US WWII FIGHTER

Pacific Lightnings 1175

1:48 SCALE PLASTIC KIT

introThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement. It became famous not only for its performance

in the skies of WWII, but also for its unusual appearance. The Lightning, designed by the Lockheed team led by Chief Engineer Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson, was a complete departure from conventional

airframe design. Powered by two liquid cooled inline V-1710 engines, it was almost twice the size of other US fighters and was armed with four .50 cal. machine guns plus a 20 mm cannon, giving the Lightning not only the firepower to deal with enemy aircraft, but also the capability to inflict heavy damage on ships.

The first XP-38 prototype, 37-457, was built under tight secrecy and made its maiden flight on January 27, 1939. The USAAF wasn´t satisfied with the big new fighter, but gave permission for a transcontinental speed dash on February 11, 1939. During this event, test pilot Kelsey crashedat Mitchell Field, NY. Kelsey survived the cash but the airplane was written off. Despite this, Lockheed received a contract for thirteen preproduction YP-38s.

The first production version was the P-38D (35 airplanes only armed with 37mm cannon), followed by 210 P-38Es which reverted back to the20 mm cannon. These planes began to arrive in October 1941 just before America entered World War II.

The next versions were P-38F, P-38G, P-38H and P-38J. The last of these introduced an improved shape of the engine nacelles with redesigned air intakes and cooling system. Also, the curved windscreen was replaced by a flat one.

One of the Lightning´s weaknesses was a huge vibration during dive attacks caused by transsonic airflow on the wings. Lockheed never solved this problem, but dive brakes were installed under each wing from P-38J-25 production block to maintain control when diving at high-speed.

The fastest of the Lightnings was the P-38J with a top speed of 420 mph, and the version produced in the greatest quantity was theP-38L - 3,735 left the Lockheed factory while 113 left Vultee assembly lines. So-called 'Drop Snoots' were fitted with bombardier type noses, and used to lead formations of bomb-laden P-38s to their targets.

The P-38M was a two-seat radar-equipped night fighter, a few of which had become operational before the war ended. As noted above, the P-38 was the biggest singleseat fighter to serve with the USAAF. Its overall length was 11.53 m; height was 3.00 m and

wingspan was 15.85 m. The -J version weighed in at 6,214 kg empty and 9,980 kg loaded.The P-38 was the only US fighter aircraft produced throughout US involvement in World War Two, from Pearl Harbor to Victory over Japan Day.The P-38 was used in a number of roles, including dive bombing, horizontal bombing, ground-attack, photo reconnaissance missions, and

extensively as a long-range escort fighter.The US top aces, Richard Bong (40 victories) and Thomas McGuire (38 victories), flew this aircraft in the Pacific Theater of Operations. P-38s

also served in the China-Burma-India Theater and in the South West Pacific area, and was the primary long-range fighterof the USAAF until the arrival of adequate numbers of P-51D Mustangs in 1944/45.

The internal fuel capacity of 410 gallons could be increased to 1,010 gallons with two external drop tanks. This enabled the Lightning to flya distance of 3,640 km, allowing it to become one of the most feared fighters in the Pacific War as well as the first fighter ready and able to carry out long range escort missions for four-engined bombers over Europe.

P-38L, flown by the CO of 70th FS, 18th FG, Moret Field, Zamboanga, the Philippines, 1945FÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU A KOMPLETNÍ KAMUFLÁŽNÍ SCHÉMA NALEZNETE NA

49 MC218108 103104

68+69

The first P-38s were obtained by the 18th FG in June, 1944 and this fighter wa used by the FG till the end of WW2. In 1945 the group was based at various airbasesin the Philippines. The Lightnings with a red checker board and fuselage numbers from 100 to 150 belonged to the 70th Fighter Squadron. Three tail bands and the number 100 indicate this aircraft was flown by the squadron CO.

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BARVYCOLOURS FARBEN PEINTURE

Pred zapocetím stavby si peclive prostudujte stavební návod. Pri používání barev a lepidel pracujte v dobre vetrané místnosti. Lepidla ani barvy nepoužívejte v blízkosti otevreného ohne. Model není urcen malým detem, mohlo by dojít k požití drobných dílu.

Carefully read instruction sheet before assembling. When you use glue or paint, do not use near open flame and use in well ventilated room. Keep out of reach of small children. Children must not be allowed to suck any part, or pull vinyl bag over the head.

Von dem Zusammensetzen die Bauanleitung gut durchlesen. Kleber und Farbe nicht nahe von offenem Feuer verwenden und das Fenster von Zeit zu Zeit Belüftung öffnen. Bausatz von kleinen Kindern fernhalten. Verhüten Sie, daß Kinder irgendwelche Bauteile in den Mund nehmen oder Plastiktüten über den Kopf ziehen.

Iire soigneusement la fiche d´instructions avant d´assembler. Ne pas utiliser de colle ou de peinture a p roximité d´une flamme nue, et aérer la piece de temps en temps. Garder hors de portée des enfants en bas âge. Ne pas laisser les enfants mettre en bouche ou sucer les pieces, o u p asser u n s achet v inyl s ur l a t ete.

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INSTRUKTION SINNBILDEN INSTR. SYMBOLY SYMBOLES INSTRUCTION SIGNS

APPLY EDUARD MASKAND PAINT

POUŽÍT EDUARD MASKNABARVIT

OPTIONALVOLBA

FACULTATIFNACH BELIEBEN

BENDOHNOUT

PLIER SIL VOUS PLAITBITTE BIEGEN

OPEN HOLEVYVRTAT OTVORFAIRE UN TROU

OFFNEN

SYMETRICAL ASSEMBLYSYMETRICKÁ MONTÁŽ

MONTAGE SYMÉTRIQUESYMMETRISCHE AUFBAU

NOTCHZÁØEZ

L INCISIONDER EINSCHNITT

REMOVEODØÍZNOUT

RETIRERENTFERNEN

UPOZORNÌNÍ ATTENTION ACHTUNG ATTENTION

DÍLYPARTS TEILE PIECES

2

PLASTIC PARTS

PE - PHOTO ETCHED DETAIL PARTS

R1

RP - RESIN PARTS

Mr.COLORAQUEOUS

GSi Creos (GUNZE)

C3H 13 FLAT RED

OLIVE DRAB C12H 52

C33H 12 FLAT BLACK

C62H 11 FLAT WHITE

C5H 5 BLUE

C41H 47 RED BROWN

C4H 4 YELLOW

Mr.COLORAQUEOUS

Mr.METAL COLOR

SM06 CHROME SILVER

Mr. METALLIC COLOR SUPER

DARK IRONMC214

ALUMINIUMMC218

TIRE BLACKH 77 C137

C27H 58 INTERIOR GREEN

C13H 53 NEUTRAL GRAY

A>B> C>

D>E> F> G> Tire>

R2 R3

R42pcs.

R52pcs.

R62pcs.

R74pcs.

R82pcs.

R92pcs.

R152pcs.

R10

R11 R12 R13

R14R16

R17R18

R19 R20R21

R22 R23 R24R25

R26

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R11

R12

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

3

A B

C

PE7

PE6

PE11

PE11

PE3

PE21PE10

PE12

PE10

PE13

D

R14

R15

R15

R11

PE19

PE4

PE3

PE12

PE13

R12

PE22

PE23

PE15

PE16

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

PE14

R17

R18

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

B

A

C

R18

R19

R13

R25

R17

R10

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

R22

R23PE25

R21

R20

PE8

PE9

PE9PE8

R24

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

R16

PE2

PE1

PE5

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

R12

4

E F

G H

I J

PE48 PE49

PE46

PE47

PE50

PE51

PE30

F29

F32

F33 F34

TIRELARGE

E23

E222 pcs. 2 pcs.

PE34

PE35

F12

E15

E16

D4, D7

D5, D6

PE45

PE44PE45

PE44

A2

A1

D

D8

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

PE52

R6

R4R5

F30 F31

F35 F36

F27

F28

PE32

PE33

F17C27H 58

INT. GREEN

SM06CHROME SILVER

C137H 77

TIRE BLACK

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

G

H

E

F

C6

C5

R8PE53

PE54

PE38

PE39 PE36

PE37

B4

B3

B2

B1

C8

C7

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

D13

D14

D1

D3

D3

I

J

C4

C3

5

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N

K

L

E20

TIRESMALL

D11

D10

D9

D12

F8 F6

F5 F7

E18

PE24

PE31

PE20

F1

F2

F3

F4

F9

F10

A2

PE27

PE26

PE18

C3, C4

PE43

PE42

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

PE28

F26C12H 52

OLIVE DRAB

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

C12H 52

OLIVE DRAB

PE41

R3

R2

R1

PE40

G1

G5

G6

G3

R26

G7

R1

R4 2 pcs. R4 2 pcs.

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

SM06CHROME SILVER

SM06CHROME SILVER

C137H 77

TIRE BLACK

EMARKING ONLY

6

G3

G6

G5

C9

C10

C10

weight

K

L

N

M

D2

F11D15

C2

E14E18

C1

20g

M

N

D17

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

C27H 58

INT. GREEN

SM06CHROME SILVER

SM06CHROME SILVER

C137H 77

TIRE BLACK

G7

G1

PE29

PE29

R9

R9

R7

R7

R7

R7

F20

F22

F21F24

F23

E1 E2

E1 E2

E1 E2

E4

E3

E5

MC214DARK IRON

MC214DARK IRON

MC214DARK IRON

MC214DARK IRON

MC214DARK IRON

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

SM06CHROME SILVER

SM06CHROME SILVER

MC218ALUMINIUM

PE17

R26

G1

C33H 12

FLAT BLACK

MC218ALUMINIUM

MC218ALUMINIUM

Ken Hart managed to achieve all his kills at the controls of the L version of the Lightning. This mount was assigned to Hart shortly after March, 28, 1945 when he had downed the last two of a total of eight Japanese aircraft. Hart´s personal Lightning sports the typical 431st FS 'Satan´s Angels' marking. The airplanes of this squadron had red tail tips and spinners and the fuselage numbers in the range from 110 to 139. The unit patch is painted on the radiator cowlings and on the nose tip as well. Whereas the inscription 'PeeWee' is widely known thanks to period photos, the female name of the nose right side has remained unclear. Our reconstruction offers one possibility – 'Rosita'.

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A P-38L-5, s/n 44-25863, flown by Capt. Ken Hart, 431st FS, 475th FG, Lingayen, the Philippines, June, 1945

7

ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA

4H4

YELLOWALUMINIUM MC218 RED3

H13BLACK 33

H12OLIVE DRAB

12H52

72

49

MC218

MC218

MC2183H13

MC218

MC218

MC218

50

33H12

4H4

34 45

MC218MC218

4961MC218

58

61

77 80+75

58 57

111

66

57

78

111

62

73

62 76

59 60

71

79+65

7671

MC218 MC218

59 60

MC218

MC218

12H52

12H52

12H52

12H52

67

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This Lightning was flown by Bob DeHaven over Leyte in October, 1944 and destroyed during one of the Japanese bombing raids later on. The incredible artwork on the tail depicted the head of a demon – the 7th Fighter Squadron was dubbed the 'Screaming Demons'. The demon was based on the death of the aboriginal demon Bunyap.DeHaven is credited with fourteen kills and his lucky number was 13. Most of his aircraft wore this number. DeHaven is considered to be the fighter pilot who killed Japanese ace Shigeo Nango (15 kills) over New Guinea on January 23, 1944.

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B P-38L-5, flown by Capt. Bob DeHaven, 7th FS, 49th FG, Tacloban, October, 1944

4H4

YELLOWALUMINIUM MC218 RED3

H13BLACK 33

H12RED BROWN

41H47

OLIVE DRAB12

H52

62H11

WHITE5

H5BLUE

46

49

MC218

5H5

MC218

MC21841

H473

H135

H5

MC218

MC218

MC218

50

33H12

5H5

3445

MC218MC218

495155

51MC218

12H52

12H52

12H52

51

62H11

47

5H5

5H5

62H1156

48

51

5H5

5H5

5H5

4H4

62H11

62H11

62H11

62H11

62H11

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One of the 8th FG´s component units was the 36th Fighter Squadron, Flying Fiends. Many aircraft that belonged to this unit wore very nice artwork. The 36th FS aircraft were distinguished with black-white markings. The squadron patch – a fiend head – is painted on the engine cowlings. Period photo show an irregular shape of the letter 'I'.

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C

9

P-38L, flown by Lt. M. M. Jarboe, 36th FS, 8th FG, Ie Shima, Okinawa, May 1945

4H4

YELLOWALUMINIUM MC218 RED3

H13BLACK 33

H1262

H11WHITE

33H12

4H4

3445

49

MC218

MC218

MC2183

H13

MC218

MC218

MC218

50

MC218MC218

49101MC218

115

101

70 64

115 114

33H12

105

114

33H12

33H12

110

109101

63

100

113112

9933

H12

102

10299

33H12

33H12

112 113

100

101

33H12

74

62H11

62H11

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Richard West flew this aircraft from April 1944 and managed to destroy two enemy airplanes with it. The first of them was a Zeke on June 16, the second was a Tonyon July 27, 1944. The previous six kills were achieved flying a P-40 Warhawk. A further eight Japanese aircraft were downed by West by the end of WW2, all of them flying the P-38. Note the squadron patch, the jumping puma, on the right side of the fuselage gondola.

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D P-38J-15, s/n 42-103921, flown by Lt. Richard L. West, 35th FS, 8th FG, Owi, July, 1944

4H4

YELLOWALUMINIUM MC218 RED3

H13BLACK 33

H12OLIVE DRAB

12H52

83

49

MC218

4H4

MC218

MC2183

H13

MC218

MC218

MC218

50

33H12

4H4

34 45

MC218MC218

4H4

4981aMC218

54

81a

81b 87 88

54 53

52

84

4H4

53

81b82

52

86

MC218

12H52

12H52

12H52

12H52

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Jay Robbins is credited with 22 kills in total, thereby becaming the fourth highest ranking US Army pilot in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. The unusual markingon the spinners indentified the aircraft flown by the squadron CO. The green tail tips were typical for 80th FS aircraft. The Buddha monk character was repeated on other Robbins´s Lightnings. After the war, Robbins moved up in the US Air Force hierarchy, becoming a General and a member of the highest USAF command.

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E

11

P-38J-10, s/n 42-67590, flown by Capt. Jay T. Robbins, CO, 80th FS, 8th FG, Finschhafen, December, 1943

4H4

YELLOW OLIVE DRAB12

H5213

H53GREY BLACK 33

H12

5H5

BLUE

49

50

33H12

4H4

34 45

49

12H52

13H53

12H52

13H53

13H53

12H52

12H52

13H53

13H53

13H53

12H52

12H52

5H5

5H5

93

90 94 89

9292 92

85

9897

95 96

91

85 97 98

96

95

92

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The first P-38s were obtained by the 18th FG in June, 1944 and this fighter wa used by the FG till the end of WW2. In 1945 the group was based at various airbasesin the Philippines. The Lightnings with a red checker board and fuselage numbers from 100 to 150 belonged to the 70th Fighter Squadron. Three tail bands and the number 100 indicate this aircraft was flown by the squadron CO.

eduard

F P-38L, flown by the CO of 70th FS, 18th FG, Moret Field, Zamboanga, the Philippines, 1945

4H4

YELLOWALUMINIUM MC218 RED3

H13BLACK 33

H12RED BROWN

41H47

OLIVE DRAB12

H52

106

49

MC218

MC218

MC21841

H473

H13

MC218

MC218

MC218

50

33H12

4H4

3445

MC218MC218

49108103MC218

12H52

12H52

12H52

108 103

107

10468+69

3H13

3H13

104

MC218

MC218

3H13

© EDUARD M.A., 2013 www.eduard.com Printed in Czech Republic12

Pacific Lightnings

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STENCIL VARIANTS

N O S T E P

N O S T E P

N O S T E P

N O S T E P

L

R

L

R

29b

29b29c

29c

TOP

1a ? 1b2

7 31a?1b 4 5 6

6

27

16

19 28

23

12

14

22

8

21

1015

1511

2216

169

2313

30

32

43

20

17

29a

29a

29a

29a

44

43

31

33

43

29a

29a

20

25

26

26

35

36

37

37

39

39

39

39

41

42

14

18

40

40

38

38