P-47D Thunderbolt
by Filippo Rossetti
|
P-47D Thunderbolt |
Hasegawa's
1/48 scale P-47D Thunderbolt Razorback is available online from
Squadron
This is the Hasegawa 1/48 Razorback Thunderbolt. My
model depicts “Zombie”, an 83rd FS, 78th FG P-47 D-21 RA as it appeared in
England on the eve of the D-Day.
I replaced the kit cockpit with the resin KMC set
designed for a bubbletop. I adapted the cockpit by removing the rear
bulkhead and replacing it with the kit’s one. For the instrument panel and
rudder pedals I used a Part photoetch set and some Waldron placards to
make the cockpit more interesting.
Cockpit interiors were painted Dark Gull Green FS 34079 overall. Piculars
were picked up with semi-gloss black, aluminium, white, yellow and red
using reference photos as a guide.
This kit started its life with an early –D model in mind so I filed away
the panel coaming and added the rear instrument casings and cables. Always
having an early Razorback in mind I scratchbuilt the early tube gunsight
mount which is incorrect for a –D 21, but we are free men and we can
change our mind, can’t we?
Other aftermarket items I used were the Aires wheel bays (which fitted
like a glove and surely improved that area, solving the Hasegawa seam
problem), a Verlinden 150 gal. paper belly tank and slightly modified True
Details resin wheels.
Minimeca 0.9mm tubes were used for the .50s’ blast tubes, bevelled at the
muzzle end. They look nice.
I detailed the gear legs with lead wire brake lines and generic Reheat
“instruction” plates and Bare Metal Foil straps.
The propeller is the Monogram Hamilton Standard that was included in their
Bubbletop P-47.
Paint is Alclad II Aluminium overall base sprayed
directly over well polished plastic. Selected panels were masked and
sprayed with different Alclad II shades, duraluminium, steel and a mix of
80% Chrome 20% aluminium for the wing roots, ailerons rudder and
elevators. Wing leading edges are Testor's Model Master Metalizer
Aluminium.
On panel lines I used a wash of very heavily thinned Vallejo acrylic
black, while D-Day Stripes are Tamiya Acrylic that I did not weather on
purpose as if they had been just painted on. Exhaust area was weathered
with Model Master Metalizer Exhaust and dark brown pastel powder.
I painted the antiglare panel Tamiya Flat Black after I found two colour
pictures that showed 78th FG Natural Metal Razorbacks with a black panel.
Wheel bays and the inner sides of the landing gear doors were painted
Model Master Enamel Chromate Yellow and weathered with dark grey pastel
powder, the small metal panel on the inner door was added from Bare Metal
Foil aluminium foil.
Decals
As for the checkerboard cowl, I tried to use the
Aeromaster checkers meant for Miss Behave but I made a real mess. After
painting the cowl Tamiya Gloss White, and being dissatisfied with the
gloss finish, I sprayed a coat of Model Master Clear Gloss. Now this
product is great, gives an excellent gloss finish, dries very fast but,
for some reasons, the decals stuck to it, instead sliding into position
despite tons of Micro Set.
The starboard half went in place more or less well, but the port half was
a disaster. I was compelled to cut many small rectangles and trapezes from
black decal stripes. They are not perfect but I can live with it
Other decals are a mix of generic Aeromaster US Black codes and numbers,
Aeromaster national insignia. The stencils come partly from an old
Superscale sheet and partly from the box decal sheet. They set down nicely
with no silvering due to the extremely smooth finish of Alclad 2,
requiring no Gloss coat, just the usual Set and Sol liquids.
The “Zombie” red letters were hand painted on Bare Metal Foil clear decal
film and sealed with some Microscale Clear Decal.
Click the
thumbnails below to view larger images:
Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2003
by Filippo Rossetti
Page Created 13 August, 2003
Last Updated
17 March, 2004
Back to
HyperScale Main Page |