1/48 Hasegawa P-38G Lightning

Gallery Article by Klaasjan Schuuring on Oct 1 2018

 

      

The legendary P-38 certainly draws attention due to its unusual configuration as a twin boom twin engine fighter. It was fast but unfortunately not all that agile but this was amply compensated for by it's menacing armament of five fifty call machine guns in the nose. Not having to worry about getting the opponent in the exact spot where machine guns on conventional fighters, with the weaponry in the wings, converge, made aiming somewhat easier. The version I built saw action over Guadalcanal.

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The Hasegawa kit is very nicely done with crisp detail. The moulds are showing their age however and some of the parts don't fit that well anymore. These problems are minor though and out of the box the kit already would be very nice. I added some PE from Eduard which enhanced the cockpit and under carriage. 

The paint scheme is simple olive drab on top and an undefined neutral gray on the lower side. The decals were slow to soak them off the carrier paper but once on the model, they reacted wonderfully to the micro set and sol virtually dissolving all of the film. I added some flaking and streaking and of course a dark wash on top and a slightly lighter wash on the gray bits. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Klaasjan Schuuring

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Photos and text © by Klaasjan Schuuring