Hey guys,

I thought I'd just write up a short rant about Tamiya's P-47D "Bubbletop" kit, but first of all, don't get me wrong on this: I absolutely LOVE Tamiya's P-47 kits. I can actually call quite a bunch of them (7) my own.

Two of those kits I have are the Bubbletop boxing I'm referring to in this post. The reason I see no point in purchasing that version is Tamiya's P-47M. It actually is the P-47D kit plus an additional sprue with all the parts you need to build an -M and different decals. There are also parts on the sprue to build a P-47D-30 and later models becusa it includes the tail fillet needed for those T-Bolts as well as the smooth cockpit floor.

The -M retails for the same price as the Bubbletop (and sometimes even for a bit less) and offers far more build options. The only reason to get the Bubbletop version would be the Decals, but they are on the thick side and most modelers decide on an AM decal sheet for a more interesting paint scheme anyway.

I ordered an -M sprue each for both of my Bubbletop kits at my LHS now, but they are about 10 bucks each and you basically get them for free in the -M kit.

I hope this helps some of you if you want to get this kit and build it with AM decals...

If you know of any other kit with the same "problem" feel free to tell everyone else...

Cheers, Clemens