"FOTO JO" Armed recon P-38.

[oboe]

Is the green OD or more along that lines of that snake green in the stuff you posted?

Also, I noticed a lot of stretching on the nose.  Is this an older 3D model?   Maybe I should keep my powder dry until it's updated if that's the case.

I think its a very early AH2 model.  There is a lot of stretching around the nose and under the booms.  I used to be pretty familiar with the model's quirks.  The scale of the tail assembly is different from the rest, so a 1px rivet is 2-3x larger than a 1px rivet elsewhere.   

Now that HTC has shown a new '38J in the works, I would expect a new L and G not far behind, so I think it would be smart to avoid putting a whole lot of effort into a '38 skin at this point.   

[donna43]

Few more images.

If it's possible why not colorize the photo's to get a better idea of what colors were used my 2 cents worth.

[Volron]

Too many variables to contend with, if I recall correctly.

[Krusty]

You can't make color from no color. It would be 100% artistic and subject to whatever color the artist chose to put there, not what was there to begin with.

[lyric1]

[Guppy35]

Interesting discussion in the comments below the model built of this bird.  There is a strong argument that the gun barrels were nothing more than decoration as there are not the usual ejector chutes open for the shell casings and also concern that the vibration from firing the guns would have messed up the cameras.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47751/thread/1430923206/More+F-4-1-LO+(P-38E)+FOTO-JO+Details

CBI flown bird from the 9th PRS

http://www.9th.photorecon.org/index.html

Another bird from the same unit.  Obviously fake guns.

[lyric1]

Interesting discussion in the comments below the model built of this bird.  There is a strong argument that the gun barrels were nothing more than decoration as there are not the usual ejector chutes open for the shell casings and also concern that the vibration from firing the guns would have messed up the cameras.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47751/thread/1430923206/More+F-4-1-LO+(P-38E)+FOTO-JO+Details

CBI flown bird from the 9th PRS

http://www.9th.photorecon.org/index.html

Another bird from the same unit.  Obviously fake guns.

Interesting conversations wont go as far as saying fake guns at this point.

For example they look to be blast tubes or flash suppression not to dazzle the pilot when firing.

6th NFS Had them on there night fighters.





Also an option on P-51's.



When you compare the two aircraft the outer 50 cals are about the same length. Now if I was flying around with fake guns I am sure I would throw on the blast muzzles just to make sure an enemy could see I mean business, after all the two 50's on FOTO-JO are very short and the enemy would have to be very close to see them.



As a side note are these fake guns?



The question is can two 50 cals fit in with all of their hardware with two cameras like FOTO JO?
Here is a few photos I found with the doors open on recon aircraft.







Now a couple of regular P-38s.





Based off of the above photos I would say yes they could fit them with some modifications. The real question that is an unknown to me is where did the spent shells go if they were active guns?
Looking at other P-38's I see 4 ejection chutes for the 50 cals I can't find a 5th chute for the 20mm though at this point.

Is this the answer a catch can internally?

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/p-38-disposal-of-20mm-cannon-shells-and-links.24455/

[Guppy35]

It's possible. I guess I'm just suggesting we don't have enough info to really know whether or not this is really a gunned 38.  Trust me I'm not against 38s

We actually were able to use a recce 38 skin in a scenario where we had two 38s that flew without ammo and just took pictures of the targets. The guys had fun doing it as it was a different type of challenge.  The recce blue skin looked good too.  That skin was not one that would be allowed in the MA for the reason it was not a gunned 38.

This was the one that cactuskooler did for DGS II.  Note he was able to make the guns not show

[donna43]

Colorized

[donna43]

Added one more.  How do you do the ?

[lyric1]

There is an ejection chute for the 20mm cannon and it looks to go to a catch box.

It is just behind the 50 cal ejection chutes on the right side.







You can see it open just behind the calf of the armourer in this photo. So its on a hinge and looks to have quick release screws so this would not be a place for shells to fall out while in flight.






In this video at the 42.02 minute mark there is a static firing P-38 the door is closed and no other shells falling other than 50 cal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRhIHPoB430

[donna43]

Trying to figure out how to post a photo using the "IMAGE"      "IMAGE"

[Krusty]

I will say this: I agree with Guppy. Probably a mind-game like broom handles on Doolittle raiders.

Even though it looks like you could physically fit them, the ammo, the feed chutes, etc, all take up room. Then there's the cameras... Cameras are sensitive and probably they were the most expensive thing on that airframe. They also were fragile. It's one thing to fly them around in the nose of an aircraft subject to the turbulences and bumps of takeoffs/sorties/landings, but to then literally bolt jackhammer-vibrating-50cals to the same frame holding the camera? You'd do some serious damage to that equipment.

There's no real way they'd have worked.

[Vraciu]

Trying to figure out how to post a photo using the "IMAGE"      "IMAGE"

[Vraciu]

I will say this: I agree with Guppy. Probably a mind-game like broom handles on Doolittle raiders.

Even though it looks like you could physically fit them, the ammo, the feed chutes, etc, all take up room. Then there's the cameras... Cameras are sensitive and probably they were the most expensive thing on that airframe. They also were fragile. It's one thing to fly them around in the nose of an aircraft subject to the turbulences and bumps of takeoffs/sorties/landings, but to then literally bolt jackhammer-vibrating-50cals to the same frame holding the camera? You'd do some serious damage to that equipment.

There's no real way they'd have worked.

They only have to work once.   To heck with the cameras, save the plane.