Barry's Lockheed XP-58 'Chain Lightning'

[Barry]

drilled out both booms





On the left is the number of pellets it takes to fill the above hole. wt. = 10.5 gr.

Pounding the fishing sinker into a solid billet though, gives me 21 gr. That's 21 gr. in each nacelle then, plus 14 gr. in the nose, for a total of 56 gr. which I think will be enough.





Ready to cut out the canopies





Canopies in place. Currently dealing with a myriad of pin holes in the underside of the wing (plus a few on top).

[JohnRatzenberger]

At 56gr + weight of kit, be happy for the metal gear

[Barry]

No kidding! I may need to add extra bracing under the display shelf too!

[Zee28]

Fantastic work as always Barry. I've never seen one of these before.

I guess the American aircraft industry was like their fast food industry, as in:

Entering MacDonalds: "Can I have a Big Mac meal deal please"
Assistant replies: "Would you like to 'Go Large' on that?". Same deal but with extra large fries and even more Coke for a few pennies more.

USAAF approach Lockheed: "Can we have a P-38 please"
Lockheed salesman: "Would you like to 'Go Large' on that?"

They end up with one of these!

This is a great build Barry, lovely.

Zee

[ronbow]

Came in late on this one ! what a lovely looking aircraft if not so much the kit, or am mistaken about the kit? are they readily available in the UK?

[DavidWomby]

The canopies look great. May I ask what is your technique for cutting them out. I see you use tape to mark the cuts but do you use a knife, scissors?

David

[Zee28]

Don't know about Barry, but on the few times I have done Vac canopies it's always some very sharp and very small high quality dressmaking scissors (that I 'borrow' from the girlfriends stuff), I find I am too ham-fisted for a knife.

[Barry]

David, I usually use scissors to cut away the thick 'flange', but for trimming to the tape line, it's always an unused #11 xacto blade for me. Shaving away thin slivers of material and gradually approaching the line...patience is key with vac canopies.


Ron....Hannants carry the Planet Models line and have 2 XP-58's on the shelf.

[ShaunW]

56g of nose weight? yes indeed, be glad of metal landing gear! Interesting seeing your technique with the vac canopy. In a similar fashion to Zee, I tend to use a small sharp pair of scissors all the way, followed by a final clear up with very fine sand paper/micromesh as I've messed such canopies up in the past using a modelling knife. Anyway, great work on this Barry.

[DavidWomby]

David, I usually use scissors to cut away the thick 'flange', but for trimming to the tape line, it's always an unused #11 xacto blade for me. Shaving away thin slivers of material and gradually approaching the line...patience is key with vac canopies..

Thanks, Barry. Vac canopies terrify me but I'll have to use one one day.

David

[JohnRatzenberger]

No kidding! I may need to add extra bracing under the display shelf too!

[giulio_gobbi]

Finally I learn how to cut a Vac Canopy!

[Barry]

There are no l/g mounting points, just this little square to show where it goes. The white metal gear leg is soft enough to be drilled, so I was able to drill it out and pin it to the bay roof.





Hmmmmmm......






Drilled out the bottom of the engine bays and...







Put as much lead as I could in them and the nose gear bay. Tomorrow I'll add the nose gear and brace it sturdily. Fingers crossed

[Zee28]

This is a nose weight extravaganza! Are you sure you'll be able to lift it up for spraying, or will you need a hoist and a jack?

[DavidWomby]

This is really living up to its intended role as a 'heavy' fighter. I hope that nosewheel leg is strong.

David