1:32nd P-47D-25-RE of Lt. Col Francis Gabreski, June 6th, 1944 Group Build

[lesofprimus]

Sounds great Aaron, look forward to more pics...

Excellent info Terry, but as my version of Gabreski's kite will have full stripes, I think we're ok on the bare metal....

There is some dispute however on the under surface of the elevators... Some say they were bare metal, some say grey....

 

[DBII]

nice prop blur and photos.

DBII

 

[Airframes]

I'll have a look at my stuff again Dan, but far as I remember, the underside was Medium Sea Grey. I can't see any reason the other aircraft in the Group were painted, and Gabby's not.

 

[Lucky13]

Excellent shots Aaron, excellent!

 

[DBII]

I ran across these photos and thought it may be of some use

Vintage Fighters P-47D Tarheel Hal

DBII

 

[lesofprimus]

Great couple pics in there, thanks DB...

The cockpit color fellas??? Instructions say Khaki Green or Zinc Chromate... The cockpit of my F4U-1A was Green Zinc Chromate, pic below.... Dont think it is quite a match...

Im assuming its Khaki Green but need to check before buyin paint tomorrow....

 

[lesofprimus]

Color shot of the cockpit...

 

[javlin]

I have seen some pics from the Republic factory of almost a Blue Green are Dk Green Dan then others that were Zinc Green.Cheers Kevin

 

[lesofprimus]

So it really is a question of what the color of Gabby's crate was...

 

[javlin]

So it really is a question of what the color of Gabby's crate was...

I think more of which factory did it come out of??

 

[lesofprimus]

Hmmmmm, can anyone trace serial number 226418 to the factory where it was made???

 

[Crimea_River]

Excerpt from this site: Camouflage Markings: Interior Colours of US Aircraft, 1941-45 (Part II)

The subject of cockpit colours of the P-47 seems to have thus far defied conclusive analysis. Surviving P-47s and contemporary photos show a dark green shade in the cockpit, similar or possibly equal to Dull Dark Green. This is in contrast with the available Erection and Maintenance manuals which invariably call for green-tinted primer in cockpit areas.

The 1944 Erection and Maintenance Instructions covering P-47C, G and D state that "cockpits shall be finished with one coat of tinted zinc chromate primer to eliminate glare resulting from untinted primer." As can bee seen, the use of "tinted primer" is not consistent with the Dark Dull Green found in other evidence.

Perhaps an explanation is to be found in the formula of tinted primer given in the above manual. Nowhere in the above document is the tinted Zinc Chromate specified to match ANA Interior Green. Instead, the specifications include a rudimentary mixing formula, described as one gallon Black to one gallon Yellow Zinc Chromate primer. The formula is probably an error. If the intended colour was to be Interior Green, the document should have stated 1/10 gallon Black to 1 gallon Zinc Chromate, consistent with other Erection and Maintenance documents of the period.

A possibility remains that Republic followed the instructions to the letter, obtaining some sort of black-green colour for the cockpit areas. Other hypotheses claim that the colour used could be Bronze Green or Dull Dark Green. Another mystery.

Another conventional wisdom states that Curtiss-built P-47Gs differed from Republic-build P-47Ds by having Interior Green (actually, Curtiss Cockpit Green) in the cockpit and wheel well areas. However, this does not seem to be consistent with examination of wrecked P-47G parts, which show Dark Dull Green in the cockpit.

Since there were less than 200 P-47Gs made and they were only used for training in the US, this controversy is of limited interest to modellers, which would usually be interested in Republic-made Thunderbolts.

According to the Erection and Maintenance manuals, the fuselage decking under the bubble canopy of the P-47D from the windscreen to the area aft of the cockpit armour plating, was to be painted Dark Olive Drab 41, the same colour being specified for the anti-glare area of the forward fuselage. Armour plating was specified to the same colour as the interior finish of the cockpit.

Another yet unresolved mystery is the turtleback area beneath the rearmost cockpit window of the razorback versions. Many variants have been called for, but the most likely choices (based on the available contemporary colour photographs) are Olive Drab for the early camouflaged aircraft, and some kind of medium grey further down in the production.

According to factory instructions, the fuselage decking inside the canopy on bubbletop Thunderbolts was to be painted in Olive Drab, with the inside of the canopy framing in flat black. The rear armour plate in the cockpit was to be painted to match the cockpit interior colour.

Some photo's I've collected:

 

[B-17engineer]

Cool!

 

[Airframes]

All information I've seen, and colour pics, and also a piece of a P47D I once had have indicated either Interior Green (the Curtiss version of this, which is very close) or Bronze Green. The piece I had, an instrument bracket, was definitely Bronze Green. The colour pics posted show what appear to be the Curtiss type of Interior Green.
I'll see if I can find the serial number listings for which factory produced the kite - should have it somewhere.
The difficult part is the wheel wells - green zinc chromeate or yellow zinc chromate? Both were used!

 

[Airframes]

Found it! Gabby's kite was built at the Evansville, Indiana plant, so was a P47D-**-RA. Therefore, I reckon the cockpit would be Bronze green, like the part I used to have.

 

[lesofprimus]

Its seems to have been thought that they were YZC on his crate Terry....

Andy, what color do u think it is??

OK T, Bronze Green.... Wonder if Model Master Enamels makes that color.....

 

[lesofprimus]

Gabby's kite was built at the Evansville, Indiana plant, so was a P47D-**-RA.

VERY interesting T... The instructions state that it is an D-25-RE, not RA... Are u sure???

U may have uncovered something here...

 

[Airframes]

Dark green, touch of brown (tan) , touch of yellow, maybe a spot of black, until it looks right. It's like a dark Interior green, the old original Land Rover colour.

 

[Airframes]

Sh*t, you're right! Sorry mate, I think the pain and fatigue are getting to me - crossed the serials listings with the factories!!
Yes, it was a P47D-25-RE, from the Farmingdale factory, from serial batch 42-26389 to 42-26773.
Still Bronze Green for the cockpit, and i think you're right for the wheel bays etc. I'll check this and let you know.

 

[lesofprimus]

The Bronze Green is not covered by Model Master...

So it looks like I need some dark green and brown, or is it tan Terry???