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It's a Revell P-47, but all is not as it seems.


Rob G

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As I mentioned in my twin Academy build thread, this is another P-47, the Revell one. The box says one thing

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(if you ignore the Texta overwriting)

and the instructions and kit bits say quite another!

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Yep, the good old 'rebox it for the mug' trick.

The kit in the box has 2 options, one USAAF the other French, and I'm thinking I'll do the French one. I'm pretty sure that someone else has the same kit in the running, so I'll be able to follow along and learn as I go. :D

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Comparing it to the Academy kit, it's both good and bad. Shapewise, the Revell is horrendously fat. Must be all the MacDonald's it's eaten. Details though, are excellent - the main gear wells go all the way to the top of the wing, there's a retraction strut on the tail wheel doors and the engine cooling gills are commendably thin and moulded open. Plus other stuff as well, but these are the standouts for me. It'll be interesting building both kits alongside each other.

The eagle-eyed will notice that the kit's been started - that was me, this evening, banging on without thinking. I got the wings and engine together, then thought " 'ang on, Oi've missed summat, 'aven't I?" Yeah, you have, haven't you. A bit of thought, and it hit me - PHOTOS! Ah well, I'm finding that I get stupider with every passing day.

This will (hopefully) be rolling along with the Academy 'Beetle' builds, to take advantage of open paint bottles and all that, so updates will be forthcoming!

More anon.

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Good morning Rob

Steve60 has already built the French aircraft for this Gb http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234995068-a-trio-of-p47;s/page-3, be careful Revell made a mistake providing large upper wing roundels ..http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=892909P473225LaFayette01.png

Happy modelling ..

Patrice

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Hi Rob
Aim making this kit also http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234995234-armee-de-lair-p-47-d-30-ra-gc-23-dauphine-in-72nd/ as Patrice says the roundels are wrong in the kit in size and the wrong blue way to dark.

There are other things also it's in my build.

Good luck and enjoy the build

Paul

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Thank you gentlemen. Given the issues with the decals, I may choose the other scheme and call it NMF practice. Or I may just build it the way Revell supplied it and give a very Gallic shrug. C'est la vie!

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Good morning Rob

Yes "that's Life"

I also think that the propeller in this model is perfect for an M but not for a D one ,if I am right the main differences between a D-30 and a M is the engine and of course the propeller ..

Patrice

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That's all quite possible Patrice, but truth be told, I'm not too worried. This kit cost me $5.00 at a swap meet, and it's more like a cartoon than a real P-47 anyway, so an incorrect propellor and engine are the least of its issues. :)

I'm leaning towards the US markings now, because I want to try my Uschi van der Rosten polishing powders...

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Rob - you've found out why I don't recommend this kit. I've got one built as Glydach's M and that's the only one I will keep. I don't think it's a cartoon but it certainly has a big belly. I suggest the best way of making a late D model or M is to start with the Tamiya D and add Quickboost bits. I do also have the Special Hobby (ex Academy with new bits) to try as well.

thanks

Mike

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Buy and modify a Tamiya kit? My pocketses aren't that deep :D

It really is a shame that Revell did such a bad job of the shape, because the kit itself is quite nice. Ah well, good thing I'm not a Thunderbolt anorak, innit?

I did actually briefly consider seeing if I could make an eggplane shaped object out of it...

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Welcome aboard Rob and I see you're straight into it already, the excitement of a new build!

that would have been an interesting surprise opening that box, especially if you really wanted the "M" version. There's not a huge difference between the to, but still!

I see you already have lots of helpful hints......... It good to see you're going to over looks some of the sins and just enjoy the build.

An egg plane...hmm haven't had one of those in any of my GB's yet....I guess with the correct colour scheme and details they would qualify??? :wacko:

Anyway, good luck with the build and look forward to seeing her in the gallery.

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Oh, I love the building bit. Hate the painting bit. Which is why I have veritable squadrons of mostly-built-but-not-even-undercoated airframes in my stash.

One of my goals this year was to build less and finish more. That's going well, yeah.

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Rob, I can recommend the Uschi metal powders, they work great. They result in a very shiny metal finish, and if you're not too concerned about realism, you could have a really cool looking 'chrome' Thunderbolt when you're done. I had to weather the finish back on a P-51 build as it was just too shiny.

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Cookie, I have plans to build the Red Bull P-38 at some time, I'm thinking that the chrome will work well for that seeing as it's polished to wihin an inch of its life. I might have to dig out the Alclad that I have hiding somewhere to get a more war weary finish on the 47 though...

Thanks for the link Patrice. I looked, and shipping from there to here is... prohibitive. As is usual from the States. It'll basically double the cost of the kit. I'll keep rolling with the 47s that I have, I think. :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Progress has happened, albeit slowly. Cockpit is done, fuselage is together. Just trying to work out the best way of reproducing the moulded louvres under the rear fuselage - I'm thinking some 1/4 round strip, IF I can find some fine enough.

I used the kit seat, painting up the belts and adding a silver highlight on the metal bits, even though it won't be visible.

Here's photos. I've since decided to do the US-marked option, so I've added the fin fillet.

Cockpit first - nice, but I didn't bother getting too carried away.

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And fuselage halves joined.

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More later.

Edit: Since I took that photo, I've removed the mould line on top of the joystick... amazing how things show up when you light them 'just so'...

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  • 2 weeks later...

keep at it, even if you don't, the the thread will remain open so you can post updates.

It would be nice to see her completed even if you miss the cutoff.

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