Kagero TopDrawings 72 – Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (9788366148147)

[Mike]

TopDrawings 72 – Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (9788366148147)

Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK

 

 

The P-47 Thunderbolt, more commonly known as the Thud or Jug because of its large size (up to 8t take-off weight), was one of the USA's main fighters, and was both powerful and fast, a perfect combination for escorting bombers as well as its other role as a highly capable ground attack aircraft.  It began with the XP-47A, which was cancelled in favour of the B, which meant that no A saw service.  Constant upgrades due to wartime experiences saw it thought to the D model, after which was a jump to G, which was essentially a C made at the Curtiss plant.  Toward the end of the D series the bubbletop design was put into service, but this book deals with the razorback, as the earlier models became known.

 

We have kits in just about every scale from 1:144 upwards, with most major and some minor manufacturers getting in on the act, as other people's Jugs don't make money for them (there's probably a smutty joke in there, so go nuts).  The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand.  With this edition, you get a set of additional plans on A3 paper.

 

 

The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Czech on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within.  The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 28 pages, with the back two pages devoted to an ad for other editions, another thick glossy A3 page to the other books in the Kagero range, and the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of a bare-metal D-23-RA and a loose A3 sheet printed on both sides with plans of the C and D-22 airframes.  The first half of the plans show the variants from the B-series prototype with and without the contra-rotating prop that didn't see service, the in-service B, C, C-2, C-5, G-1, D-23, G-16 two-seater, the D and the D-4.  After this the colour profiles are printed on four pages in colour, augmented by the aforementioned two on the rear cover.  After the break there is another set of plans of the D-5, 6, 10, 15, 22 and 23, with front and rear profiles of the 22.  The final five pages show side profiles with the visible changes between them, and the solitary two-seater, the G-16. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show cross-sections of the fuselage, weapons, prop profiles, canopies, instrument panels, fuel tanks, and engines, with an example of a maintenance ladder and mechanic for a little diorama inspiration.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the profiles quite enjoyable.  The bubbletops are dealt with in TopDrawings 50, which you can see here.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of