Paddy

 

[moon puppy]

That'll work

 

[paddy]

Hmmmmm
this is the Bit Bob loves
Not much chance of closing the wing gap with the Eduard cockpit set

Note the gun bay is too wide and see how the kit is flared out at the front, this will not work when you but the front of the canopy on and the top of the nose.. The whole gun bay is also too tall for the nose section.

Bit of head scratching to do now but perversely this is the bit i like

 

[sharkman]

That's quite a gap! Is this because you are adding so many aftermarket sets or is the cockpit just too big??

It doesn't look like you can shave too much off the bottom if you had to

 

[moon puppy]

this is the Bit Bob loves

No my friend. This is the bit I hate to see repeatedly from Eduard.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

This is where you compare the AM cockpit with the kit cockpit and see where the differences are in the areas where it mounts up.

 

[Rhino]

Mutherpussbuckit!!

 

[paddy]

My plan is to first build up the kit cockpit and see if i can se what going on, i suspect the kit cockpit will be just as good as the eduard one anyway.

 

[sharkman]

One would think there would be some form of Quality control and test fit before a product is put for sale!

 

[moon puppy]

One would think there would be some form of Quality control and test fit before a product is put for sale!

Why, sales are good. How many times did this hit me.

Paddy you haven't scrubbed away any of the original kit have you? I think I ended up doing Aires cockpit on the P38 I never finished years ago.

 

[paddy]

There are not alterations for the cockpit parts Bob, just the engine and nose guns which i have now committed too
I am now quite interested to build up the kit cockpit and see how it compares.

 

[Paulw]

Why, sales are good. How many times did this hit me.

Paddy you haven't scrubbed away any of the original kit have you? I think I ended up doing Aires cockpit on the P38 I never finished years ago.

I remember one Academy P-38.....

 

[Rhino]

The Eduard certainly has some prominent corners on it. Grind-to-fit?

 

[moon puppy]

I remember one Academy P-38.....

And Wildcat flaps... There were some others but can't recall now.

 

[Steve Ski]

Dang, what a bummer. However you tackle this it will be a real hoot. I would be tempted to head out to the shop and turn on the belt sander and grind away, but that just might rattle a few things loose. Like I've said before, makes ya wonder what "they" were thinking, if at all.

Then again, the challenge is what we live for sometimes, just to prove we can beat this plastic kit But on the other hand, you could always use the 'ol carpenter's rule, "If it don't fit, beat it in with a hammer"

I know you got this handled in your mind already, Paddy, Ruck On!

 

[sharkman]

The Eduard certainly has some prominent corners on it. Grind-to-fit?

Yeah, I would give that a try!