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P-47D Thunderbolt 82 FG / 78 FG . . .

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  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
P-47D Thunderbolt 82 FG / 78 FG . . .
Posted by fotofrank on Thursday, February 17, 2022 1:04 PM

 .

I sure hope this works. This is the third time I've masked this cowling. Since I'm is a Thunderbolt/checkerboard mode, I've been trying to get this cowling ready to paint. Each strip of masking tape tapers from 4 cm to 3 cm, all hand cut. Each time I look at the cowling, I adjust the tape a little. The build is an Academy 1/48 P-47D bubble-top. I have kit decals for a checkerboard cowling but why use a decal when you can paint, right? The base coat is an off white I mixed because I didn't want a stark white on the nose of the airplane. Headed to the paint bench to shoot some black. When it's done, I hope the airplane looks something like this picture:

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: The Bluegrass State
Posted by EasyMike on Thursday, February 17, 2022 1:08 PM

Yes

Good luck in the paint booth.

 

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Thursday, February 17, 2022 1:33 PM

EasyMike

Yes

Good luck in the paint booth.

 

 

Thanks, Mike. Ain't no easy task. I'm cutting new tape and masking the cowling again.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Friday, February 18, 2022 12:13 AM

Mucho patienski!

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Friday, February 18, 2022 8:35 AM

jeaton01

Mucho patienski!

 

Thanks, John. Maybe I can get the cowling out to the paint bench today.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    July 2015
Posted by MR TOM SCHRY on Friday, February 18, 2022 12:46 PM

I vaguely remember an article in FSM many years ago where they explained how to mask a cowling on a P-47 for a checkerboard.  good luck with your project!

TJS 

TJS

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 9:48 AM

I did it! I painted the checkerboard cowling for the Thunderbolt. Wow! Masking and Re-masking five or six times until I got it right. So, here it is. Not perfect, but good I think. I'll clear coat the cowling with some Tamiya X-22 Gloss Clear later today. After that I'll paint the inside of the cowling Chromate and Aluminum.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 10:44 AM

Well done Frank!

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:31 PM

Amazing work. I did the same thing on my Big Beautiful Doll and it was a ton of work. I completely understand how you feel when you pull it off, cuz it ain't easy. Well done.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 2:59 PM

BrandonK

Amazing work. I did the same thing on my Big Beautiful Doll and it was a ton of work. I completely understand how you feel when you pull it off, cuz it ain't easy. Well done.

BK

 

Thanks, guys. Much appreciated. Now that I've accomplished this I have at least one more Thunderbolt to try. It's interesting, once you have done one checkerboard cowling, a dozen more ideas pop into your head.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 10:54 AM

Very, very well done! I wouold never attempt something like that.

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 12:10 PM

Nice Work Frank.  I have a weakness for checker cowled P-47's myself. I have several more I need to build.. This was my last addition.

 

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 12:41 PM

Me too!

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 1:02 PM

cbaltrin, I wish my checkerboard cowling looked as good as yours. I used Tamiya tape and Tamiya vinyl tape to mask the cowling on my build. The vinyl tape is pretty thick and I had some leakage under the masking tape. Looks like our builds will be from the same unit.

Did you make stencils or use tape to mask the cowling?

Your squares are 4mm at the cowl flaps and 3mm at the front edge of the cowling?

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 7:15 PM

fotofrank
I used Tamiya tape and Tamiya vinyl tape to mask the cowling on my build. The vinyl tape is pretty thick and I had some leakage under the masking tape. Looks like our builds will be from the same unit. Did you make stencils or use tape to mask the cowling? Your squares are 4mm at the cowl flaps and 3mm at the front edge of the cowling?

Hi Frank, Luckily I photographed this process extensively.  I don't know how big the squares are. I think what I did was the measure the circumference of the cowling at the rear edge then divided by total number of checkers...  From my photos looks like I added the back row first, then the 3rd row from the back, then free had masked the 2nd row, using the 1st and 3rd row as guide.

Next I extended each individual row to the front of the colwing with thin strips of tamiya tape and then used your friend (the Tamiya Vinyl tape) to break up the forward rows into checkers... 

I used my silhouette cutter to create masks for the 1st and 3rd rows.. HTH

 

Masking carnage -- The 'After the battle' photo.

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 8:52 PM

Very, very nicely done. Thanks for sharing your process. I have a Silhouette Portrait but I didn't cut any stencils, only used tape. I have plans for two more Thunderbolts, one with a yellow and black cowling. I'll have to try your method. I did measure the circumference of the back of the cowling and at the front. I divided the circumferences by the number of squares and that's how I came up the the 4mm and 3mm size for the checkerboard.

Maybe I should clean the paint off mine and paint it again using your method.

Thanks again for sharing. The cowling looks terrific.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

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