P-47 Thunderbolts - Second Generation

[cardist]

Hi Dave,

Regarding the colour query on the yellow bands on the type C roundel and the prop blade tips; the colours were yellow but due to the film used, in this case orthochromatic, yellow always came out as black. This phenomenon is widely referenced in the Ducimus book, Camouflage and Markings of RAF Fighter Command 1936-1945.

All the best and happy modelling

Bernie

[airdave]

agreed...this is something I have argued before.
That with certain types of old B/W film, yellow appears extremely dark.

And if you look at the Prop tips on this plane,
you can see its most likely the same colour.

Which I now agree must be insignia yellow, not red.

With the fact that this photograph was uniquely misleading
and knowing that this plane was one of two that ended up not going to Burma,
repurposed as an experimental testing aircraft in the UK,
I feel I had a good theory.

And I wanted to suss it out before painting this model.

When I research, I end up more often than I like, on scale modeling forums.
I am tired of the plastic scale modelers who seem to blindly follow each with
paint and markings...and nobody seems to want to research any more.
I want to put an effort into exploring all theories before I follow suit.

Anyway, I have another RAF T-bolt in mind....I might just drop this one. LOL

[milenio3]

Dave, I just posted a note about the line missing on the landing gear doors. Those lines are needed to properly cut the door in 2.

[airdave]

Gerardo is referring to the outboard door that folds over itself when open.

If you cut the doors out of the Wing, they have the lines.
You could use those parts,
or use the parts as reference for the proper cut.




I guess past models are like this (missing the line on the secondary parts).
I don't think its a big issue, so I won't modifiy all the kits already in the store.
but I will add the cut lines to future P47s.
Maybe not quite this bold though?

[airdave]

Okay, so heres a big P47 update...

RAF Thunderbolt:
I am going ahead with FL844...the one I have discussed here already.
Settled on that yelllow surround RAF roundel.
Just got started on the camo paint scheme this morning.



Since all the RAF Thunderbolts went to Burma, they featured some pretty
drab paint schemes with low visibility markings.
Nothing as bright as the European camouflage and larger roundels.
Thats why I really wanted to find something more "RAF" stereotypical.

Hopefully this will satisfy the requests for an RAF Thunderbolt, although
I won't rule out any more.

...
Before the large sidetrack about the RAF paint colours,
I was dealing with a request for a model of SNAFU.
The pictures posted (in this thread) are of the SNAFU replica that flies today
sporting Invasion (D-Day) striping over a paint job that reflects
the wartime Thunderbolt flown by Lt. Severino B. Calderon.

After some research...and since I like to reference the original wartime aircraft...
I discovered a little bit of background info,
and settled on the final aircrcaft for the model.

The original SNAFU did wear D-Day stripes for a short time...
if only lower, half stripes.
But the striping wasn't applied until after June of 1944.
SNAFU crash landed and was subsequently scrapped in December 1944

But this Thunderbolt has a bigger history as "War Eagle" flown by Capt. Julius Maxwell.
Before acquiring the name SNAFU from its second pilot Calderon, War Eagle
flew over 130 missions with Capt. Maxwell and acquired 2 and a half victories.
She flew more than 220 missions in her entire short career.

I decided to represent the original War Eagle/SNAFU in my model...
sometime after July 1944
but before the Invasion day stripes were applied,
to better honour the original War Eagle.




Since Milenio (Gerardo) is currently putting together Robert Johnson's "Lucky" for me
I figured I would hold off its release just a little bit longer

and finish up War Eagle/SNAFU!

I am hoping to have it ready this weekend.

...
Sneak peek of Gerardo's build (of Lucky)

[v16guy]

I will order this one as soon as it becomes available!

Thanks for all your hard work,
John.

[airdave]

I have made a few updates to Instruction pages (in the P47 kits)
...and still a couple more today!

I will update all future releases with the new instructions
but I can't easily update kits that people already have.

To make it simple I have added a downloadable Instruction package
to my Extras page at Paper Model Shop Home

It includes all the latest updates aswell as covering both Bubbletop and Razorback editions.

And, if you haven't bought a Jug kit, but want to see how complicated it is (or isn't)
you can download the instructs and take a look.

You can also download the full P47 Build Walkthrough Photoset on the "How to Build" page!

[airdave]

Finally got around to finishing this RAF Jug!
An old request...
hopefully still of interest to someone? lol

All P47s went to Burma for the RAF, except for two aircraft retained in the UK for testing purposes.
I respect the need for low visibility markings in the war zone, but I like the big bright standard markings
on the two Jugs that stayed in England.
The Camo is standard European scheme.

I finished up a test build of the model yesterday (mainly just to check camouflage colour and alignment)
and so I am finishing up the kit and preparing to publish later today.

As you can see, I didn't bother with Props, Wheels, Cockpit, etc
Just the basics of the aircraft.

[Don Boose]

Looks great. I will buy one and hope eventually to actually get some Jugs built.

Don

[milenio3]

And they are 100% recommended, Don!