"OKIE" 1/72 P-47D -Ace Pilot

[Stryker]

This is the Hasegawa P-47D in 1/72 scale. It represents "OKIE" the 1st aircraft flown by Lt. Quince Brown, 84th FS/78th FG, Duxford, March 1944. The plane was changed later on when the group added a checkerboard design, the #3 plane was a NMF P-47D and "OKIE" 4 was a P-51 which replaced the P-47's . He was declared an Ace and ultimatly scored 12 air kills.

[HansReggelsen]

Let me the first to congratulate you on a job well done!

Cheers

Hans J

[Steven]

Fantastic!!! ive never rated the Hase kit but after seeing this I may build the one I have.

Great build!!!

Regards Steve

[llking]

Great job Ray

[russ c]

Nice work Ray, looks bigger than 1/72.

[Val]

lovely work there

[Stryker]

Nice work Ray, looks bigger than 1/72.

Thanks Russ!! That's what I always try to shoot for when working in 1/72 scale. Glad to hear it made the grade this time.

[Thunderjug]

Nice as always Stryker keep em coming buddy.

[TCinLA]

"Okie" is one of the most difficult airplanes to get the markings right. Chris Davey and I went nuts trying to coordinate markings to national insignia to get a correct profile for my new Osprey book, "Aces of the 78th Fighter Group". For most of the airplane's career, the national insignia on the fuselage and upper wing has only the white bar extensions and no blue surround (from July 1943 on), while the lower wing large insignias had both the red surround and later the blue overpaint. As near as we could come up with (and this included talking extensively with Ernie Russell, Quince Brown's wingman and later element leader between October 1943-May 1944), by the time "Okie" had blue surround insignia at all five positions, the "sweeps" brooms had been painted out and the black/white checkerboards added, with the scorboard changed to a 'blackboard' with Luftwaffe crosses and no swastikas. This is confirmed from a photo Ernie had of the four guys in Brown's flight standing in front of Okie the day of the 18 March 1944 "fight of my life" as Ernie put it. Okie has no blue surround upper/fuselage insignia, sweeps brooms and the outline swastika victory board, with the white nose band. And she only ever had the "toothpick" prop. Ernie also had a photo of "Okie" with the checkerboards, and she had the different scoreboard and no brooms.

Not a complaint or a criticism - it only took us five months and interviews with those who were there to figure this out. Most decal makers don't go this distance.

If you really want this very nice "Okie" right, paint out the upper insignia and replace with borderless insignia, and find a toothpick prop (AFAIK, Tamiya only provides the symmetrical paddle prop on the 1/72 kit).

Edited August 31, 2013 by TCinLA

[Stryker]

"Okie" is one of the most difficult airplanes to get the markings right. Chris Davey and I went nuts trying to coordinate markings to national insignia to get a correct profile for my new Osprey book, "Aces of the 78th Fighter Group". For most of the airplane's career, the national insignia on the fuselage and upper wing has only the white bar extensions and no blue surround (from July 1943 on), while the lower wing large insignias had both the red surround and later the blue overpaint. As near as we could come up with (and this included talking extensively with Ernie Russell, Quince Brown's wingman and later element leader between October 1943-May 1944), by the time "Okie" had blue surround insignia at all five positions, the "sweeps" brooms had been painted out and the black/white checkerboards added, with the scorboard changed to a 'blackboard' with Luftwaffe crosses and no swastikas. This is confirmed from a photo Ernie had of the four guys in Brown's flight standing in front of Okie the day of the 18 March 1944 "fight of my life" as Ernie put it. Okie has no blue surround upper/fuselage insignia, sweeps brooms and the outline swastika victory board, with the white nose band. And she only ever had the "toothpick" prop. Ernie also had a photo of "Okie" with the checkerboards, and she had the different scoreboard and no brooms.

Not a complaint or a criticism - it only took us five months and interviews with those who were there to figure this out. Most decal makers don't go this distance.

If you really want this very nice "Okie" right, paint out the upper insignia and replace with borderless insignia, and find a toothpick prop (AFAIK, Tamiya only provides the symmetrical paddle prop on the 1/72 kit).

Hey there TC. Thanks once again for bringing attention to the historical inadequacy of my build. I am sure you know what you are talking about and thank you for inspiring me to dig that much deeper to try and prove you wrong. You are right on all counts as far as I can tell. Contrary to popular beliefs, I do research my builds. I was actually already aware about the propeller and knew that although every plane in the 78th used the paddle prop, Brown was the lone hold out and wanted to keep his toothpick blade. The Hasegawa kit provides both props in their kit but unfortunately and unbeknownst to me at the time, I dropped my toothpick prop on the floor, stepped on it when I stood up, and broke it. I probably should have scavenged the toothpick from one of my other kits but was lazy and used the paddle prop that I had already painted for another build I was working on. The funny thing about this is that I was speaking with some of my fellow Modellers about this very thing when I was building it and long before posting it and said that nobody will even notice the prop except TCinLA. Another interesting tidbit concerning Brown's choice in prop is the memorial in his honor which is the wrong prop too.

Rest In Peace Major Quince L. Brown KIA September 6, 1944. (3 time Ace)

[llking]

Hey there TC. Thanks once again for bringing attention to the historical inadequacy of my build. I am sure you know what you are talking about and thank you for inspiring me to dig that much deeper to try and prove you wrong. You are right on all counts as far as I can tell. Contrary to popular beliefs, I do research my builds. I was actually already aware about the propeller and knew that although every plane in the 78th used the paddle prop, Brown was the lone hold out and wanted to keep his toothpick blade. The Hasegawa kit provides both props in their kit but unfortunately and unbeknownst to me at the time, I dropped my toothpick prop on the floor, stepped on it when I stood up, and broke it. I probably should have scavenged the toothpick from one of my other kits but was lazy and used the paddle prop that I had already painted for another build I was working on. The funny thing about this is that I was speaking with some of my fellow Modellers about this very thing when I was building it and long before posting it and said that nobody will even notice the prop except TCinLA. Another interesting tidbit concerning Brown's choice in prop is the memorial in his honor which is the wrong prop too.

Rest In Peace Major Quince L. Brown KIA September 6, 1944. (3 time Ace)

Well put Ray, a lot nicer than I would have said it

[llking]

Talk about needing to grow an extra layer of skin

Edited August 31, 2013 by Mike
Removing quote with profanity in

[wingnut]

Great job Ray, looks good to me

<to TCinLA>Maybe your criticisms would be taken more constructively if you built one yourself?

Edited August 31, 2013 by Mike
Removing quote with profanity

[Mike]

Clearly there was some history between OP and TC, but TC's use of profanity in his reply has resulted in a short holiday from the site. Attacks on other members isn't on. I'm sorry I couldn't be here earlier to intervene, but I've been away from a computer most of the day.

[HOUSTON]

'nuff said Sir.

[Stryker]

Thank you for the support guys and thank you Britmodeller Admins for supporting the modelers and recognizing the posers! I can take critiquing with the best of them and actually encourage it. My skin is as thick as it comes, but I feel in a modeling forum it is about modelers helping modelers, not historical evaluations promoting ones self worth. I can pick up and read a book if I don't feel competent enough to build a kit..........perhaps even write a few. Thanks again BM for standing behind what modelling is all about. In my opinion you can research a build until your eyes bleed, but in the end it has to be about the build and what is available! I still remember what modelling was like when it was only about what came in the box. LOL!

Let us all build and have fun for crying out loud!!!