greatgonzo

And so I did. If You wanted to see what P-47 engines looked like using F4U as a source is what I meant.

And the C-series You are showing is a non military version with low tension ignition. Often used on warbirds, yet completely different animal when it comes to ignition system. If You wanted to use F4U engines for reference, You'd have to go with early production. Most of the Corsairs got R-2800s with pressurised harness. All operational flying P-47s up to M/N used B series engines with tube harness collector (like the one on Your 'No Guts...' pic). The transition to -59 model featured new 'turtle back' distributors with integrated magneto. Add propeller governor to that, and You'll have collection of all items regularly confusing modellers and model producers. As mentioned above, it is easier to talk specific examples. Otherwise there is a place for a solid article on this subject. By the way, when I say harness I mean everything between ignition mechanism and spark plugs. The wiring question is harder. It is possible to find wires with isolation only, but on most occasion metal braid was used. Isolation was brown, possible black. Silver metal netting used to weather to patina effect, often with greenish tone added. I never cared about diameter of the cables, I admit. In modelling this is the kind of item, You'd rather scale with an eye then a ruler.

Question: At the upper end of the cylinder is a part looking like a handhold. Still under the deflection blade. What is this part for? Oil pipe connecting rocker chambers. Question: The ignition wiring from the central harness outgping is this for each cylinder or divides it later on after some radial distance? For each spark plug, Question: The front spark plug and the rear one: How is the rear plug wired? From the same harness ring, over the cylinder top. I have many photos, If You added some with red arrow, or something, I could have a chance to know if I am answering what You have actually asked. I am guessing here a little :).

'Geronimo' of the 80th FG, CBI is what comes to mind first. I am not sure about decals though.

You should go with a picture of Your aircraft anyway. P-47s were modifiable and modified. In the end if You still had something like D-2 in the line, standing next to, let's say, D-16 - they would have been indistinguishable for the eye. Another misleading thing is the early series like D-2 were produced with early engine flaps configuration, featuring no lower items. However, these were added even before the aircraft left US land, heading to their TO.

Works for me: https://www.pwm.org.pl/index.php

And it was! It was Felix Shacki IIRC (or was it Ralph Safford?), who mentioned they were very proud of making Gabresky's bird waxed, but it was hell of a job. It was an off time effort and took weeks to be finished, only to continue forever to keep the effect alive. P-47s were painted OD 41. Holding on to colour standard by paint producers is another issue :).

Good point! Never occurred to me before. Had to check. Seems the separate switch box is a later issue starting with D-20. With D-1 You are safe to go for switch and circuit breaker on the main board. Thanks for that!

E&M - Erection & Maintenance Instructions. Possible but doubtful. The radio specification for aircraft send overseas states SCR-522 as standard equipment for fighters going to ETO. Both, assembled and crated. There isn't. The insulators were not removed and it was at unit level to deal with them or not. That is AFAIK. As stated above, both versions are seen on the operational aircraft. Looking for other ships of the same time frame and unit is a way to get some educated guess if no pics of chosen plane available. As usual :).

3. Yeah, E&M agrees with You :). 1. You mean SCR-522 radios? Yes, VHF radios where used at ETO long before first USAAF aircraft took off of the British soil. Americans had to adapt and did.

1. MkII British gunsight - standard issue at ETO. 2. Yes, but it is control box for SCR-522 radio. 3. It will be switch box for CE propeller, of course. You can see it in the pictures in the link You provided.

I have doubts. Malta is not my area of interest, so I'll be glad to be corrected. When MkIX came to Malta the need for special camouflage was not a priority any more. The danger for the island was gone, the intensity of the battle was gone. Invasion of Italy was supposed to be a new battlefield. Other Maltan new Spitfires do show classic two colour camouflage on top. The only pic of T-Z I know is of quite poor quality. I worked on it just a little bit and in my opinion it is required to invest a lot of will in it to see one colour scheme on upper surfaces.

It was painted on the squadron level in PAF. The erks were not very familiar with heraldic rules. Not many people are today. Although the position of colours on the checker board is quite controversial subject in Poland it doesn't mean everybody knows which version is which by heart . I know some modellers do :).

If You are going to use teardrop shaped tanks, don't. Never used on 56th P-47.

There were no camouflaged Bubbletop P-47s produced for USAAF. Remember every aircraft on the line was predestined to specific TO including information was it the standard order or replacement one. At the time there was no reason to paint the plane except the lend-lease orders. That does not mean there were no corrections after leaving the gates of the factory. AFAIK Mexican aircraft were transfered from USAAF as were many of the RAF birds. But I don't know much about Mexican unit.