Military aircraft vol.82: Lockheed P38J Lightning Yippee

Subject:	Lockheed P38J Lightning Yippee
Scale:	1/72
Manufacturer:	Hobbyboss
Price	US$20,00 plus shipping
Description	Injected plastic model with  waterslide decals.
Comments	The 5,000th Lightning built, a P-38J-20-LO, 44-23296, was painted bright vermilion red, and had the name YIPPEE painted on the underside of the wings in big white letters as well as the signatures of hundreds of factory workers. This and other aircraft were used by a handful of Lockheed test pilots including Milo Burcham, Jimmie Mattern and Tony LeVier in remarkable flight demonstrations, performing such stunts as slow rolls at treetop level with one prop feathered to dispel the myth that the P-38 was unmanageable.  To build my version of Yippee i used Hobbyboss P38L and backdated  it to P38J. I could have used one of several P38J kits available, but i wanted to try this easy kit. Fit is very nice and detail is ok, but Academy's P38J is much better in all aspects. The decals from Iliad performed very well. I was afraid of the effect of the red color under the white markings. However, the density of the white is excellent. I hope you like the result as much as i did!

Military aircraft vol.77: General Dynamics F-16A Venezuelan Air Force

Subject:	General Dynamics F16A Fighting Falcon
Scale:	1/72
Manufacturer:	Italeri
Price	US$ 30,00
Description	Injected plastic model with  waterslide decals.
Comments	This is Italeri's 1/72 scale F16A Fighting Falcon with a "super decals sheet". You got several possible variants of the F16, but certainly the nicest are the ones with the tail art from Netherlands and Venezuela Air Forces. The kit has also two options included: the single or the two seats versions. The panel lines are recessed and detail is ok. There is no option to leave the canopy open, but the cockpit has almost no extra details except for the ejection seat. I chose the Venezuelan version because of the unusual camouflage for an F16. Fit of the parts is ok, but there are some issues. The intake ends is a flat panel less then one centimeter deep. Also the shape of the wing to fuselage joint is not exactly correct. I have to build a F.O.D. cover to solve the intake issue. Decals performed very well with some setting solution. There was some silvering at the FAV letters over the dark green camouflage that i have to work with a brush and patience. This kit is the first of a new series i am building: artwork at military aircraft in 1/72 scale. This was a nice start!