Official FlightLine RC 1600mm P-38 Lightning Thread

[RC Griz]

Got my 2nd PNP FL P-38 from MRC. (1st one crashed due to stupid me mistakenly installing one of the batteries that was discharged. The one ESC shut down 5 secs after take-off - yikes). Does anyone out there know what the 2-pin led connectors are called and how/where to obtain extensions. I actually made some out of JST 2-pin connectors which are ALMOST perfect. But to get 2 of the JST's to fit next to each other on the electrical board you need to take a dremel to them and grind the plastic down .5-1 mm to "thin them out." I'm looking for a more eloquent solution. The plug and play light connectors are short and make the installation torture. With extensions it is so much easier.

[Evan D]

Choices… some of the lighting kits at Motion have extensions. You can make them from servo extensions cutting off the signal pin and the shroud over the male pins. Cut the existing wire and solder in some extra wire.

[Aros]

I have a question for anyone with painting/touch up experience. I recently decided to fix some small dings and hangar rash areas on my P-38. I used a kind of spackle (see photo) and lightly sanded before spraying it with Tamiya Silver Leaf (a nice match to the stock silver overall). Well it looks terrible. In most lighting conditions you can see the spackle sections blatantly (see photo). I'm not sure what my recourse is. Adding another layer or two of paint wouldn't do anything. Is there a different type of material I can use to help blend the areas with the rest of the fuselage?

Appreciate any help!

[Gilatrout]

I have a question for anyone with painting/touch up experience. I recently decided to fix some small dings and hangar rash areas on my P-38. I used a kind of spackle (see photo) and lightly sanded before spraying it with Tamiya Silver Leaf (a nice match to the stock silver overall). Well it looks terrible. In most lighting conditions you can see the spackle sections blatantly (see photo). I'm not sure what my recourse is. Adding another layer or two of paint wouldn't do anything. Is there a different type of material I can use to help blend the areas with the rest of the fuselage?

Appreciate any help!

Silver is notorious for what is underneath it. If the material changes, or the under color is different, the silver will be different.

I can't say what will fix this, but typically a black primer underneath the silver gives the best results. It evens the differences between materials, and the black makes the silver pop.

That said, I doubt Motion primed the p38 in black. You could try sanding it back and feathering in a white acrylic primer such as Vallejo's with an airbrush and then when dry, spray the Tamiya silver.

If that doesn't work, I'd try disguising the difference with weathering.

[Aros]

Thanks for the tips!

I think I am going to mask off the entire sections of those trailing edge quadrants on both sides of the gondola and try your idea on the black primer and repainting. Surely it would look better than this eye sore.

[Evan D]

I use a spackle called performance spackle, not the brand but a type. It's thicker and blends better as well as paints better.

[Elbee]

Aros , I am not the best resource for this, since I do something different every time I refinish/repaint an airframe, but most Spackle has fillers that leave a grainy texture when dry. I solve that by wet sanding very lightly, careful not to remove the filler from the ding. Then i apply 2 or coats of Minwax Polycrylic, wet sand again, prime/paint. I really think the priming will solve your blending issue.Best, LB

[Evan D]

Oh, and let me say about 80% of the time I can take dings and dents out of the foam and without damaging the paint. I take a wet paper towel and lay it on the dent and then apply a soldering iron tip to the towel lightly. The steam causes the foam to return to it's original shape. Kind of like how we put a part in boiling water but as a spot treatment. Works really well.

[T-CAT]

Hopefully the below process helps when repairing with lightweight spackle on an EPO foam plane :

When I use lightweight spackle, after I sand it enough, then wipe it clean to ensure no debris is left over, I apply Thin CA glue to the area(s). This strengthens the area significantly and provides a more uniform and smooth surface (considering some light weight spackle's can often have an odd grainy texture). I let the CA glue fully cure (do not use accelerator) before sanding the CA down to an even surface, and reanalyze the area to see what further progress it requires. If it needs another layer of CA after sanding, I will do so. With sanding, be gentle and stop often to check the surface, and don't use an overly abrasive sand paper. I rub my fingers across the patched surface to see if it’s as close to smooth as possible. If so, I’ll get to repainting.

I had a Freewing F-14 that showed up on my doorstep with the box having holes, all sorts of dents, dings, etc., which must have occurred during the delivery service. The plane had some blemishes, but thankfully small compared to the box. Haha! I used the method above and nobody would ever know it had damage. Below are pictures of the before and after process.

Before:



After:



Before:



After:

[Elbee]

Hopefully the below process helps when repairing with lightweight spackle....

TC, brilliant methodology, simply brilliant. Best, LB

[T-CAT]

TC, brilliant methodology, simply brilliant. Best, LB

Thanks, Elbee! I'm happy to help when I can.

[Aros]

Excellent advice all around, thank you all and T-CAT, WOW!

[davegee]

I have a question for anyone with painting/touch up experience. I recently decided to fix some small dings and hangar rash areas on my P-38. I used a kind of spackle (see photo) and lightly sanded before spraying it with Tamiya Silver Leaf (a nice match to the stock silver overall). Well it looks terrible. In most lighting conditions you can see the spackle sections blatantly (see photo). I'm not sure what my recourse is. Adding another layer or two of paint wouldn't do anything. Is there a different type of material I can use to help blend the areas with the rest of the fuselage?

Appreciate any help!

Hi Aros: when I do repairs like that, especially on silver surfaces, I often wet sand the area with about 600-800 grit after applying the putty to get a really smooth surface for painting, and then spray a light coat of primer, something really fine, like Tamiya spray primer (comes in grey and white, possible others, too). Maybe even another round of light wet sanding after that with 1000 grit, clean it up really well, and then try light sprays of silver. It might take several coats to get the desired look, but that usually works for me. You can even tape off the area for painting so it looks like maybe a different aluminum panel was installed there. NMF planes often had quite a varied surface look with the different thickness and grain of aluminum or other panels that they used on them.

My putty of choice is an automotive putty, in two parts, the putty and the hardener. It is called Evercoat Metal Glaze putty. It is available at automobile paint supply stores. Great stuff. Just my thoughts.

Good luck!

Dave

[T-CAT]

Excellent advice all around, thank you all and T-CAT, WOW!

You're welcome! Good luck with the repair.

[Aros]

Alright while the hangar rash repair is still a work in progress (again, thanks folks for some great tips!) I got my decals from Callie and changed up the scheme from stock. I still have to add the Hamilton Standard logos and nomenclature to the props, add an antenna, weather her out a bit but it's not a bad start. The details of this livery:

Representative of the thousands of P-38s which served with the USAAF in Europe during WWII, this aircraft was a P-38J-15 assigned to the 55th Squadron, 20th Fighter Group based at Kingscliffe, Northhamptonshire between August 1943 and October 1945. This group was tasked with both escort and ground attack duties, and became known as the "Loco Group" for its prowess at destroying enemy trains. The gun armament of one cannon and four machine guns was augmented in the ground attack role by bombs or rocket projectiles.

[davegee]

Alright while the hangar rash repair is still a work in progress (again, thanks folks for some great tips!) I got my decals from Callie and changed up the scheme from stock. I still have to add the Hamilton Standard logos and nomenclature to the props, add an antenna, weather her out a bit but it's not a bad start. The details of this livery:

Representative of the thousands of P-38s which served with the USAAF in Europe during WWII, this aircraft was a P-38J-15 assigned to the 55th Squadron, 20th Fighter Group based at Kingscliffe, Northhamptonshire between August 1943 and October 1945. This group was tasked with both escort and ground attack duties, and became known as the "Loco Group" for its prowess at destroying enemy trains. The gun armament of one cannon and four machine guns was augmented in the ground attack role by bombs or rocket projectiles.

Nice job on the repaint/markings, Aros. Also, thanks for the historical angle on this aircraft and the unit it flew in during WWII. Background is beautiful, too!

Cheers

davegee

[Aros]

Cheers davegee !

[T-CAT]

Very nice Aros!

[Elbee]

Alright while the hangar rash repair is still a work in progress (again, thanks folks for some great tips!) I got my decals from Callie and changed up the scheme from stock. I still have to add the Hamilton Standard logos and nomenclature to the props, add an antenna, weather her out a bit but it's not a bad start. The details of this livery:

Representative of the thousands of P-38s which served with the USAAF in Europe during WWII, this aircraft was a P-38J-15 assigned to the 55th Squadron, 20th Fighter Group based at Kingscliffe, Northhamptonshire between August 1943 and October 1945. This group was tasked with both escort and ground attack duties, and became known as the "Loco Group" for its prowess at destroying enemy trains. The gun armament of one cannon and four machine guns was augmented in the ground attack role by bombs or rocket projectiles.

Yes Sir-ree Aros, that will do. Ya does good work, Sir. Aluminum skin repaint and all. Bravo Zulu. Best, LB

[Twowingtj]

Aros That turned out sweet!