1:48 Lockheed P-38G/H Lightning canopy airbrush mask for Tamiya

Twin booms over two oceans

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was unusual at first glance: two booms instead of one fuselage, a pair of turbocharged engines and the pilot in a short nacelle between them. The G and H subversions belong to the middle phase of development. They were given more powerful powerplants and better cooling, and on the later of the two the turbocharging improved markedly and the machine could finally use its power at high altitude as well. It was precisely the Lightnings of the G subversion that flew a long-range mission over the Solomon Islands in the spring of 1943 of a kind that had until then had no equal.

A cockpit full of straight edges

The cockpit of this aircraft is not a rounded bubble but a puzzle of flat panes in rectangular frames, with folding side panels and a roof hatch on top of that. A straight edge forgives mistakes least of all, because the eye sees every waver in it at once. A precisely cut template keeps such a transition straight along its whole length.

A practical note on building

It pays to paint the inner frames before masking from the outside, otherwise they will stay bare when you look into the cockpit. After spraying the exterior shade, look at the edges against the light; a small overspray can be drawn off with a stick dipped in a drop of thinner before the finish hardens.

A summary in points

• The set covers the frames of the glazing; the clear areas themselves stay free.
• It is applied only over a cured and degreased surface.
• Overspray at an edge is removed before the finish sets.
• Once finished, the film only needs lifting off and the cockpit is done.