Tail-Dragon Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Summers over, and it's time to head back to the modelling room! With the imminent release of the Minicraft P-47, it seems like a time to work on the Tamiya Thunderbolt. This is almost 'out of box', I just wired the engine, added an Ultracast seat, a gun sight and a few details in the cockpit, and riveted the airframe. I'm going to use the Techmod decals, and paint with Tamiya's acrylics, the way the real one was painted, cockpit in Dark dull green, delivered in natural metal, and finished with RAF green, and then mottled with RAF Ocean grey with metal lowers. I prefer to paint my invasion stripes, and give a white background to the major decals (I've been bitten by translucent decals in the past). Hope you like, so far ... (yes, I know there is controversy about the lower finish, I believe it was left NMF based on photos) 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Lookin’ good! And I agree with you on the lower surfaces being unpainted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinneko Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Gorgeous work, as usual. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Beautiful work so far - I'll be following if I may? What is your opinion of the Ultracast seat? Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt B Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Wow, GORGEOUS work thus far, really! Like you, I have a number of 1/48 Tamiya P-47s, one in progress, and 2 more that haven't been started yet. I was planning to do one of these in the Gabby Gabreski livery, but now I'm debating whether I should wait until the MiniArt kits are available, which is really the way I'm thinking of going, though the Tamiya kits are just so amazing in their fit. I was wondering if you (Tail-Dragon) have a plan about how to achieve the sort of translucent green paint work towards the middle of many of the grey patches that is so distinctive on this plane's livery. I've been pondering how to do that when I build this plane, and don't have a plan yet about how to do it. Thanks for any thoughts you may have, or if anyone else has ideas about this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tail-Dragon Posted October 10, 2023 Author Share Posted October 10, 2023 2 hours ago, 2996 Victor said: Beautiful work so far - I'll be following if I may? What is your opinion of the Ultracast seat? Cheers, Mark Thanks, the Ultracast seat is the way to go (IMHO), realistic belts and buckles that stand out far enough to ease painting, nice details and thin side plates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tail-Dragon Posted October 10, 2023 Author Share Posted October 10, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Curt B said: Wow, GORGEOUS work thus far, really! Like you, I have a number of 1/48 Tamiya P-47s, one in progress, and 2 more that haven't been started yet. I was planning to do one of these in the Gabby Gabreski livery, but now I'm debating whether I should wait until the MiniArt kits are available, which is really the way I'm thinking of going, though the Tamiya kits are just so amazing in their fit. I was wondering if you (Tail-Dragon) have a plan about how to achieve the sort of translucent green paint work towards the middle of many of the grey patches that is so distinctive on this plane's livery. I've been pondering how to do that when I build this plane, and don't have a plan yet about how to do it. Thanks for any thoughts you may have, or if anyone else has ideas about this. Thanks, it doesn't show well in the photo's, but the way it was painted helps, solid green first, then highly thinned grey on top (same way the real airframe was painted), sprayed lightly and repeatedly, so it'd semi-transparent in places. Two of the difficulties are that there isn't any definitive scheme for the wings, and the subtle overspray seen on the serial number masks, and the black invasion stripes on the fuselage. Yellow overspray was airbrushed, then oversprayed with more thin grey, white overspray was done with pastels, sealed with Future. Edited October 10, 2023 by Tail-Dragon 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 11 minutes ago, Tail-Dragon said: Thanks, the Ultracast seat is the way to go (IMHO), realistic belts and buckles that stand out far enough to ease painting, nice details and thin side plates. Brilliant, thanks - I was debating getting one for my P-47B as the Dora Wings seat is a bit chunky! I'll be ordering one on Friday (payday!). Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Looking very nice. I once had a 'thing' about P-47 Thunderbolts of the 56th FG all in 1/72. I portrayed all the units and versions operated by the group including the very colourful schemes. I only have one of them now in the same scheme as your current build. On line I found a couple images of its end being surveyed by German soldiers in a field. Gabreski being take prisoner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt B Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) On 10/10/2023 at 12:52 PM, Tail-Dragon said: Thanks, it doesn't show well in the photo's, but the way it was painted helps, solid green first, then highly thinned grey on top (same way the real airframe was painted), sprayed lightly and repeatedly, so it'd semi-transparent in places. Two of the difficulties are that there isn't any definitive scheme for the wings, and the subtle overspray seen on the serial number masks, and the black invasion stripes on the fuselage. Yellow overspray was airbrushed, then oversprayed with more thin grey, white overspray was done with pastels, sealed with Future. Great info, thank you!! Honestly, I hadn't noticed the white overspray on the invasion stripes until you pointed it out. You created even greater detail than I'd noted previously. Again, WOW! Edited October 12, 2023 by Curt B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tail-Dragon Posted October 14, 2023 Author Share Posted October 14, 2023 I decided to touch up the semi-translucent grey paint with a bit more heavily thinned green to accentuate the patchy paint on the real machine. I think it captures the look a bit better. I also added the fuel feed lines off the belly tank, and realized that Gabreski's machine had the NMF prop dome, but a black hub ... more touch ups! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffry M Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Really like your work. Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 You’ve done a much better job replicating the patchy fuselage camo than I was able to do with mine. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tail-Dragon Posted October 16, 2023 Author Share Posted October 16, 2023 The decals are on now, and the Techmod decals responded brilliantly to the Microset and Microsol. The white IS semi-translucent, as I feared, so I'm glad I painted a white background on the side and upperworks (I wish I'd done it on the lower wings!). Next is some small touchups (including the white bars on the lower wing markings), flat coat and weathering. Thanks for looking, Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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