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

[Airframes]

Thanks Vic, and it's bl**dy cold for the UK - feels even colder than -5C, and my car is now a silver-grey colour, due to being coated in ice !

Yes, the wheel bays were brush painted, using Humbrol No.24 Matt Yellow enamel, with just a tiny drop of dark green enamel added. The "plumbing" was painted using Revell "Aluminium" enamel.

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Terry

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice work Terry and I can see how those axles would have been a problem.

 

[Jock Tamson]

Looking good

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.
Still slowly plodding on, working on the landing gear and doors etc. It's a bit slow, as my hands are still very stiff and tender, making handling of the parts rather awkward.
Temperatures here are due to rise to around+1C or +3C over the weekend, so I hope to get that cowling blemish re-sprayed, and a gloss coat on the AEAF fuselage stripes, and the anti-glare panel, where decals will be placed. The remaining decals will go onto the NMF finish, as I don't like gloss coating metal finishes.
I might have some pics of the gear and wheels later tonight.

 

[Airframes]

The main undercart components and wheels have now been painted and assembled, and the "homemade" Hamilton Standard prop has also been painted.
There's a little re-touching required on the yellow prop tips and the hub boss, then the blades can be gloss coated ready for the decals. There are US star decals to go onto the wheel hubs too, then the wheels can be attached, with just a push-fit. I should get this done over the weekend, and then attend to the blemish on the cowling.
I've yet to decide whether to fit the gun sight, armoured glass screen and windscreen at this stage, but with a bit of luck, I may be able to start adding the decals to the model on Sunday.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Very nice Terry.

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Terry. I'm still working on furlushinger seams

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Terry. Working the night shift again you are.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Jock Tamson]

Good work there Terry

 

[Airframes]

Thanks again chaps.

Yes Andy, I seem to be more (slightly) relaxed late in the day, as it's taking hours for the stiffness and pain to ease off. I've spent 36 hours in bed, due to extreme stiffness, and quite acute pain, mainly in the wrists and elbows this time - couldn't raise my arms or turn my hands.
It's easing a bit now, so I might be able to get a bit more done later.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Your cold and damp weather wont help.

 

[Airframes]

It certainly doesn't Vic, although today there's been a sudden change of temperature, from -4C to +13C !!!
I managed to get the prop and the relevant fuselage areas gloss coated last night, but no further progress, as my arms, hands and wrists are still stiff and painful.
I'm hoping to get at least a little bit more done later tonight.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Send some of that weather our way Terry. It was -28C when I woke up and it's worse where Geo is. Damned global warming is killing me.

 

[Airframes]

That sounds colder than a cold thing Andy. Minus 5C is cold enough for me, especially as it's a damp cold here.

Anyway, I managed to get a couple of hours kip earlier, which has eased the pain and stiffness a bit, so I got to work, first correcting the damaged paint on the starboard cowling, and then applying the decals to the wheels and prop. The prop decals are from a Kits World sheet, and I wasn't that impressed, as the stencils immediately folded when moved, and the colour saturation on these, and the HS logos, was rather "thin".
Once the decals had set, a coat of Vallejo matt acrylic varnish was applied, but this has dried almost gloss, probably due to it being the last few drops in the bottle, and around four years old, possibly older. I have a new bottle, so I'll let the varnish on the prop fully harden for at least 12 hours, then try again with the new stuff.
The star decals on the wheels are from the Kagero sheet for this aircraft.
The rather brutal close-up pic below shows the damaged paint on the cowling, with the other pics showing the repair, and the work on the prop and undercart so far.

Hopefully, I'll be mobile enough to get some more done some time tomorrow (er.... later today!), with the gun sight, armour glass screen and windscreen to sort out, which I have a feeling is going to be rather fiddly work.
Thanks again for all the kind comments, and now I'm off back to bed !

 

[Jock Tamson]

Great work Terry, all those subassemblies are looking great. I hope your joints are feeling better with the rising temperatures. Snows all gone up here in the frozen north.