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Tamiya 1/48 P-47D building as a -15-RE of the 365FG, 386FS in June, 1944


mark.au

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Hello all;

 

I'm actually a little way into this one and coming into the most interesting (for me, anyway) part of the built as I get to painting and markings.  I am not one for a lot of detailing besides what's in the box and my construction skills are, well, not up to the standard required to make anything truly inspiring.  However, I do like to make the paint, markings and weathering (the look, so to speak) as well as I can. 

 

I'm sharing my progress here in the hope that I may receive some pointers on improvement of technique(s) as well as any input to the overall accuracy of my chosen markings and interpretations.  So, to the subject...

 

42-76297-2.jpg?w=1200

 

I'm going to have to make a few assumptions when I get to the details in the markings; I will make a few best guesses as well as some fairly well educated ones.  These kinds of challenges are a prime motivator for me, so I'll enjoy making my best effort at a reasonable representation of this aircraft.  Input is very welcome, however! 🙂

 

A brief update to where I'm at now...

 

Assembly was challenging due to a forced evacuation from our home during the first three weeks of 2019 (Google "Opal Tower, Sydney Olympic Park" if you're interested).  Undaunted, I took the construction as far as I could in the hotel before lack of paint and more particularly, a lack of an airbrush brought me to a halt.

 

img_3230.jpg?w=1024

 

Once home again, I began the steps to button it all up.  I'm not a fan of cockpits, so this was all the energy I could muster on this one...

 

img_3294-e1548212161439.jpg?w=1024

 

img_3301-e1548212102577.jpg?w=1024

I did fix the seam on the gun sight - didn't notice it until I looked at these pics!

 

That's it for now; I've actually started the paint on the airframe but don't have any good pics yet.  Thanks for reading, more follows...

 

Edited by mark.au
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Looks like a pretty strong start so far. It’s funny, the cockpit is my favorite part of the build! This is one of the best, most detailed  kits I’ve ever build out of the box.

 

Do you have any more info about the subject? I’d be interested to know how it ended up on that beach.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles, sounds like a pretty messed up situation. Good luck on a satisfactory (and SAFE) resolution.

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37 minutes ago, RadMax8 said:

Do you have any more info about the subject? I’d be interested to know how it ended up on that beach.

Flak damage led to the pilot ditching in the low tide waters just off Juno Beach a couple or three weeks after D-Day.  The pilot unfortunately did not survive the ditching.  The wreck was hauled ashore a day or two later and left for a time on the beach above the high tide mark.

 

Thanks to all for the comments.

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Progress.

 

I paint with Tamiya paints.  I don't preshade, rather I apply a base coat of the required colour and then build on it with subtle adjustments to the mix by adding darker or lighter complimentary colours literally as I paint.  This way I build a sort of semi-randomised texture into the finish.  I'll typically use a darker hue in areas that will later become dirty/weathered and  lighter hue in areas where sun fading or similar weather effects will be applied.

 

I try to do this with a light touch as this is the first in a couple or three steps to getting the finish I want.  Having said all that, I should really have taken better pics as I went along because I've [more or less] finished the painting and not got much in the way of detail pics to show for it.

 

img_3391.jpg?w=1700

 

img_3400-e1549187008978.jpg?w=1700

 

However, this is not the main reason for this update anyway...  I need some help please.  In the pic below you'll see some white(?) mission markings and white writing/list on the fuselage.  I need to replicate these. 

 

First - to me, the mission markings look like kill markings, i.e. the shape of an aircraft.  That seems unlikely for a plane whose missions were primarily ground attack?  Any other ideas?  They don't look like bomb shape, I have seen umbrella markings to symbolise Top Cover missions, could be that...?

 

Second - does anyone know of a decal sheet (or have spares...) that includes this kind of shape?  In white(?).  I have trawled around many a web site looking for similar but have so far been unsuccessful.

 

Third - any ideas on how to replicate the white writing/list?  Again, decals might be the way to go but I'm at a loss of what this writing might have said...  Maybe a prayer? list of bases, names of girlfriends...? 🙂

 

mission-markings.jpg?w=1578

 

Any and all input appreciated.  I'll do better in future on the detail pics to actually illustrate what I'm trying to describe in the text!

 

Mark.

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Hello Mark try this webpage, it explains mission markings and the different variety’s.

https://history.blogs.delaware.gov/2015/09/03/world-war-ii-mission-symbols/

 

Those are strike mission markings. Most likely an Umbrella over a bomb symbol, = top cover/strike. Or an broom indicating a fighter sweep. 

 

Dennis

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just a thought. Could the writing be a list of items already removed from the aircraft? You know, like guns, ammo, gunsight, oxygen tanks, etc.

 

Dale

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49 minutes ago, Nachtwulf said:

Just a thought. Could the writing be a list of items already removed from the aircraft? You know, like guns, ammo, gunsight, oxygen tanks, etc.

 

Dale

Makes more sense than a few of the ideas I had.  If it is that, my model is wrong as the list wouldn't have been on it prior to its last mission.

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9 minutes ago, mark.au said:

Makes more sense than a few of the ideas I had.  If it is that, my model is wrong as the list wouldn't have been on it prior to its last mission.

Wrong or not who cares? The burden of proof is on the naysayer to show what it really is. I think you did a smashing job!

 

Dale

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