P-38J 479thFG 435thFS "Swanee Jr"

[oboe]

Trying to get back into natural metal finishes and at the same time give the 479th Raiders an updated '38 skin.

Here are a couple development shots:




Working from these profiles:




I'm wondering if the rudder ID color would've been applied to both inside and outside of rudder - I have artwork that corroborates either, but no photo evidence one way or another...

Lemme know what you think, especially about the natural metal finish.

Thanks!

[Banshee7]

B-E-A-Utiful

[evenhaim]

AWSOME metal finish, and great skin overall   

[Guppy35]

Really nice work again Oboe. Looks great!

[Krusty]

Nose gear door looks a little out of place

B is on the inside of the v-stabs, but not the outside (I think it would be the other way around)
EDIT: I see this was intentional, disregard please

For a bare metal finish, it has an awful lot of streaking on it. I feel the streaking would be more applicable to a paint finish that *could* streak. On the BMF you'd get different kinds of discoloration, but not so much pure dirt streaks flowing backwards. Looks a bit out of place.

Other than that, I like your choice. Is the nose panel going to be white like the artwork? Nice mix of color and lack of color. I think I'd fly it in the MA (IMO I'm not a fan of the BMF 38s, so that's saying something!)

[Fencer51]

I do believe the "streaking" on the wings is where the upper invasion stripes were removed and is indicative of left over paint.

Darn nice skin Oboe, would love to know how you did the Aluminum. 

[The Fugitive]

Looks great Oboe ! I think your getting the hang of the bare metal look ! 

[Ack-Ack]

Trying to get back into natural metal finishes and at the same time give the 479th Raiders an updated '38 skin.

Will you marry me?



ack-ack

[007Rusty]

Great work   

[Krusty]

I do believe the "streaking" on the wings is where the upper invasion stripes were removed and is indicative of left over paint.

No, not that part, the rest of it. I can see the hints of the stripes (not sure if these would still be visible, but I like it). I'm referring to the giant black smudges/streaks on the tail, undersides, booms, wings, etc.

[evenhaim]

Will you marry me?



ack-ack

No I married oboe to get back at Silat for not return my heels andmy calls

[oboe]

Thanks for your comments, guys!

I'm experimenting with a deeper shade to the aluminum, to allow lighter accents like scratches to stand out more.   Generally I'm happy with the look, especially when I compare it to my earlier bare metal skins or AH's default bare metal P-38L skin.

Krusty - you saved an error from being passed on - the nose gear door was indeed not natural metal but left over from the earlier skin I made on the same template.  Special thanks for your keen eye.

As far as the smudges-- if you are seeing giant black smudges, I've done something terribly wrong.   But there are exhaust stains on natural metal, according to Guppy and this photo he provided a while ago - check out the port tail inner surface:

Pretty noticeable, aren't they?    That said, I haven't looked closely at my intensity level for the smudging yet and am sure I have room to lighten it up some.

I am trying to get a dirty, streaky look based on some observations I made of unmaintained airfoils operating in alternately dusty/wet conditions.   I think these streaks would develop on a painted or non-painted surface, but I can't say for sure.   Just a theory and a look I thought I'd try for.

I may lighten the shade of the nose panel a bit, but I don't think its actually white as shown in one of the profiles - I think the artist was just using differing shades to show natural variation in metal texture- the other profile shows the shade as generally being the same as the rest of the a/c.

Thanks all for your comments and help.  Still more than a page of changes to make to this one, and it looks like I've missed the skin pack release so no rush now.

[SgtPappy]

Truly fantastic. This will be the only P-38J I'll want to fly with a silver finish.