I have in my stash the Monogram Promodeler P-47 D that is boxed with the markings for Col. Dave Schilling’s P-47 D of the 56th fighter group. As I am sure all you P-47 fans know this group painted their P-47’s in a custom camo of Dark Green and Grey. The question I have is what color should the bottom of the plane be? I have several color photos of P-47’s from the 56 FG but none of them are clear enough to see the underside of the plane. The destructions say NMF? There is a P-47 that has been restored and painted exactly like Col Shillings plane and it appears to be Neutral Gray. It is also not clear where the upper camo line ends and if it is a hard mask or soft edge. Does anybody have any good pics or have any good info on this subject? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Soulcrusher[oX)]
I think I have a color shot at home of his P-47. You really cant see the underside, but you can see the landing gear door and it apears to be in NMF. I will have to check for you later when I am home. The 65th FG usually used RAF colors for their camo schemes at that point of the war.
here is a link to the shot… the one I have in a book is far more clear though…
http://user.chol.com/~hartmannshim/images/01208wolfschill.jpg
Thanks stickpusher. That is one of the color pics I have. I thought the landing gear cover look like NMF also. I guess I am going to do some Googling tonight to see if I can find a good shot of the side to see how and where the camo breaks on the fuselage sides.
Soulcrusher[oX)]
The undersides of the “custom colored” 47’s were all NMF. The 47’s in question were delivered in NMF. The 56th was later ordered to camoflage the upper surfaces for future movement onto the continent. (Which never happened.) The undersides were not painted.
I appreciate the input Justin but it still leaves me with the main question about the field applied camo. Where does the camo color break on the fuselage sides and was it a hard edge or soft edge camo. I con not find any pictures that are clear enough to tell where it even stops on the fuselage let alone of it was masked of or just sprayed freehand. Someone out there must know and I an not able to find any good pics.
Soulcrusher[oX)]
I will look in the book at home that has the photo, it is much more clear there… but it does looklike the gray goes all around the fuselage and the NMF is probably just on the bottoms of the wings and stabilizers. The green disruptive pattern probably ends aloung the line of the wings as the OD would normally do.
In all of the color photos I have it does appear that the fuselage is painted gray as far down as I can see in the pics. It is so hard to tell though. I think I’m at the point where you just have to interpret the photos the best you can and build the darn thing. If I can’t find any photos showing the camo clearly no one should be able to say its wrong!
Soulcrusher[oX)]
Soulcrusher,
Thats the great thing about doing 56th FG stuff. You can pretty much do it as you like. [tup] I’ve always been of the school of thought that these were very busy crews during wartime conditions and if they didn’t have to use masking tape, they wouldn’t. Therefore, unless I have a photo proving otherwise, I always assume that field applied camo was soft-edge. Of course, these are assumptions.
After looking at that photo as it is printed in larger and better quality in the book “Bomber Command”, the camo does indeed appear to be soft edge sprayed. Almost all the fuselage appears to be painted gray (be it US Neutral gray or an RAF Ocean or Sea Grey Medium is hard to tell…) as well, except for the “keel” area where the belly tank mount, which gives off a shine indicating NMF. The Dark Green disruptive pattern color covers the upper portions along the same lines as the old OD would, and the tail wheel doors appear to be solid dark green, contrasting from the gray around them. “Hub caps” on the main gear wheels are red. Main gear doors are certianly NMF and the protruding bumps near the aileron on the lower wing surface also give off a reflective glare indicating NMF. There is hard edge masking around the canopy frame which is NMF.
Edit- the photo in the book is slightly different taken from a slightly different angle showing the tail more clearly
Thanks for all the help Guys. I think I am going with the British Dark Green and Ocean Grey for the top camo colors. I am going to paint the fuselage as if it was being painted while it was parked on the ground. Meaning the very bottom of the fuselage probally would not have been painted. I also agree that it would most likely not have been masked of but sprayed freehand with a soft edge. I think I know exactly what I want to do with this kit now. Thanks agian guys!
Soulcrusher[oX)]
Soulcrusher:
Try checking out here
http://p47.kitmaker.net/
If you go in there there is an entire thred on “Reasearching Hairless Joe”(click the Zemke’s wolfpack link in the forums). Among the other Squadrons and colors used in Zemke’s Wolfpack. There is a bunch of pics and data that you may be looking for and get you where you need to get to.
From your question it depends on the year you want to model it. Hairless Joe went thru changes t/o the war. Before and after a crash landing. So you may need to pick a year you want to model it. [%-)]
Hope this helps and to see you there and your work here.
Paul