P-38H Lightning, Halinski 1:33

[Michael Mash]

Hi Erik,
It is interesting reading your description of the assembly.
I'm sure some of the other aircraft builders are taking notes.
Smooth work.

[Siwi]

I've learned a lot about the engineering of this kit from the pictures in the latest post.


Erik - I found a walkaround of an aircraft painted as this model, in which the metal reflective panel is visible. You will have to scroll down a little: Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Fotos y Video - NET-MAQUETTES

[ccoyle]

Originally Posted by abhovi

And Halinski is one of a kind.

There have been no new aircraft models released by Halinski for five years now, and no new models at all for the last three. I gather from a snippet of dialogue I read on FB that Andrzej and Marcin, who did Halinski's artwork, may have had a falling out, but I don't know what the real story behind that might be. Marcin does work for a number of publishers (e.g., WAK), but his Halinski-like efforts are now being published by Card Army. Card Army models are like Halinski models on steroids.

[Siwi]

Originally Posted by ccoyle

There have been no new aircraft models released by Halinski for five years now, and no new models at all for the last three. I gather from a snippet of dialogue I read on FB that Andrzej and Marcin, who did Halinski's artwork, may have had a falling out, but I don't know what the real story behind that might be. Marcin does work for a number of publishers (e.g., WAK), but his Halinski-like efforts are now being published by Card Army. Card Army models are like Halinski models on steroids.

May have mis-remembered, but there was a post not long ago implying that the company was being wound up due to the falling-out you mention but also general economic conditions and wanting to retire. Hopefully the rights to the kits will have been passed to another publishing house who will keep them in print.

[Petestein]

Not only Halinski but I've seen that other printers have also not released any new aircraft subjects recently. This sad s means that our hobby is declining? I really hope it isn't.

[Draco]

I understand the reflective panel was just a part of the fuselage that was left polished and whitout paint. You can see in "Marge" that there is no extra part

[Erik Zwaan]

Thank you gents for the discussion and Siwi and Draco for the information. That's indeed my understanding as well, not really a mirror but just a shiny part of the engine nacelle in which the landing gear is reflected. I'll give it a thought how to make this reflective element more realistic. A small patch of the shiny part of Alu foil perhaps.

Cheers,
Erik

[Grekmeister]

In the first photo you can see from the shadows that this is a separate polished plate. And in the second photo there was a replacement of part of the engine nacelle trim, but the mirror stands out as a separate element. I think making this plate out of aluminum foil would be ideal.

[ccoyle]

Originally Posted by Petestein

Not only Halinski but I've seen that other printers have also not released any new aircraft subjects recently. This sad s means that our hobby is declining? I really hope it isn't.

WAK, MPModel, and Kartonowa Kolekcja have been pretty prolific of late.

[rjccjr]

Hi;

The purpose of the shiny panel was so that the pilot of a camouflaged aircraft could verify the position of landing gear, up, down or half way. Sometimes the early P-38s could exhibit nasty behavior due to mechanical malfunction or combat damage. "Marge" was the name applied to a number of the aircraft flown by Richard Bong. It is believed that on the earliest "Marge" it was a polished, unfinished area of the fuselage. Weather conditions in the Guadalcanal area at the time were sometimes very brutal and runways so muddy that they could scar the panel on one takeoff.

Regards, rjccjr