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 “Marge”, 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 Aces”, 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 notch”: 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 supercharger 5. 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 decals Now the pics...... Edited February 11, 2016 by chuck540z3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 (edited) IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh66/chuck540z3/P-38L/Final16.jpg[/img] Looks like I'll need to touch up a bit of overspray at the base of the windscreen. Edited January 15, 2016 by chuck540z3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeeJee Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Wow, very clean but very nice ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Top job, Chuck and unusually fast for you as well ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnS Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Very nice! :thumbsup: Great detailing & paint job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
k5ikl Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 WOW Chuck!!! That looks really great. Did you have to use much weight in the nose to keep it from tail sitting? I had to in the Revell kit. Jerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Thanks a lot guys! WOW Chuck!!! That looks really great. :thumbsup:/>/>/> Did you have to use much weight in the nose to keep it from tail sitting? I had to in the Revell kit. Jerry I sure did. This sucker is heavy! Here's a few more pics for those who might be interested in some more close-ups.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balls47 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 I can think of nothing but ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
polo1112 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 It's really gorgeous; I do really LIKE such a clean finish. I would like to congratulate for this amazing work.Polo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squizzy 78 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Chuck, The metal finish, the paint the rivets, simply looks perfect! I can't wait to follow yet another build thread, of yours. Reading your build threads is improving my modelling abilities, keep up the amazing work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Chuck, That is absolutely gorgeous!! Each time I see one of your builds I think you can't get any better...but you do!! Superb photography as well. One question....what are you using for your blue background? I'm finishing up an 1/48 F-4 and I'm going to need a bigger back sweep than I can find in craft stores for the full model shots. Thanks, Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
polo1112 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Hello Chuck!! What I like on your model of the P-38 is that it is very CLEAN!!! No dirt , no (often overdone) weathering, and so on. I also make pristine models, just getting off the factory; I just like them so. I love particularly "Marge" of Richard Ira Bong and I am building the same model as you; but with the very old (1964) but beautiful MONOGRAM model. Wish me good luck and keep up the good work. Cheers. Polo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the kind words. Chuck, That is absolutely gorgeous!! Each time I see one of your builds I think you can't get any better...but you do!! Superb photography as well. One question....what are you using for your blue background? I'm finishing up an 1/48 F-4 and I'm going to need a bigger back sweep than I can find in craft stores for the full model shots. Abe Thanks, Bob Thanks Bob. I have a small portable photo booth for most of the WIP pics and then for the final pics, a larger one that is also collapsible, but way too big for daily use. The backgrounds that come with this "booth" are grey, white, green and blue, so against metallic finishes, blue was perfect. I have no idea of what make it is, but the fabric is smooth and synthetic looking, like nylon. Sorry if that's too vague, but that's all I know! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
305swag Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Omg! What a great looking model! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Very nice Chuck, nicest P-38 model I have ever seen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) Very nice Chuck, nicest P-38 model I have ever seen. Thanks Gary! Assuming you guys are hosting the model contest this year in Edmonton, you just might see it in person next June. I'd also like Chris to see it, since he always has constructive critiques that are always helpful. Edited January 19, 2016 by chuck540z3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shan Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 wow,its finally done!!!! what a journey this build has en devoured with the mishaps and all. CONGRATULATIONS on another inspiring build. Cant wait to see the F15I kick off Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 That is one beautiful P-38 a massive well done. Excellent paintwork and finish. Superb! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam1818 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 This is a mind blowing model right here!! Wow!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Are you kidding me?....Chuck you know darn well this should be in the display case, I mean what is there to critique?!?!...or did you place it here by mistake? , that happens on occasion. the BMF is second to nuthin'.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Are you kidding me?....Chuck you know darn well this should be in the display case, I mean what is there to critique?!?!...or did you place it here by mistake? :hmmm:/>, that happens on occasion. the BMF is second to nuthin'.... Clif Buddy. Last time I checked this WAS the display case forum! Thanks for the kind words nonetheless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jinmmydel Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) Nice Edited January 20, 2016 by jinmmydel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kike Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 One of the few builds I don't care is not weathered! and i like hard weather! but this build is above most of the builds I've seen! truly inspiring! thanks for sharing all your good and bad steps done through the journey! I've folowed your last two builds from day one! and read all of them! and I can't mention one not interesting update! please don't take a long time to start your next work cause I'm gonna be missing checking what you do! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) Thanks Guys! In my haste to take pics before I went on vacation, I rushed the cockpit ones and also discovered that I had a little over-spray on the windscreen. This has now been fixed. I also forgot to thank Randy Taillon ("sluggo2u") again, who made me custom vinyl masks for both the inside and the outside of the canopy and windscreen. They fit perfectly and I had no paint bleed under the masks. The masks can be found here: StencilPal Now the close-ups of the cockpit area, with the top canopy lid removed. There should be a grab handle on the top of the windscreen, but with the lid attached it won't fit, so I deleted it, even though it doesn't come with the kit or Eduard parts. Edited February 2, 2016 by chuck540z3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
polo1112 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) Wonderful!! What a beauty!! Congratulations. Polo. Edited February 2, 2016 by polo1112 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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