1/72 P-38 Xl "brute"

[Mossie]

Blimey, that's a beast!  Wouldn't like to be the pilot if you had an engine fire though, no matter which one goes your going to have a job getting out.  It's not a critisicsm Brian, as it won't have been the only aircraft to endanger it's own crew during the war, in fact, it serves to make it more real!

[Mike Wren]

super stuff mate!    

[ysi_maniac]

Just crazy and brilliant.
         

[The Rat]

Brian, I think that I can safely say that all of us, at one time or another, have thougt about how to whiff a P-38, but none of us have come up with such a great idea!      

[Tophe]

The view from below shows the very peculiar armement layout. How to synchronize the shoot with 2 different propellers ahead of each gun, from 2 different engines? Suicide aircraft? KamikAAF?

[cthulhu77]

Unbelievably cool. It would be a fantastic recce craft, no?

[Eddie M.]

Outstanding build BdaB! It looks like the real deal, if it had existed back in the day. Also, in low level flight, it gives a literal meaning to cutting the grass!  
   Eddie  

[SPINNERS]

A cracking build and I just love that view from the rear.

[B777LR]

Now the germans really DO have a reason for calling it the forked devil!

[Sisko]

Man Brian that is cool!!!!

Nice concept. Would look awesome with wing tip tanks.

[Chap]

Fantastic Brian! Love the P-40B/C nose on it. If memory serves me right, the P-38XL was the first U.S. aircraft to be designed with an ejection seat?

~Steve

[tigercat2]

Great concept and very original.   How about as a follow on, leave the pusher/puller engines and replace the wing mounted engines with 75mm cannon nacelles - sort of a cross between an Airacuda and Grizzley!!


Wes W.

[Maverick]

BdB,

mastefully nasty, just like it should be and actually does look like something they would have built pre-war.  They had multi-turretted tanks, subs with hangers and of course the Zveno, so why not something like this..

Very cool as always,

Regards,

Mav

[Brian da Basher]

I'm really glad you guys like this build! Your comments inspire me to no end.

Wes, that idea about omitting the wing engines and installing large cannon pods is one worth looking into. Perhaps the next time I get my hands on another P-38 kit.

Maverick, you're absolutely right about 1930's technology! I think that's why I love that era so much. There were so many interesting ideas bandied about that had yet to be proved or disproved by the fire of war.

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

concerning the range problem, not too  difficult. Add two wingtip fuel tanks, plus two or four underwings!

I agree with Archie, it is not an obvious question: 4 engines are drinking twice more fuel than two, so the range would be lower with 4 than with 2, BUT 4 engines provide the ability to take off at a far higher weight, with many additional tanks. Then, in flight, the external engines may be switched off to save fuel. Then switched on again for fighting. Then switched off again to come back, on internal fuel then... XL-ent solution for Xtra Long range... What-ifing is serious, yes.