Hobby 2000 72041 - 1:72 P-38J Lightning - Europe 1944

Plastic model kit of the American Lockheed P-38J Lightning fighter in 1:72 scale

Hobby 2000 72041 represents the P-38J Lightning in the markings of units fighting over Europe in 1944. It is one of the most distinctive aircraft designs of the Second World War: a twin-engine fighter with two tail booms and a central nacelle housing the cockpit and the entire gun armament.

The kit is based on Dragon mouldings. Hobby 2000 adds its own box, illustrated instructions, self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing and new waterslide decals printed by Cartograf for two marking options: an aircraft of a squadron operating from Italian airfields and a Lightning of a unit based in Britain, both from 1944. Both schemes come from the period when the P-38J played an important part in escorting bomber formations and attacking ground targets.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with nacelle, tail boom, wing and detail parts
• Parts for underwing fuel tanks and racks
• Clear parts for the canopy glazing
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf for two marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72041
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled length: approx. 160 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 220 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model requires assembly.

Assembly:

The Lightning's unusual layout shapes the build: the critical step is aligning both tail booms with the nacelle and the horizontal stabiliser. Assembling this section on a flat surface and checking the geometry from above and from the front before the cement cures pays off, as any misalignment will be obvious later. The cockpit is best painted and finished before the nacelle is closed, and the included masks simplify preparing the glazing for painting.

European theatre aircraft usually wore olive drab over neutral grey or, later in the war, natural metal finish. The instructions give paint references for both schemes. Reproducing bare metal requires a very smooth surface and works best with an airbrush and metallic paints, varying the shade of individual panels. Decals applied over a gloss coat are less prone to silvering, and a satin varnish suits the final finish.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Fine modelling tweezers
• Airbrush or brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decalling and satin varnish for the final finish
• A wash to accentuate detail

About the aircraft - Lockheed P-38 Lightning:

The P-38 Lightning was designed in the second half of the 1930s by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson's team in response to a US Army Air Corps requirement for an interceptor with a high rate of climb and long range. The solution was unconventional: two engines in tail booms, a central nacelle housing the pilot and the armament concentrated in the nose, and tricycle landing gear. Grouping the cannon and machine guns along the centreline gave concentrated firepower without the need for converging fire.

The P-38J was one of the most refined versions: it received a revised cooling system with distinctive intakes beneath the engine nacelles, enlarged wing fuel tanks and, in later production blocks, boosted aileron control and dive flaps that eased the aircraft's handling problems in high-speed dives. Many of the most famous escort missions over Europe were flown on the P-38J.

The Lightning was the only American fighter in continuous production from the entry of the United States into the war until its end. In the Pacific, where vast distances rewarded range and two engines, it was flown by the two highest-scoring American aces. In Europe Lightnings escorted bombers, attacked ground targets and flew photographic reconnaissance. German pilots called it the "fork-tailed devil", and its silhouette remains one of the most recognisable in aviation history.

Original aircraft specifications (Lockheed P-38J Lightning):

• Length: 11.53 m
• Wingspan: 15.85 m
• Height: approx. 3.9 m
• Empty weight: approx. 5800 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 9800 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: two turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710 inline engines of approx. 1425 hp each
• Maximum speed: approx. 665 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 13,400 m
• Range: approx. 1770 km, considerably more with underwing fuel tanks
• Armament: one 20 mm cannon and four 12.7 mm machine guns in the nose, up to approx. 1450 kg of bombs or unguided rockets on external racks
• Production: P-38J version - close to 3000 examples; all Lightning versions - over 10,000 examples

About the manufacturer - Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that has built its position on themed releases. Its kits are based on mouldings from established manufacturers - in this case Dragon - completed with original packaging, new illustrated instructions and fresh waterslide decals printed by the Italian printing house Cartograf. Most aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing, which noticeably simplifies painting. The brand favours subjects connected with Polish aviation history as well as less obvious episodes of the Second World War and the post-war years, selecting its marking options from archival material. Production runs are limited, so individual releases are often sought after by collectors. For the modeller this means proven, well-detailed mouldings combined with subjects not available in the original boxings. The company's catalogue covers aircraft, vehicles and ships in scales from 1:72 to 1:35.