Aftermarket items:
Eduard mask
Eduard resin IP and seatbelts
Fundekals 48041 Early P-47s of the 8th AF
Fundekals set includes markings for 22 (!) 4th, 56th and78th fighter group P-47C-2, C-5, D-2 D-5 with and without bulged bellies dating from June 1943 to March 1944. The markings are a lesson in how the US insignia evolved from simple blue circle/white star to the final blue circle white star and bars with blue surround. Example are included with yellow surrounds, red surrounds and combination yellow and red surround.
I chose:
P-47C-5-RE, serial 41-6639
84th FS / 78th FG
RAF Duxford, September 1943
Major Eugene P Roberts
Backdating D to C required:
Deleting two lower cowl flaps, both sides
Square off remaining flap.
Delete underwing signal lights
Repalce antenna mast with whip antenna (28 ga craft wire)
Add IFF rod antenna to aft fuselage (26 ga craft wire)
Finish:
Upper surfaces MMP-091 “OD41 WW2 USAAC”, lower surfaces MMPP-064 “Dark Gull Grey” which seems to be close to Neutral Grey.
My usual finishing process
Lightly wet sand plastic using 4500 grit paper.
Wipe with IPA.
Prime with Mission Models primer, four light coats, buffing between coats with Kimwipes.
Lighten base coat with several drops of white and spray light mottling.
Overspray with highly thinned base coat to randomize mottling.
Wipe with Kimwipe
Apply 3-4 coats of CP30 (Clear primer diluted to 30% with MM thinner).
Apply decals. The CP30 overcoat provides a water- and Micret- resistant base for the decals.
Cover decals with several coats of CP30.
Weather
Apply final flat, satin or gloss clear coat.
Many of these early 8th AF Tbolts , including this one,were hand waxed to a gloss finish. I to used thinned Liquitex Satin Varnish to simulate the effect.
I’m not happy about the windscreen/canopy color. Somehow I used a much darker OD for the canopy and didn’t notice the variation until the masks were removed. I tried to contact Tamiya, but am still waiting to hear from them.
Preliminary weathering using Model Master “Black” wash, supplemented by MMP-105 “Worn Tire Black” used as a filter – dabbed on and mostly removed with wet finger.
Final finish was Liquitex Stain Varnish to simulate hand-waxed finish field applied to these early P-47s.
