**** DONE: 1/48 P-47D Thunderbolt - Aircraft Nose Art GB.

[s1chris]

I've found two pics showing guns removed from P-47s.
One shows a camouflage-painted training unit aircraft, with the two outboard guns on each wing removed, the other shows the well-known, 'war weary' two-seat conversion 'Category E', with all guns removed. In both cases, the ports appear to be covered with individual, contoured, round, flush-fitting bare metal 'blanks'. If this system was also used on the SAR aircraft, which is likely, they may or may not have been painted.
A third photo shows a bare metal 'bubbletop' aircraft, post war, again with the outboard guns removed, where the two ports appear to be covered by a single piece of material, rectangular in shape. This might be fabric, although it has the same tone as the surrounding bare metal, and is shown in a B&W photo, so difficult to tell if fabric or sheet metal.

Bonus Terry. Blanking plugs it is for sure on mine then. The four redundant guns being the material to be used. I'm going to guess that as Galloping Catastrophe had invasion stripes that they would have been the same colour as the respective stripe. Just need to hope I didn't drill to far down the barrels and have to get the filler out.

Wayne - had I not spent all my coins on this model I may have flipped one lol.

 

[Catch22]

Good research guys.

 

[s1chris]

Well tonight I decided I'd make a start on getting the nose painted up. However. The decal sheet requires you to paint the whole cowl red and then apply the white and blue stripes as provided in the decal set. Great in theory, if they actually fitted. There is no way I'm prepared to bodge them on so I'm getting out the paints and doing it by hand "for that authentic" look.

Cheers Chris

 

[fubar57]

Coming along very nicely Chris.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

I agree with Geo. I agree with Geo.

Applying a white decal over a red background just sounds a bit suspect anyway, even if it fit.

 

[fubar57]

That's the third one today.

Geo

 

[Airframes]

I agree also, also, also !
I never like decal stripes, even when straight, and those designed to fit over compound curves are even worse. Painting is the way to go, and will look much better.

 

[Crimea_River]

Yep, yep, yep.

 

[Wurger]

No problem with double posting here. I think you may be a little bit too impatient with clicking....

 

[s1chris]

I was a bit dubious about having a pink stripe although in my wisdom did only paint roughly the red stripe not the whole cowl. I guess with so many manufactures of kits it's impossible to make a one size fits all decal anyway.

 

[s1chris]

A Little more progress made tonight.

Starting to get the colour onto the nose -

Lift raft pods, pinned as its the only way I could figure out how to attach to the pylon. When fitted the pins are not noticeable unless you look for them.

I also got the smoke markers mounted. God they were a b***h. Will photograph tomorrow and post.

Cheers Chris

 

[Crimea_River]

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far!

 

[Rogi]

Aye mighty fine job

 

[s1chris]

Thanks all.

Today I plan to get the grey underside painted and read that the colour should be neutral grey.
I have two options -

Tamiya XF-53 neutral grey
Or
Vallejo 71.047 US Grey

They appear to almost similar in the bottle but I guess that stands for nothing.
Any suggestions on which to use?

Cheers Chris

 

[fubar57]

I've never used Vallejo and understand that Tamiya is the correct match. From this site The Ultimate Model Paint Conversion Chart

Geo

 

[Wurger]

 

[Catch22]

Awesome work, man that looks sharp.

 

[meatloaf109]

I personally like Vallejo paints.
They have been bang on for me. Never cared much for Tamiya paint, Always seemed too thin.

 

[Crimea_River]

Too thin? I thin mine even more for the airbrush. Tamiya's been my favourite so far though I've not tried Vallejo.