Lockheed P-38 / F-5B-1 Lightning

Norbert Steffens
Very interesting. Do you use a conversion kit for the reconaissance version?

Thomas T
Hi Norbert. Yes. I'll use the CMK 4399, which was introduced in 2020. The conversion was created for the Tamiya kit, however it seems to fit almost perfectly on the Hasegawa.

Norbert Steffens
Decals from? and you need a withe 80

Thomas T
Hi Steffen.
There are two different machines known. The first is a documented F-5A-1 (based on a P-38H I believe), this is the one you talk about. St Ex flew the machine in Tunisia in 1943, quite a lot of pictures can be found of this aircraft, the serial number is unknown (to me).
The other one is a F-5B-1, based on a P-38J (the one with the vertical air inlets), this is the aircraft he was shot down on July 31st 1944. This aircraft had the serial Nr 42-68223, very few information is available on this machine. This is the one I am building right now, the F5-A-1 is due for another project.
For markings you have following options:
F-5A-1, decals are included in the CMK set (with the white 80)
F-5A-1 and F-5B-1 a decal sheet from Third group (1998) was available, maybe with some luck you can get a sheet on the big auction house with 'e'
For both: create your own and print or let print
For both: create masks, cut with a cutting plotter and apply the markings with the airbrush.
If you need profiles etc, PM me, I'm happy to help 🙂

Stefan Schacht
Nice start, I take a seat.

Thomas T
Hi Stefan. Be invited, please make sure to keep the appropriate Corona distance and do not share popcorn or sweets 🙂

Thomas T
Hi Norbert. Please apologize, I just noticed I addressed you with the wrong name.

Thomas Bischoff
Great start! Count me in 👍

Nathan Dempsey
Watching this one.

Spanjaard
i will join too, if there is still space with those corona rules😉

Norbert Steffens
Hi Thomas, thats OK. Thank you very much for the detailed information. I think you inspired me to start this project also. I had this idea for nearly a two decades, back then can't find any conversion sets. Because I'm mainly a ship modeller this gets out of my focus. But it's never to late...

Jim J
Looking good Thomas.

Nathan Dempsey
I agree. Your build is coming along very well.

Norbert Steffens
very nice. Your P38 looks like a black widow....night fighter 😉)

Boris B
Helo Thomas, Thank you for mentioning this build. Very interesting for my project (the F-5A actually). A very cleanbuild so far. Odd that the CMK kit fits the Hasegawa P-38 better than the Tamiya one !
I was not able to locate any pictures of Saint-Exupery's F-5b (the one he dies in). Did you find any ? I have a picture of the F-5B nicknamed 'Stinky' (not 'Stinky II') with serial number 42-68225, which was most likely very similar in options and finish than Saint-Ex's 42-68223. And also a color one of 42-68205 (both form the internet). Are you interested ?

Thomas T
Hi Boris.
Yes, I am curious how my CMK nose will fit on the Tamiya Lightning, the adventure of fitting it lies ahead.
According the serials, I think a 'nearby' serial gives just a hint about the basic color of the airframe. Most of the planes were in American service, just a handful were handed over to the Free French Army, I guess they were re-painted occasionally.
On one hand I recently read some books, in one of them, an eye-witness described (most probably) 42-68223 as silver with an American star on the lower side of the wing (?) and another one with the French cocarde on top of the wing. On the other hand, a side view picture of the plane exists.
To me the only questions still open are:
- what colors were the spinners painted on the 42-68223
- how exactly did a 'piggyback' seat (for example on 42-13080, F-5A, the other one St-Ex flew) exactly looked like, the documentation I own is pretty lean, I checked millions of books, manuals, educational movies etc. without a hint if there was a backrest for the backseat or not...

Boris B
Hi Thomas, I would love to see the picture you have of 42-68223. I have not located it yet, although I have not seriously into the research.
My impression of those F-5's (most of them, and other aircrafts (B-26,...) used by the French in the MTO) is that they were just passed on to the French from local US units. The French took them over as is, just painting over the minimum : squadron codes and national insignia. They did not bother painting them over (camouflage), especially late in the war when the US didn't bother with camouflage either.
That being said, was 42-68223 used in another US unit before being passed on the the French ? If so, I would wager that the spinners were not repainted.
As for the piggyback seat, since those were local modifications (like two-seater Mustangs, etc.), I would again only expecte reliable information from the actual aircraft or possibly ones based in the same airfields...
BTW, what pictures or first-hand accounts have been published of the wreck that was fished out off of Marseille recently, believed to be 42-68223 ?

Thomas T
Hi Boris. Sent you a PM

Viking93
Very nice, motivated me to go on with my own St. Ex project. But i am building the white 80. I am still not sure which camo it really had, there are many different opinions.

Neuling
Very beautiful build with impressive finish and subtle weathering!

Nathan Dempsey
A great result for your efforts. Well done!

Thomas Bischoff
your research paid well off! Excellent result and very convincing wheathering 👍

Thomas T
Hi mates. Thanks for your kind words. And getting the compliments from masters like you, counts at least twice ??. After all the painting / paint stripping over and over again I am quite happy how she came out and every time I look in my display case, I feel pleased. Also a very good experience was the coordinated research (hi Boris, hi Norbert ??)

Spanjaard
It looks great, that is for sure

Gustavo Monasterio
Beautiful build! Congratulations!

Alex K
It's July 31st, today - and I just thought it would be nice for this to appear again on the newsfeed - congratulations on this build, Thomas! 👍

Robert Podkoński
Fantastic idea and awesome build. Congrats!

Thomas T
A very nice move to push the thread for St-Ex's anniversary of death, and thanks for the kind words.

Boris B
Hi Thomas, Sorry, I thought I had written a comment yet ! Yes, very nice build indeed !!
I haven't started on mine yet, but now that I have decided to build one of Saint-Ex's F-5B, I need to find a P-38J kit again. Modelling the F-5A #80 ('Jeanne') would be nice, but I prefer less wear on my models, like you. So I think I will go for one of the overall blue F-5Bs he flew, which will be a bit different. Hopefully done before July 31 of next year ! 😉
Thanks for all the great info you shared. If anyone is interested, this is the thread to ask !

Thomas T
Hi Boris. Too bad, two weeks ago I sold my other Hasegawa P-38J, if I had known earlier, I had asked you first. However, I am confident you'll find one. We have a local bidding platform where I see P-38 from time to time, keep my eyes open for you. I look forward seeing your build here!

Daniel Klink
Wow!!! 👍

Thomas T
Reminder to all friends of Antoine de St Exupery, his work and memory:
Today is the 80th anniversary of his death. Luckily, the mystery of his disappearance was solved.