P-38 Lightning

[breadneck]

Regarding "parked" P-38`s, do their body posture/attitude vary much from various factors? (bomb load, topped up/empty/tire pressure etc..) How would a "correct" parked P-38 kit look like? Perfectly horizontal with the ground or slightly nose up/tail heavy and how do you as a modeler go about and measure this factor? Uploading pics sure is a pain and i`m not getting younger.

 

   

Edited March 12, 2019 by breadneck

[Cubs2jets]

In my opinion, your picture on the right shows the "best" parked posture.

 

Yes, loaded or empty has some effect on the stance of the parked plane, but the P-38 seems to be pretty close to a balance on the main gear.  If you look at the picture on the right, the main wheels are the fulcrum point.  You are not going to be able to add much weight aft of the wheels.  Fuel, external ordnance and the pilot are very nearly centered over the wheel.  about the only "weight" forward of the main wheel is ammunition for the guns and/or cameras.

 

I think the photo on the left shows a P-38 that has been pushed back into a parking space by a tug.  When the tug stopped, momentul caused the aircraft to "rock" back on the main wheels, extending the nose landing gear strut.  Inflation pressure of the strut can also effect the "stance".

 

C2j

[Cajun21]

The aircraft on the left is a recce bird and if you notice the port nose panel is open and it can be surmised that all the cameras were removed from the aircraft and the center of gravity has changed. With that weight loss and the aircraft rocked back aft of the main gear due to the weight loss. Just my observation.

 Cheers

Itch

Edited March 12, 2019 by Cajun21

[Geoff M]

I like a more nose up attitude in my P-38s.  I carefully cut off the torsion link and cut the oleo out of the nose landing gear.  Aluminum tubing can be found that has the same diameter as the oleo portion.  Now you drill a hole into the upper and lower pieces of the nose gear and determine how long you want to make the oleo.  It doesn't take much to make it look right to me.  Glue the oleo in place and replace the torsion link.  The picture below shows the oleo lengthened by probably 1/16" or so.  If you extend it too much you need to make a new torsion link, in this case I just spread it open a little.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Geoff M