Republic Thunderbolt Mk II Revell (very early) Plus a Mk I

[Ed Russell]

While building a couple of Tamiya Thunderbolts I had a look through the collection to see what I had done earlier. Somewhat to my surprise I found this quite old model. I can actually date it to the last quarter of 1969. It is the first Revell 1/72 effort from 1965.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-kikoler-h-613-republic-p-47d-thunderbolt--1160823

I can see that I did it out-of-the-box but with a different colour scheme. It is a P-47D-25 so the kit is okay for that model. It represents KL315 flown by S/L WM Soutter of 42 Sqn in Burma.

 

Here it is as originally recovered from my store of old models.

That's the original IPMS Journal reference behind it.

 

It's a bit of a quandary what to do with old models. Many of mine from the 60s and 70s I regard as only good for the recycle crusher. This one wan't so bad but it would have been nice if I had found a serial and not made it quite so shiny - that picture doesn't capture the bright silver finish. It appears to match the reference picture although the anti-glare panel may have been OD but Matt Black is quite possible.

 

 

The old Revell kit is dreadful by modern standards and it's certainly not worth a rebuild. However I thought it was worth finishing it off - doing what I would have done in 1969 if I hadn't got (presumably) distracted by something else. So I added cockpit canopy framing, painted the wheel wells yellow zinc chromate, printed a serial, put the HS decals on the propeller and gave it a coat of mixed Dullcote/Glosscote. It's a historical curiosity now (although some people like @AdrianMF could probably make something brilliant from it) but I though it's worth putting here to show how modelling is really now in a golden age.

 

 

 

 

Comments welcome but re-adjust your reference frame to teenage!

[Rick Brown]

Very nice to see!

Sadly all the builds from my teenage years ended their short lives either being shot up, with an air rifle, or blow up with crow scarers!

Probably can't do that anymore. Models probably have rights now.

Rick.

 

[Aces High]

Looks pretty good to me, but yes it does illustrate how much the kits have progressed. Nice one for tidying it up and thanks for sharing!

[Wulfman]

Nice bit of nostalgia , but for the rivets looks OK to me !

 

Wulfman

 

[Ed Russell]

Even more surprisingly, I have discovered my #1 Thunderbolt (in a pile of garage junk) which makes my total ten in 1/72. They are all in this thread.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/72nd_aircraft/jugs-let-39-s-see-39-em-t8131-s50.html

This is the oldest of all - I built it not long after it was re-released in these markings in 1968 but the plastic dates from 1959. I believe it may have an unbuilt twin lurking somewhere in my collection.

 

[BerndM]

Very nice work on this old kit, its really incredible how far the kit design has come since.

I have also now learned how the canopy of this kit looks well handled.

[Dunny]

Lovely work through a 50 year prism! 

[Buzby061]

I seem to remember quite a few of the early Revell kits had opening cockpits. They were quite hard to get where I lived, only one newsagent sold them so had to settle for Airfix from Woollies.

 

A nice trip down memory lane.

 

Pete

[stevehnz]

A hoarder from way back. I'm proud of you Ed. Those look good, you had a deft touch from way back.

Steve.