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The story behind your model New guide preview

P-38F/G: two engines, two tails

The Lightning looked unlike the single-engine fighters around it. Two Allison engines occupied separate booms, with the pilot and a concentrated battery of four .50-calibre machine guns and a 20 mm cannon in a central nacelle. Lockheed developed the design for a high-altitude interception requirement, and the prototype flew in January 1939. The arrangement gave the P-38 its unmistakable outline and left the nose free of a propeller.

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The F and G were early combat Lightnings, before the later J-model’s deeper radiator cowls. Underwing fuel tanks helped turn the design’s range into an operational advantage. These aircraft fought across widely separated theatres, with the Pacific’s vast distances making long-range fighters especially valuable. The kit preserves the early slim engine-cowling shape and offers the different canopy arrangements associated with its F and G subjects.

Both included schemes connect the model to the Pacific war. White 33 represents a 39th Fighter Squadron aircraft at Port Moresby in late 1942. White 147, Miss Virginia, depicts a P-38G associated with Operation Vengeance in April 1943, when Lightnings intercepted the formation carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto near Bougainville. Its asymmetric pair of drop tanks is a particularly telling detail: the mission demanded careful fuel planning as well as precise navigation.

Sources and accuracy

Tamiya 61120 instructions; Tamiya 61120 colour and history leaflet; Smithsonian: Lightning development and service

Kit Instruction Colors
View kit instructions (PDF)View painting and marking guide

These are the kit manufacturer’s paint recommendations. Follow the exact instruction diagrams for placement, marking choices and mixes. They are separate from the historical palettes below.

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Official required-color list. Choose a version and follow the manual color mixes. Available primary paints start selected. Uncheck paints you already have and select any optional tools you need.

Paints (31)
AS-7 Neutral Gray SprayChecking availability…
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Tools and supplies (8)

Select any tools you need to add them with your paint selection.

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Paints and supplies sold separately. Prices and availability update from each product.

Historical Paint Schemes

Choose a documented aircraft or vehicle finish, then a paint system. These researched alternatives are separate from the instruction list above.

Each pack is its own shopping list. Choose one paint system; selections stay separate. Out-of-stock items remain visible but cannot be added. There is no bundle discount.

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Exterior scheme colors only. Check the diagrams for pattern and placement. Interior, crew, small details and decals are not included unless a pack explicitly says so. Model paints are manufacturer-intended reproductions or labeled approximations, not independently measured exact historical matches.

Sources and accuracy

Tools for this build

Practical suggestions for assembling and finishing this kit. Buy only what you need; nothing here is added automatically.

Build basics

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Useful extras · optional

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Choose glue for the material and thinner for the paint range. A shared base type alone does not guarantee different brands can be mixed together.

1/48 P-38F/G Lightning 61120

Regular price $84.98

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61120

Tamiya 1/48 P-38F/G Lightning 61120
1/48 P-38F/G Lightning 61120
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