P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 2

 

The P-38 Droop Snoot doesn't exist in 1/72. Here, I continue its conversion. I made the mold of the bomber's nose and thermoformed it with acetate from a supermarket meat tray.

 The pieces were now in place, adhered with white glue, and reinforced with epoxy modeling clay.

The nose was filled with acrylic filler to match. 

With the basic paint job complete, several coats of varnish are applied. I begin with the insignia.

Now for the air intakes. The Airfix model is a P38F, and the Droop is a conversion of a P-38J. I also built them with epoxy modeling clay. This sculpting process is quick and easy, but the drying time is not. I'm almost finished with the stars. The last correction is the toothpick tips.

I build the propellers on a metal axis (a nail), using acetate and epoxy modeling clay.

 

Once the model is finished, I apply another generous amount of varnish, in several coats, and place it inside a clear box to dry.

Ya terminado el modelo, le aplico otra generosa cantidad de barniz, en varias capas y lo pongo dentro de una caja transparente a secar

P-38 LIghtning, Droop Snoot, Conversion, part 1

 

One of my old 1/32 scale models was the Droop Snoot, a field-modified version of the P-38J that would serve as a Pathfinder bomber guide. Equipped with a Norden Secret Sight, it could signal bombers where to drop their cargo, either by having them all bomb as soon as they saw the leader do so, or by using flares or incendiaries to indicate the target.

I've decided to recreate it in 1/72 scale, using the Airfix Lodela model, which will require some radical changes, to begin with. There are no aftermarket models for this scale, so I'll have to use old-school scratch techniques.

 

First, the nose is different, very different. To incorporate a navigator, the Norden sight, a pair of portholes, and a bomber nose, which involves building them, since they are so different, I make a structure out of plastic rods from branches.

Now I shape them, filling them with epoxy modeling clay and sculpting them into the appropriate shape. This takes time, as it's a material that needs to be allowed to dry properly.