**** DONE: 1/48 P-47D - Aircraft in Foreign Service WWII

[fubar57]

Username: Fubar57
Name: George
Category: Intermediate
Scale, 1/48
Manufacturer: Academy
Type: Republic P-47D Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt II
Aftermarket: Maybe, just maybe some P.E. seatbelts, some wire, some plastic, Iliad Decals.

My entry into the #20 GB. Having built the Academy kit before, the only issue might be the wing fit going by the model I'm trying to finish at the moment. Nice detail in the cockpit that can be improved with some wiring, the same goes for the wheel bays.

The aircraft I will be depicting served in Fayid, Egypt, with the RAF 73OTU Squadron, 1945. I have no idea who the chap in the photo is, but judging by the knees, this could be "Nobby"

Just thought I would add, this is my last GB in the intermediate category. Though I'm not really in the advanced stage yet, I feel it will push me to get better.

Geo

 

[rochie]

great minds think alike Geo, i have that same RAF P-47 on my build list, along with the one below it "D" !

one of four RAF Jugs i have planned two Razorbacks and two bubble tops.

 

[Airframes]

Good one Geo, and another coming from Karl. Great stuff, can't beat a good pair of Jugs .... er .....

 

[fubar57]

great minds think alike Geo, i have that same RAF P-47 on my build list, along with the one below it "D" !

one of four RAF Jugs i have planned two Razorbacks and two bubble tops.

If I can get through this build quick-like, I just ordered this sheet yesterday..

Geo

 

[rochie]

this is my sheet for RAF P-47s

 

[fubar57]

Lordy Karl, check and mate.

Geo

 

[rochie]

Lordy Karl, check and mate.

Geo

not bad is it ?

notice on my sheet your GB entry has a sky tail band which you can just see in the picture you posted, though my sheet also has a tail fillet which is clearly not there in the same picture !

 

[fubar57]

I noticed that near the fin of the aircraft in the photo, thought it might have been a photo anomaly. I wonder if it is the remnants of the sky band which would be great as it would be just enough to freak things up. Any one have some thoughts? Anyhoo...first bit of business, I added the gun bay covers, left side good, right side, not so good but a bit of scraping did the trick.

Geo

 

[woody]

Nice one Geo looking forward to your build.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Up and running Geo, good on you mate and I like the all silver version.

 

[Wildcat]

Good choice Geo. I reckon P-47's look great in RAF colours.

 

[rochie]

I noticed that near the fin of the aircraft in the photo, thought it might have been a photo anomaly. I wonder if it is the remnants of the sky band which would be great as it would be just enough to freak things up. Any one have some thoughts? Anyhoo...first bit of business, I added the gun bay covers, left side good, right side, not so good but a bit of scraping did the trick.

View attachment 246740

Geo

i think the sky tail band is there Geo it is just a badly exposed picture making it look faded out !

also look carefully behind the canopy is there olive drab paint all the way back to the tail ?

 

[meatloaf109]

Up and running Geo, good on you mate and I like the all silver version.

Me too!

 

[T Bolt]

Nice start George, and I agree with Karl about the picture on both counts.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys and yes, now that I look hard enough, I can just barely make it out under the serial. I've seen a photo of one other silver Thunderbolt II in the squadron...somewhere and I wouldn't mind finding it to see how they dealt with the panel behind the canopy. Also, my Chromate Yellow for the wheel wells is no longer with us, so a trip to P.G. is in order, but I won't need it until the final painting stages.

Geo

 

[rochie]

for what its worth the my decal set has the olive drab all the way to the tail !

i have seen a pic of a 261 Sqn Jug in NMF with Olive drab all the way to the tail.

 

[Crimea_River]

I agree the olive looks like it goes to the tail in the pic. I could be convinced that the Sky band is faded. There's definitely no fillet on the tail in that picture but it's possible one was retrofitted.

 

[fubar57]

I wonder if the fuselage band was scrubbed off, leaving a barely noticeable area around and below the serial number and still in good shape on the spine. Maybe the chap in the photo was in the process of doing the scrubbing and slacked off to get his photo taken, the kind of slacking off that could have cost the Allies the war. Anyhoo...on the modeling front, a slight step back. I used Humbrol 78 for the interior parts. It looked good in the tin and brushed on well. It's been 9 hours and the paint is still tacky, normal ? A step forward, found my Chromate Yellow, a step back, guess who forgot to drill out the holes for the wing pylons and on that note, a step forward, wings and stabs are together and the instrument panel is painted, photos later.

Geo

EDIT: still trying to locate that only other photo I've seen of a NMF Thunderbolt II from this squadron.

 

[fubar57]

Must be something wrong with the Humbrol. I painted the leather an hour later with Modelmaster enamel and it's dry to touch, Humbol, still slightly tacky. Instrument panel...

Geo