The kit and accessory maker’s own decal series has a new release for the P-38J in 1/48 scale.
Regardless of which kit you have of the ‘fork-tailed devil’ – Academy/Minicraft, Tamiya, Hasegawa or Monogram – Eduard’s new 1/48 decal offering is worthy of consideration. Sheet D48107, P-38J over Europe, provides markings for five USAAF P-38J Lightnings… three in bare metal and two wearing Olive Drab over Neutral Gray. The liveries are those of slightly less-well-known airframes, therefore giving more choice. The liveries in detail are:
• P-38J-25-LO, 44-23627/H5-N Micki/KOZY KOZA, 1st Lt Sam Plotecia, 392nd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, Juvincourt, France, 1944
• P-38J-15-LO, 42-68004/H5-K Moonlight Cock-Tail/Carol, 1st Lt Clark R Livingston, 392nd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, Juvincourt, France, December 1944
• P-38J-10-LO, 42-67685/CG-O Journey’s End, Maj Joseph Myers, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, Nuthampstead, UK, November 1943
• P-38J-10-LO, 42-67940/7F-M MY LITTLE PIG, Jack M Jarell, 485th Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group
• P-38J-25-LO, 44-328677/H5-B LITTLE BUCKAROO, Maj Robert C Rogers, 492nd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, Peray, France, August 1944
Three of the airframes feature invasion stripes but all have interesting nose art. Notably, the gloss carrier film is thinner than that employed for various decal sheets in Eduard’s kits of late. The register is good and the nose art design impressive. This sheet is good value at just £8.97 direct from Eduard, but it can also be purchased via Hannants in the UK for £10.80.
Read about recent Eduard accessories, including resin superchargers for Tamiya's 1/48 P-38J
