SoftScience Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Seemingly unable to work on just one kit, I've added what I hope will be a quick side project to my task list for this GB. The kit is Tamiya's excellent bubbletop thunderbolt. The subject is an 86th fighter squadron aircraft from February 1945 called Deacon Dandy. In early 1945 the 86th operated over northern Italy, flying close air support and interdiction missions. I have been unable to find much info on this specific airplane, but chose it because of the unique finish. The plane was entirely natural metal (even the cowling, unlike most P-47s) but featured a royal blue empennage with large yellow lightning bolts. Something I'd expect on a Ki-84, not a P-47. I started with the cockpit, and wanted to give it that 90s look with a harsh contrast wash and dry brushing. Everything is from the box, including the harnesses. I cut out the decal with it's backing paper and glued it to the seat after coloring the sides of the paper black, and then hitting everything with a clear flat coat. I'm going for a similar effect on my P-38 tomorrow. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 I cant find anything in my sources either, sorry cant be more help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Nice start softscience, the Tamiya Jugs do look nice kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEMPESTMK5 Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Hi SoftScience Very nice start on the cockpit Have fun the Tamiya Jug is a real Lego .. Best regards Patrice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 LookSorry for the lack of updates between the cockpit and now. Assembly was fairly straightforward, but I needed to use filler around the gun inserts and alongside the fuselage spine pieces where they meet the rest of the fuselage. Fit is good but not perfect. I still have some panels to rescribe and clean up. But I'm mostly on the right track. Question. On the real aircraft, was there a panel line around the guns in the area where the Tamiya piece fits into the rest of the wing? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 29 minutes ago, SoftScience said: Question. On the real aircraft, was there a panel line around the guns in the area where the Tamiya piece fits into the rest of the wing? Id say yes ... https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/p-47/images/frouch_p-47_04.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 14 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Id say yes ... https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/p-47/images/frouch_p-47_04.jpg Awesome. Thanks for clearing that up, Dennis. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol' Scrapiron Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Re: leading edge gun area The Thunderbolt at the NMoUSAF even has it painted special. Here are some pics I've shot of various P-47s in museums and airshows. Hope they help you decide how much to emphasize on your build. P-47D 45-49167 “Five by Five” NMoUSAF 2018 P-47D 45-49295 Thunderbolt II RAF Museum London 2008 P-47D-15RA 42-23278 “Fiery Ginger” NMoUSAF 2018 P-47D 45-49406 “Tallahassee Lassie” Flying Heritage Collection - P-47D 44-90471 “Hairless Joe” Erickson Collection, Madras 2017 P-47D 45-49346 Yanks Air Museum, Chino YP-47M 42-27385 Yanks Air Museum, Chino Hope this help! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Resisting the urge to make a Queen joke here. ....it's not that frightening. 7 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Resistance is futile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol' Scrapiron Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 2 hours ago, SoftScience said: Resisting the urge to make a Queen joke here Oh mama mia, mama mia... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 Does anybody have photos of this aircraft. There seem to be conflicting color profiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Now in silver 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ol' Scrapiron Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 That is niiiiiiiice. Beautiful sheen to that silver. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 7 hours ago, SoftScience said: Does anybody have photos of this aircraft. There seem to be conflicting color profiles. Whats the issue, Ive done some research on the Med jug group’s ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Hi Dennis. I'm just unsure if the canopy frames should be aluminum or blue. I might make them blue just for interest. Some profiles also show the prop boss as red, others as blue. Finally, i presume Med P-47s didnt have the two big stars on the bottom of the wings like NW Europe? heres where I am right now. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 1 hour ago, Ol' Scrapiron said: That is niiiiiiiice. Beautiful sheen to that silver. I used Mr. Color super metallic 2 (SM 201) super fine silver and Mr. Color (8) silver. They're pretty great. Probably the most idiot proof metallics I've ever come across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, SoftScience said: Hi Dennis. I'm just unsure if the canopy frames should be aluminum or blue. I might make them blue just for interest. Some profiles also show the prop boss as red, others as blue. Finally, i presume Med P-47s didnt have the two big stars on the bottom of the wings like NW Europe? heres where I am right now. Well you're in luck I did some serious digging and found a photo of “Deacon Dandy”. It was in this gallery. https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p47/ And a close up of your plane. Judging on this photo canopy should be aluminum. Heres more from the same unit. looks to be “Martha Darling” X92 has Aluminum also. As for the twin stars & bars no I dont think Ive ever seen one. My research pertains mostly to the 57th Fg in Italy. 324th Fg Edited November 1, 2020 by Corsairfoxfouruncle 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Wow! Dennis! Thanks so very much for these!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Those last two are pretty interesting too. What do you suppose that circular aperture is on the front of the hard point of Puny Pug? And the weapon being carried on the wing on the bottom photo? Looks almost like a depth charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) 5 minutes ago, SoftScience said: What do you suppose that circular aperture is on the front of the hard point of Puny Pug? My research says it was an armored strike camera, meant to protect the camera mounted on the front of the pylon from low flying shrapnel. My research also says its cut up bomb casing that they used. I had custom decals made up for “Puny Pug & Ay Chuhuahua” which are sister aircraft from the 57th. I will be doing a tandem build in the new year of both. And I will be adding the strike camera. I believe it is a concussion anti personnel bomb. Edited November 1, 2020 by Corsairfoxfouruncle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 Ok found it in my files, this bomb ⬆️ is https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AN-M14_1_(ORDATA).jpg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 I never knew there were cluster bombs in WW II 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 Yeah the germans used them as well, the German type were 2.2Kg butterfly bomblets 96 of them mounted on racks. I did them for my Stuka build in MTO build 2, and were a bit interesting to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted November 1, 2020 Share Posted November 1, 2020 Here are another type of cluster muntions on a P-47. If I could figure out how to make them or maybe 3D print them they will go on my next build. As fir the other type, I think some plastic pipe/tube in a larger diameter with a piece of plastic for the flat plate. Then add the fins from a standard bomb would get you close to the M14 type. Or possibly 3D printing again ? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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