RAF Lockheed Lightning (P-38 F/H) Mk.II

[Knightflyer]

Hi All

A long time ago I bought the Airfix P-38 in order to modify it to model the early Lightning as tested by the RAF. I've never gotten around to it and as RS Models have now produced a Lightning P-322 my mind turns to whiffing my original Airfix purchase.

My questions are these : If the RAF had purchased the Lightning and used the later variants, where would they have likely to have been used? What role would they have undertaken for the RAF (did the RAF need/use a long range fighter) and what aircraft might they replaced / supplemented (which squadrons might they have served in?) Basically I'd like to do a whiff not too far removed from reality for this one

ta for looking

Kevin

[Radish]

I'd go for Ocean Grey/Dark Green/Medium Sea Grey....or why not Desert colours, based in Egypt to roam over the Med??
112 with sharkmouths might be appropriate for the Airfix kit (as it has sharkmouth decals?)

For a later P-38J/L I'd go for natural metal.

[NARSES2]

I built my Hasegawa P-38 in RAF SEAC colours (dark earth/dark green/med sea grey) to escort the Liberators on their way to Rangoon. Med service in the Agean would be good as Rad says

[Knightflyer]

Mmmmm I hadn't thought of a desert scheme, the question is whether the decals that came with the model are still useable! The SEAC scheme is an attractive idea as well. Maybe combine Rad's other suggestion with yours and go for a natural metal blue ID striped SEAC bird like some of the Thunderbolts?

[NARSES2]

Even if I say so myself the P-38 does look good in it's SEAC scheme. A NM one as per the latter P-47's would surely look as good  

Pic of her can be found here http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,35024.45.html

[Slerski]

Maybe long-range escort for USAAF raids ? After all the RAF used the Spitfire, why not a Lightning ?

[The Wooksta!]

Anywhere the Mosquito would have trouble with humidity is your best bet.  A SEAC one with British Pacific Fleet markings is probably the most believable.

[Knightflyer]

I must admit I was leaning towards a silver SEAC aircraft with the blue ID stripes and matt green anti-glare panels. However how about a midnight blue with white ID stripes? (a la Hellcat?) ....now there's a thought 

[The Wooksta!]

Unlikely.  P-38 was Air Force and would never have been delivered in said scheme. If any were delivered to the RAF, they would have been in either US approximations of RAF colours in a disruptive scheme, standard US colours or bare metal.

[Knightflyer]

Well it was only a thought!  I can't really think of a way to get midnight-blue ones delivered to a shore based Fleet Air Arm unit! 

[PR19_Kit]

Carried out there by a USN carrier and they needed to be painted en route to avoid corrosion etc? The most common paint aboard was the Midnight Blue used on the native Hellcats and Corsairs.

Job done.......... 

[Knightflyer]

Darn it! At this rate I'm going to have to buy another P-38 and do BOTH of those options! 

[rickshaw]

Has anyone done a Navalised P-38?  Perhaps with a stinger on the central fuselage pod to put an arrester hook?

[Go4fun]

Well rickshaw that would certainly take care of folding the wings if they touched down at full power!  

[NARSES2]

Has anyone done a Navalised P-38?  Perhaps with a stinger on the central fuselage pod to put an arrester hook?

I've seen a couple, not necessarily on here though