Haven’t done any WIPs in quite a while, so I thought I’d try with my special project. I am building this P-47D Bubbletop for a newly found 87 year old friend who was a pilot in WWII. He was stationed at Moratai. His name is Joe Potts. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the 5th AF, 35th FG, 40th FS., the Fightin Red Devils. The couple of times he has come to our groups meetings, we all have a million questions for him. I have gotten pages of info and details for this build. I just hope I can do it justice.
Hope the pics come out OK. Any comments or critiques either positive or negative are welcomed. I need all the help I can get.
I’m opening up the exhaust ports. I have to get a set of smaller files to finish the job. I also thinned the turbocharger exhaust ports. The plastic was too thick. There is blue masking tape around the ports so I wouldn’t scratch up the surrounding areas.
The engine was a lot of fun. I broke 4 drill bits while drilling all the holes.
The gun barrels are Stainless Steel hypodermic needle tubing. One of the guys in our group found a place where you can buy it in 6ft lengths. I also have a list of what size tubing to use for which size MG in whatever scale you are working in. If you want a copy of the list and a copy of the sheet from the S. S. tubing place, I can send them to you.
I took the Pit and the pilot to our group meeting last month. When I gave it to the 1st guy, he looked at it and said it looked like Joe (the real pilot). I thought he was just being funny. The other guys said the same thing. I guess it’s a mental thing because the more I look at it, the more it does looks like him. Going to set it up with Joe getting in the cockpit and the Mechanic getting ready to help him with the belts.
Am I correct in assuming this is the Monogram kit with the included PE?
Got the very same one sitting in my stash’s on-deck circle and I’m itching to get started on it.
I’ve got a set of Master’s brass blast tubes that are intended for a Tamiya Razorback, and I’ve been thinking about using the Tamiya tubes on the Monogram, but I’m leaning toward going straight OOB for an apples-to-apples of my skills now versus the last time I tackled this kit (16 years ago):
Fox - great job so far! A question about the seat - I know the early war P-40’s that I’m currently working on had the NM seat color, but did the later war fighters like the P-47 have them also? I’ve always thought the later ones were always Int. green color. . . .
Doogs - is that your 16 yrs ago effort? If so, I think it looks great as is!
I also have this one in my stash and was thinking about getting it out one of these days and working on it. This thread might just be the inspiration I need!
The Baron + DoogsATX - - -The kit is indeed the Monogram 1/48 w/PE. The figures are ICM USAAF Pilots and Ground Personnel, kit #48083. 5 figs. for approx. $7. 2 Pilots, 1Officer, 2 Mechanics. Really well molded with great detail and you can mix-and match 3 of the figs.
jschlechty - - - While talking with Joe, we were told a few things that his group had or did that were not the same as all the rest. I don’t know whether the later ones had Int. Green or not (I’m old and if I knew at one time, I forgot)(LOL), but his group had NM seats. The cockpit was Interior Green, but the seat was not. They were not permitted any nose art, pilots name, mechanics name, kill marks, or any other “art” on the plane. Joe had a name on his plane but was told to remove it. I can’t find the paper where I wrote the name down. [*-)] The 40th FS was known as the Fightin Red Devils. At one time they did have the red devil with the lightning bolt in his hand on their planes. A new CO made them remove the emblems. Later on, they were permitted to put the lightning bolt only on their rudders. OOps, this old brain just remembered something, they did have red cowl rings with 4 scallops going back to the cowl flaps. I guess they had a really tough CO.
Got some work done on the plane today and hope to get more done this weekend.
Interesting thread! I’m finishing up a book right now called “Hell Hawks: The Untold Story Of The American Fliers Who Savaged Hitlers Wehrmacht”. It pertains to the P-47 pilots of the 365th FG. Very interesting read.
p51mustang - - - That is the old Monogram kit with the PE included. The figures were aftermarket. I listed the Company and kit # above in this post with other details. I bought 2 sets from Squadron, one for this build and one for a P-40 I’m working on also.
Just a head’s up on a fine-lookin’ build so far… Those aren’t exhausts up there under the Jug’s nose… Those are waste-gates that allow bleed-air from the turbo to pass when it’s not running… The exhaust proper is the “horseshoe” forward of the tailwheel…
Thanks, Jim! I suspected it might be, because of the way the wheel wells were molded, but I wasn’t sure. That is a great kit. I built a razorback earlier this year, have a bubbletop on the bench, and another razorback in the stash. I’ll build Jugs by the other makers, too, but I have a soft spot for the old Monogram kits.
Thanks for the info on the figures, too! I picked up their recent P-51B on sale at Squadron, just for the extra figures in the kit [;)]
Thanks for the heads up HvH. I learn something new about this bird every day.
Constructor - - - Let me know if you find what you read about Joe Potts. He was really surprised that I found out so much info about him on the computer (he doesn’t like computers and doesn’t have one).
DoogsATX + the Baron - - - I have a question for either/both of you as you both built this kit. On both sides of the fuselage, about 1/4 inch forward of the rudder, there is a small hole. It is even shown on some of the drawings on the instruction sheets. There is no part for this in the kit. Is there a part or should I just fill these holes?
Hey Jim - do you mean just the rudder or the entire vertical stabilizer?
P-47s do have a small hole in the fuselage below and slightly forward of the stabs. If you click to embiggen the Jug below you’ll see it just under the aft bar of the national insignia.
I have absolutely zero idea what it’s for. Maybe it’s a weep hole like on houses, to let moisture out so the plane didn’t corrode from within?
I’ll check out my kit when I get out to the bench tonight just to doublecheck that that’s the hole you mean.
Thanks a lot I appreciate it. That’s it. That’s amazing. There is a hole there. I’m glad I asked or I would have probably filled it in. I’ll have to ask Joe what it’s there for the next time I see Him.
