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.