P-47D Razorback Diorama (Monogram 1/48th) Built in 1979

[T Bolt]

I just bought Tamiya's P-47D Razorback kit and it got me thinking about this one that I made back when I was 16 years old, back around 1979. So I went up in the attic looking for it and found it in a box between my old 1/48th B-29 and 1/72nd B-36. It was amazingly still in pretty good shape although missing a few parts such as the windscreen, prop, and one of the elevators. I had always been intrigued with the inserts that were included with some of the larger Monogram models back then depicting the Dioramas of Shep Paine, so I went ahead and made two for myself. The first was a weasel amphibian jeep driving along a Normandy hedgerow, and the second was this, a flak damaged P-47 that had made a belly landing on D-Day. There is no real basis in reality for this scene, I just pulled it out of my imagination and used the kit decals. Back then I had no idea how to make seems disappear or many of the other tricks I've learned over the years, but thought it was worth posting, if only to see how far I've come in the last 30 years (God has it been that long! I can still clearly remember making it!)

 

[Airframes]

I like it! Very nice work Glenn, especially considering age/experience at the time. I can let you have a Monogram windscreen if it's of use, and I might still have a prop. Can't help with the tail plane though.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

That is amazing Glenn, for one so young at the time it's very well presented and looking closely I can see you were into the cans even then, I hope they were fizzy and not frothy.....................I'm also amazed that you still have the model hanging around after so long.

 

[ozhawk40]

Not bad - talent from the start Glenn I see! Sounds to me like you have an attic like a Tardis hoarding all this stuff!

 

[Crimea_River]

Most excellent Glenn! I like the way you were able to achieve realistic -looking sheet metal thickness around the holes. I remember doing these kinds of things when I was much younger also and a hot nail through the plastic just doesn't look convincing. I'm not sure how you did that but it looks great!

 

[rochie]

so you were born a talented b*****d then Glenn, looks great even after all these years i think you should fix it up again

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done!

 

[javlin]

I have got to say Glenn talent was present along ways back Cheers

 

[LA2019]

For a diorama that was built by a 16 year old at the time, it looks great! The shrapnel holes look really good too. Very cool!!!

 

[Wurger]

 

[T Bolt]

I'm pleasantly amazed at the response you guys are giving me over this, and I'm throughly embarrassed. You guys made my day!

Well I guess I WILL be fixing it up now, so Terry that windscreen and prop would be most helpful. I should be able to scratch-build the missing tail fin.

Now to answer some of your questions:

There was no aluminum used in it. The thin strips were cut from a sheet of thin clear plastic my Father got from somewhere that I had been using to protect the pages of my stamp collection. They were bent up and painted aluminum and glued to the inside of fuselage. I also rolled some of it up to use for the oxygen bottles inside. They can hardly be seen which is a good thing because they didn't turn out that great. I remember not liking the result even back then.

To make the thinned fuselage skins I used my fathers electric drill with a large bit and drilled holes around the perimeter of the damaged areas, stopping when the point of the bit just poked through leaving thin plastic to rip and bend. It would have been much easier with a Dremmal tool, but I don't think I had even heard of one of those then. I can't really take credit for coming up with this as I saw it in one of those Shep Paine diorama sheets that Monogram put in some of there kits. I believe it was some flack damaged he did to the B-17.

I made the base out of 1/2" plywood with plaster to make the contours. It was then painted with model paints and the model railroad shrubbery glued on. The tree was from a bush in the back yard.

 

[Crimea_River]

Well, now we know we can make your day by embarassing you! Door's wide open now!

 

[Airframes]

Hmm, methinks there could be a real stitch-up in the offing, and I suppose 'having a go' at Glenn takes some of the pressure off our Swettish friend, Jan !!

 

[mrf17]

Incredible. When I was 16, figuring out girls was daunting enough; modeling flak holes in a wrecked Razorback was beyond my comprehension. I failed miserably at both. Hats off to you.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Glenn, that is excellent sir. I could not do that when I was 16 for I tried and failed....... miserably I might ad. Oh and Terry, we can't let up on Jan. At all.

 

[Airframes]

I've found the windscreen (and canopy) Glenn, just got to find the prop. I'll post them off to you when I get them all together.

 

[otftch]

Very impressive.
Ed