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

[Vic Balshaw]

Nasty little mix-up T but well spotted re the aerial, has me running to see what my kits have.

 

[Jock Tamson]

Great work Terry Your T-bolt is looking very nice indeed.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much chaps.
Been having a "day off" today, trying to get some rest, as I've been rather stiff and painful. I hope to start the painting in the next day or so, depending on other jobs needing to be done.

 

[Airframes]

The tailplane stripes have been re-painted, and will be masked when fully dry.

Whilst waiting for the paint to dry, I started work on the canopy. I had thought of using a vac-form canopy, as I have a couple to hand, mainly due to the kit canopy looking a little too "deep" on the lower frame, and the horizontal frame seeming rather "heavy".
However, the lower line of the pointed windscreen doesn't match the kit cockpit opening and, if cut to pose open, the canopy itself would look a touch too thin.
Therefore, the kit canopy was used, after shaving down the horizontal frame and then polishing. I decided that the lower frame would be acceptable once painted, and the canopy fitted in the open position.
The windscreen was carefully separated from the canopy, using a razor saw, and the edges of this, and the canopy, thinned down.
Those internal frame areas that will be visible were masked, and then painted Dull Dark Green, and the external frames masked and painted Dark Blue.
The masking has been removed, and the parts will be cleaned of adhesive residue and given a polish, once the paint has fully hardened.
A handle will be added to the top of the inside of the canopy, and I'll need to make a rear-view mirror for the windscreen. There is a mirror included in the kit, but it's the conical type, whereas this aircraft had the "wedge" shape, faired mirror ( I'll probably use the "wedge" shaped mirror from the Hasegawa kit, as this will be built with a conical mirror anyway ). Both of these items will be added once the parts are ready to attach, near the end of the build.

I'm hoping my hands will be sufficiently flexible enough to spray the NMF sometime tomorrow, given I can get some household chores out of the way first.
Pics below show the work on the canopy to date.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice one Terry, nice one.

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

Very nice

 

[Crimea_River]

Doing great work Terry.

 

[javlin]

You can still cut a straight line!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.
I've just noticed, I forgot to sand down the ridge on the "solid" part on the top, rear of the canopy. Oh well, I'll live with it, and remember to sand down that area on the second Arii build.
Hoping to start spraying the NMF this evening - pics when there's something to show.

 

[T Bolt]

Great work Terry

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Glenn.

I was still undecided on which metallic shade to use, the Revell No.90 "Silver", or No.99 "Aluminium", both being enamels, so I eventually chose to use both !
The undersides of the model have been sprayed in the "Aluminium" which, although it certainly looks like real alloy, is perhaps a little too dull.
However, I'll let this settle overnight, and may give it a gentle buffing tomorrow.
The upper surfaces will be sprayed in the "Silver", which I know will give a slightly brighter, deeper appearance, (and can be very shiny if polished with aluminium finger printing powder !), and hopefully this will replicate the finish of the real aircraft, being bright, but not overly shiny.
Sorry for the lack of pics at the moment - with the overhead lighting where I spray, I found I was casting a shadow on part of the model, and also, my hands were a bit too stiff and uncomfortable to hold the camera properly !
All being well, I'll get the painting done tomorrow, and when safe to move the model, get some photos then.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good on'ya Terry, sounds all good and it seems like your plodding on well even though with difficulty.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Vic, and yes, things are a bit difficult just now. After a couple of hours working on small parts, or even handling the airbrush, my hands and wrists really ache - maybe I should visit a second hand shop (yeah, i know. I'll get me coat !).

 

[Airframes]

Got the Revell No. 90 "Silver" sprayed, and it went on well, with a smooth "alloy" look, not to shiny and not to dull, although there's one very small area that may need a re-spray; I'll know more once the paint has settled.
The joint at the port wing root, and both tail plane roots are both showing slightly though, so I'll wait until the paint has fully hardened, and then treat these with a bead of PVA and then re-touch.
Soon as that's done, i can move the model and get some photos.

 

[Airframes]

Here's how things look after spraying the two metallic shades.
The entire upper surfaces and fuselage sides were sprayed with Revell No.90 "Silver" enamel. with the undersides of the wings, tail-planes and the fuselage aft of the cowling joint in Revell No.99 "Aluminium", which gives a slightly duller appearance.
The paints were sprayed directly onto the bare plastic, and I'm pleased that the very delicate surface detail is clearly visible. Normally, if I want a very shiny finish, the model will be polished before spraying with aluminium finger printing powder, and then polished again once the paint is dry. However, in this instance, I wanted a more "slightly weathered", not so bright look to the "aluminium" skin.
There's a very fine joint line at the port wing root up to the line of the flaps, and on one tail-plane which need attention, These weren't apparent before spraying, and I'm about to attempt to eradicate these by filling with a thin bead of PVA, and then re-spraying the areas.
Hands and wrists are a bit tender at the moment, but I hope to get this done later today, then remove the masking and do some light panel line work.
All being well, I'll be back later ...................

 

[Wurger]

 

[rochie]

Really nice job Dogsbody

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Wojtek and Karl.

The wing joints have been sorted and those areas re-sprayed, and the masking has now been removed. There's a very small amount of re-touching to be done on one tail-plane stripe, and around the gun panels, and the gun blast tubes need to be coated using a chrome paint pen (I hope!).
When this is done, some detail painting will be done on such areas as the exhaust panels and the turbo exhaust shroud etc, some light panel line work done, and the wheel bays will be painted.
I'm having to handle the model carefully, using a soft cloth or cotton glove, in order to avoid marking the "metal" surface, and, being rather awkward, my wrists are now quite painful, so I'm going to have a break for a day, then get back to work sometime over the weekend.
Pics below show how it looks so far.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

You done good there Terry.