**** DONE: GB-56 1/48 P-47D "Bubbletop" - Thunderbolts and Lightnings

[Airframes]

Here's one, already posted elsewhere.
The camouflage colours are possibly RAF paints, and the "grey" undersides are evident. Those aircraft that were originally NMF, and then had uppersurfaces camouflaged, tended to be painted in a single colour, although disruptive pattern has also been seen.
I have the info in one of my many P-47 books, but can't get at them at the moment, as my hands are too stiff and painful.

 

[le_steph40]

Sorry Terry but I'm not agree regarding this one. This photo is on cover of "Warbird Tech N°23" and the undersurface is clearly NMF, we can see the ETO recognition black stripes under the tail plane.
Agree regarding the very probable RAF colors to repaint the NMF P-47s, but as you said before, some P-47D "Bubbletops" had underside repainted and others not repainted

 

[le_steph40]

 

[Airframes]

Hi Steph.

I've just done some very brief checking in some of my notes, and I still believe the underside colour on this particular aircraft is not overall NMF.
However, I may be wrong regarding the colour being either Neutral Gray or RAF Medium Sea Grey, as it may well be a blue shade, thought perhaps to be RAF Azure, as used on "Ole Cock". (more on this later).

When the first "bubbletops" arrived at Boxted, in NMF, they were painted using mainly RAF paints on the upper surfaces, often leaving the undersides in NMF, but with some, such as "Ole Cock" also receiving a RAF colour underneath. A "nose shot" of "Ole Cock" clearly shows a soft, wavy demarcation between the upper and lower colours, with what appears to be a gap between the colours, this I believe being the bare metal.
I have seen this described as a "Sky Blue", with a suggestion that it may have been RAF Azure Blue.
If the undersides were pained in a light colour, greys or blues, then it is very possible that the black bands on the underside of the tail planes was left intact.
Looking closely at the colour images shown in the above post, the landing gear doors, in particular, do not show any shine or reflection expected from a bare metal finish, and the slightly darker look beneath the nose and wings also suggests paint. Compare this with the wheel rims and the prop boss. I'll admit that, beneath the tail plane, there is what might be metallic reflection, although this could just be the effect of lighter paint.
I have a number of different copies of these images, all with varying degrees of contrast and colour saturation, and until now, I assumed the underside colour was one of the greys mentioned earlier. However, having now checked my notes, I have examined these more closely, and I now think there is a blue tone showing, which suggest possibly RAF Medium Sea Grey, or perhaps a Sky Blue or Azure Blue, these colours being known to have been used, and mentioned by Roger Freeman.
I am not saying that I am right concerning these particular images, but having spent a number of years being involved in colour analysis and interpretation, I would tend to think more towards paint than bare metal, although only examination of an original image, as opposed to printed colour separations, could offer more in the way of clues.

It is known that there was a wide variety of "unorthodox" finishes on 56th FG aircraft, with bare metal undersurfaces on camouflaged aircraft, as well as painted undersurfaces using different shades of greys and blues, and only close study of photos of the subject aircraft can perhaps help identify what was, or was not used, with the final decision being down to the individual modellers interpretation.

 

[Crimea_River]

With little else to go on, I'm seeing NMF around the stbd wing roundel and on the bomb pylon. The upper camo on the nose wraps around into the shaded area so is inconclusive. Gear doors do look painted but could be bare with the light hitting them just right. The yellow rudder reflects quite strongly on the underside of the visible horizontal stab in one pic so I'd say NMF there too. FWIW....

 

[Airframes]

You could be right Andy, and I, to, had noted these areas. But, look to the right in these pics, and note the "flat" belly tanks piled up, which are Neutral Gray, and look very close in tone to the gear covers.
As I mentioned, I have a number of examples of these particular pics, all showing different tones due to the contrast in printing, and perhaps they are not the best, example to decide what colours are what.
Whatever we think, I go back to my earlier statement that not all 56th FG "bubbletops" had NMF undersides, and very close study of any available photos should be made for a particular subject.

 

[Crimea_River]

Yeah I did say the gear doors look painted and I did compare with the tanks. The wing undersides still look reflective to me though.

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,
Like Terry, I'm a bit lacking in motivation, but not for the same reasons. I ask myself too many questions concerning the camo scheme of my project knowing that I will probably not have definitive answers...
The other thing that bothers me a lot in this project is the code letters in red outlined in white. I was convinced that these red codes had appeared only with the P-47Ms repainted in dark blue. We can find on the web some aircrafts (P-47D-28, like my project) of the 61st FS with a dark color (green?) but with white code.

The uppersurface color goes down low under the fuselage and the undersurface seems to be in NMF...

But since we have to make choices, here is what I decided:
- NMF undersurface with ETO recognition black stripes under the tail
- OD or RAF DG uppersurface (but more likely RAF DG)
- Main landing gear in NMF (Alu), I think the color is not dark enough to be an OD or Bronze Green.
- I think to put the nose art "Pengie IV"

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves it is said that the P-47D-28 Pengie IV wasn't painted different than other kites of the 61st Squdron at that time. The colours were the dark green at tops and the medium sea grey for undersides. However the undersides, for some reason of course, could have been of the NMF either.

 

[captain Frey]

Steph,
for me, your choices are the right ones.

For the codes, I don't know but yes, you ask a good question...

 

[captain Frey]

Suite
For the codes, on the photos that you put on page 1, we can clearly see the codes of an indeterminate color (probably red) bordered in white. So if this plane is Pengye IV, the red and white codes are correct in my opinion.

Best regards !!!!!

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,

Painting started, alu undersurface and windscreen

Next step => green (RAF DG)

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Shiny.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Very nice Steph and looks like your 1 step ahead of me.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[le_steph40]

Hello,
Upper surface done in RAF DG (Xtra X0001). Sorry but it looks like OD on the photo
Undersurface was AK479 Aluminium

Vic, not sure that I've 1 step ahead of you I still have to lighten a little the center of the panels, invasion stripes under the fuselage and red markings on the nose and the rudder to paint. If I'm not mistaken, you still have the upper surface and the red markings to paint... So, it seems that we are on the same step

 

[Wurger]

 

[Totalize]

Nice NMF on the underside and great reference material on this build Steph.

I have this book and will take a look to see if there are any references there.