Italeri 1/48 P-38/F-5E Lightning, previewed by Spiros Pendedekas

HISTORY

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twin-boom design with a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. Along with its use as a general fighter, the P-38 was used in various aerial combat roles, including as a highly effective fighter-bomber, a night fighter, and a long-range escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks.

The P-38 was also used as a bomber-pathfinder, guiding streams of medium and heavy bombers, or even other P-38s equipped with bombs, to their targets. Used in the aerial reconnaissance role, the P-38 accounted for 90% of American aerial film captured over Europe. Although it was not designated a heavy fighter or a bomber destroyer by the USAAC, the P-38 filled those roles and more; unlike German heavy fighters crewed by two or three airmen, the P-38, with its lone pilot, was nimble enough to compete with single-engined fighters.

THE KIT

Italeri came with this 1/48 P-38 in 2009, which is a rebox of the well known 1994 Academy/Minicraft mold. The specific kit was bought sealed in 2025 at a “Special Offer” price of only $17 and comes in an medium sized top opening box of excellent quality, featuring a very attractive boxart of a 27 PRS, 7 PRG machine in overall PRU Blue carrying invasion stripes, as it stood during August 1944.

Upon opening the box, I was greeted with 91 light gray styrene parts. Of them, the one piece main wing half/top fuselage, the bottom fuselage and the two lower wing halves are provided separately, while the rest of the pieces are arranged in four sprues, which also contain a few unused parts that are for different versions. General shapes of parts look correct. Molding, while not bad, is reminiscent of the older heroic days, with thicker sprue gates, some flash evident and panel lines finely recessed but tad on the soft side, nothing too serious, though.

Cockpit is adequately represented, with all basic stuff found on the real thing. The sidewalls and the rear deck feature some nice molded-on detail. The instrument panel is flat and represented by a decal. Would have been nice to feature molded-on instruments. Landing gear is equally sufficiently done, with the gear legs and wheels looking good. The main bays feature some interesting internal detail, but the nose bay is totally flat, again something expected from a 1994 mold. The engine inlets, turbocharger inlets and the turbochargers themselves are also adequately represented, as are the propellers.

Transparencies are crisply molded and crystal clear. Instructions are superbly done by Italeri in the form of a b/w printed pamphlet, containing a short history of the type, a sprues diagram, with the construction spread in 10 clear and concise steps and full color callouts given where applicable.

No less than five very nice schemes are provided, two 7PG machines (“Sis & Willie” and “Rita”)) in overall PRU Blue carrying invasion stripes underneath, based in England, one 3PG machine (“Gin”) in overall NMF, based in Florence, one 21PRS, 14AF example (“Geronimo II”), based in China, also in NMF and, finally, a most interesting, also NMF post war Aeronautica Militare machine of 132 Gruppo, 3 Stormo, based in Bari. Colors are provided in Model Master codes and also in generic form. Decals are superbly printed by Cartograf and expected to work flawlessly.

Instructions want you to first assemble the cockpit and attach it on top of the lower central part, followed by the impressive one-piece top part that contains the top wing half. The main landing gear must be then attached to the main bays, which have to be trapped between the boom halves. Not sure if you can skip attaching the landing gear before closing the boom halves.

The assembled booms have then to be attached to the main model, followed by the lower wing halves and the rear stabilizer. As with more or less every P-38 model, the above procedure will require your attention, in order to achieve a good parts alignment.

The wing tanks are then assembled and attached, followed by the correct nose for your version (be sure to trap a good amount of weight prior to attaching - instructions state 40 grams - as the P-38 is a prior candidate for tail sitting). The props and transparencies are finally to be attached, ending a build that, while not overly complicated, is definitely not uncomplex, meaning this is not a kit for the absolute beginner.

CONCLUSIONS

While not among the latest and greatest, this looks to be a good, solid kit of the iconic P-38: general shapes of parts look correct, molding, while not perfect, is certainly acceptable, panel lines are finely recessed, overall detail is adequate, transparencies are nice and clear, while instructions and, especially, decals, are superb.

Out of the box a fine representation of the iconic P-38 can emerge, with the not overly uncomplex construction itself requiring a builder who has a few kits under his belt. I have never built one, but it is reported that it builds well. Though expensive when first issued, if found at a good price (as was my case), this is definitely a kit worth tackling.

Happy Modeling!

KIT #:	2681
PRICE:	$17.00 on sale
DECALS:	Five options
REVIEWER:	Spiros Pendedekas
NOTES:	Reboxed Academy kit