Peterpools

John Just getting the conversion this far is a major victory. 🏆

John Amazing work ... some mighty nice work.

Kriss Looking mighty good

Rob Since I now know the magic date, I'll check the date as soon as the decals arrive. I'm also willing to bet all those included with the latest Profi versions of the kits I've been purchasing will also be of the new type. I just might decal as normal, leaving the clear film as is and see what happens. Absolutely will test then before using as I have a lot of the newer 48th scale profi kits in the stash. Back in the day, the number one decal company was Microscale. They were excellent and worked beautifully. From what I remember (?) there were two brothers and one wanted to put their focus on model railroading and the other scale modeling. I've rarely purchase from Hannants as shipping is expensive across the pond. Peter

Oliver How true - just a completely new discipline and a whole new way of doing things.

I stand corrected., 🙃

Gus Nice progress on whipping the HB Tram back in line. Her nose is looking better and better. 👍

Rob Great reason for sure.

John I'll be looking forward to those builds and keeping count as well

John I'm willing to bet you will be close to forty.

Ernie All the 'forever to be hidden details' look mighty good. And just no excuse for engines that do not fit with the rocker covers in place. Surely HK could have found a better way.

John Amazing progress and as always, your build looks flawless. I'm only guessing but at the incredible rate you've been building this year, you'll have set a world record for completions ... maybe 40 plus 🏆🏆🏆

John You're making some mighty nice progress on a tough conversion, with some fierce looking miss-matches. Me, I'm the last to offer advice on such matters, but I tend to go the middle route, build up the lower areas a bit and sand the areas higher areas as well. May not be perfect but seems to be an easier road to follow.

GUs I feel your pain and a typical HB move for sure. Always seems when a manufacturer opens up panel, has folding outer wing panels, or in this case the radar nose, they never really consider a lot of builders would prefer it closed and devote little if any attention to the alternate position fit. Fingers crossed you stick with the Tram as the office is looking mighty good.

Kriss Nice progress on the interior painting and right with you about the kit's IP.

Rob, WOW, the rivets look brilliant and the effect is beyond awesome and that's what counts. Working on the same Tamiya family of P-38's, I can so easily tell and appreciate all the extra work, especially after the rivet decals are in place. and have dried. I

Thanks Fran The Border 1/35 Spit does look mighty good at this point.

Rob Thanks for the very kind words. As you pointed out on your P-38 build, the kit is typical Tamiya, nearly flawless in design, execution and the instructions are clear and concise. As far as the decals go, I normally buy then from Sprue Bros and the selection of P-38 decals in 48th scale is pretty slim these days. I did do an online search and found others available, but I knew SB would for me be the best and fastest option. I'm not sure if they are Eduard's new or the older type and I'm really not sure how to tell the difference. Eduard decals are dated on the bottom and I'll compare the P-38 decals to the decals in their latest Limited Edition 48th scale P-51 kit and I might be able to tell from there. If they are the old type, they will be applied as normal and if the new type, I'll try to remove the carrier film. 🤞 Rob, I know on you build you are using Eduard's new Raise Rivet Decals... and since they carrier film on them isn't to be removed, there might be some type of marking or notation as to what to look for. 🔍 Yup, absolutely jumped the gun and should not have added the turbo chargers at this point in the build, as now it's going to be a lot more finicky to paint and lightly weather them. Just enjoy your vacation and you awesome Lightening build will be waiting when you are back home, well rested and with recharged batteries,

Thanks Gaz Very much appreciated. It felt good working smaller, playing with the paint and air brush for the subject at hand, as I use to do so many years ago. Took a few 'go backs' on a few errant demarcation areas but all in all, I was pretty pleased with the results.

Thanks Paul very much appreciated.

Thanks Kev, much appreciated, as it felty so good to move past the primer and onto the color coats. Right now, I have a few hours' worth of small parts to finish up and then the clear gloss goes on (either Tamiya LP-9 or X-22) and then it's waiting time for the decals to arrive. Should have checked out the decals BEFORE starting but I was so intent on using them, I never really took a close look. Just might use the few days to do some prep work on my next build.

Thanks John Yup, she sure is looking like Kelly Johnson's Twin Tailed P-38 Lightening. The old air brush trigger finger is starting to come back.

Oliver Fantastic, amazed more and more with each update. Weathering is light and so realistic.

PRIMING & PAINTING TIME It’s been too long since the P-38 occupied front and center on the bench and the focus of my build time. Picking up where I left off, dusting off the P-38F and taking care of the remaining pre-priming issues. My wife and I are managing our medical issues and things are starting to settle down for the time being. One small trip to the ER for me this past week. Front windscreen was attached with a gingerly bit of Extra Thin as it wouldn’t completely sit down quite right (absolutely my fault) and the rear canopy was attached with Micro Krystal Kleer. The closed center section was used for easy masking, as the build will have an open canopy. The gear bays were masked off with bits of foam and paper towel and the seams were given a last once over. Easier to sit the P-38 on the JL painting stand that I’ve had for a good decade plus, so priming could be accomplished in one session. Primer of choice: MRP Fine Surface Primer Black was used with no issues and a few very minor seams needed a bit of TLC. The priming stage completed, time to head Back to the Future and remember how to do free hand cammo in 48th scale. Paints of choice: MRP-139 Olive Drab 41 MRP-141 Neutral Gray 42 Painting was accomplished with an H&S Infinity CR Plus .2 tip for the cammo color demarcation line areas and a H&S Infinity CR Plus .4 tip to fill in nicely the majority of the surfaces, using a working pressure of 1 Bar. Believe it or not, the smaller the scale the more delicate and difficult the air brush work becomes. The order of the day, low working pressures, thinned out paint and small tip size, got the job done. Prop Hubs were painted with Tamiya XF-14 Blue The gear and wheels were painted with Tamiya LP-38 Flat Aluminum and the details picked out with Tamiya Black Panel Line Wash. Oleos will be BMF Chrome – not done yet. Tires were done in Tamiya XF-69 Nato Black and then given a light dusting a Tamiya XF-56 Buff. Prop Tips were masked and painted with Tamiya XF-3 Flat Yellow. Getting ready now for the clear gloss and then decaling and took a good look at the decals; OH NO, the decals look thick and ugly. Placed an emergency order with Sprue Brothers for a set of Eduard P-38F decals #48047with all the stencils and markings. Of course, waiting as always. I keep asking two questions about Tamiya: Why can’t the masks be dye cut? Used Eduard’s brilliant EX666 set. 2. For what these kits costs, how about following a good portion of the modeling world and include Cartograf decals – what’s was in my box was terrible and I wasn’t even going to attempt to use them. And of course, this is coming from a Tamiya Fan Boy. Gear, wheels, tires and almost all the remain parts have been painted and ready to install.

My prayers, thoughts and heart are with Harv. I know deep down you will recover and be at the bench again. 🙏