i have used 32 gauge fake flower stems for tow cables. wipe them down with metallic gray, and black pastel , glue the ends on and it's flexible yet firm. probably not be flexible enoiugh fro the winch but something to consider when draping one along the side of a tank.

Thank you very much, Bish!

I'll pick the kit up at my LHS tomorrow.

I said that I'll use PE belts for this one in the other GB. May I change them to a set of HGW belts? (I have one of those lying around already)

SchattenSpartan

Thank you very much, Bish!

I did some research myself (using the internet and my little book of the Thunderbolt as well as Tamiya's instructions) and found out the following:

The Thunderbolt I plan on doing for the "First time" GB, "Kokomo", was flown by William Kepner. He was the commander of the 8th FC. The book states that "Kokomo" as assigned to the 359th FG. That FG was taking parts at the events of D-Day by escorting bomber formations and strafing ground targets in and near the battle area.

I also found out that the 359th converted to the Mustang in May 1944. The decals for Kepner's plane are supplied with the Tamiya kit, but are for how the bird looked in Autumn 1944 (Kepner was with the 495th FG at that time).

Now here's my questions:

The 359th FG was already equipped with Mustangs at D-Day, but Kepner's Thunderbolt seems to be around untill a later time (judging by Tamiya's decals). Was Kepner flying his Thunderbolt on D-Day or one of the days after it (if he was flying at all) or was he flying a Mustang?

If "Kokomo" saw action during those events, would it have full invasion stripes painted on? (The kit instructions state that I should only use the stripes at the underside of the tail for the "Autumn-version")

Is "Kokomo" a valid subject at all for this GB?

Tamiya states that "Kokomo" had only 6 machine guns instead of the usual 8 and no hardpoints on the wings. Would this apply for a D-Day version of it as well (if it is a valid subject)

Lots of questions here, but I don't want to build a model that is completely wrong historically, as this is a GB regarding a certain historical event...

I hope you guys can at least answer me some of the questions...

Cheers, Clemens

In the 48-72 hours leading up to June 6, all Allied aircraft that were tasked with anything to do with Overlord, with the exception of US and some British heavy bombers, recieved full wraparound upper and lower surface recognition stripes- the so called "invasion stripes" of 3 white and 2 black stripes. Those were worn for roughly one month after the initial landings, and then the upper surface stripes were ordered removed/painted over. The lower surface stripes remained at least through late 1944, and some units even kept the lower fuselage stripes into 1945.

Thanks Stik! Full stripes it shall be then! I think they look really cool on NMF Thunderbolts anyway!

Cheers, Clemens

Clemons: Ohhh, I like 'Kokomo' - want to call her 'Kokomo Joe' for some reason though. You see plenty of planes with red or blue trim but not that many with green. Nice change of pace.

The Churchill is mostly together and looking like a tank. But the bleeping bow machine gun has vanished and I can't cement the front glacis plate on till I have it. I'm thinking I should rob a mg from the old Tamiya Crocodile in the spare parts box, once I add it and glue the plate on the new mg should magically appear...

Cliff: Yep, that's exactly what I thought too when I decided to build Kokomo the first time! I just love the green trim on the cowling! (I used a completely wrong shade of green though...) The Jug is lying around next to my bench right now and I'll start work on her soon! I just want to finish the pit for the Razorback I'm working on atm, so I can build those 2 kits together! (The only difference are some minor details in the pit and the fuselage spine)

Cheers, Clemens

I just got the whole cockpit tub sprayed in Tamiya XF-26 mixed with some Gunze flat black. I'll do all the detail work tomorrow and post some pics. I might be able to spray the rest of the inner surfaces in Zinc Chromate as well... Stay tuned, fellas!

This build will be slowed down a bit though, because I'm building Tamiya's other P-47D kit (Razorback) simultaneously for the Reich Defenders GB (a captured bird with yellow underside...). Gotta love me some Double-D jugs... (pun intended)

Cheers, Clemens

I posted the update in the wrong GB (Reich Defenders), as I'm building a Thunderbolt for that one as well.

I didn't have the opportunity to correct this "mistake", but now I can do so:

I painted the the whole tub in Tamiya XF-26 mixed with some Gunze "Flat Black" to darken it down. Then The details are painted in various Vallejo Air colors.

I used two colors for drybrushing: XF-26 mixed with XF-4 for all green areas and XF-16 (Flat Aluminium) for all black areas and those areas that would show a lot of wear.

As a last stap I applied an oil-wash consisting of a 50/50 mix of black and burnt umber.

Here are the pics:

I had to remove a nasty mold line going right over the whole gun-sight:

The Whole IP-assembly is removeable, because I have to add some wiring to it:

I still have to add the IP decal (the gunsight is just stuck on for the photo, so that I can remove it for applying the decal):

A side-by-side comparison with the cockpit tub of the 2nd Thunderbolt I'm building right now (Razorback). Note the missing gun-sight (I snapped it off when I applied the IP decal, but it is an easy fix). The IP is glued in place on the Razorback tub, as there is no wiring necessary with that one (it is not visible unlike on the Bubbletop):

There are 2 more kits on my bench atm (1/35 King Tiger to my right and 1/48 Fw190 to my left), so I had to sacrifice some of my working-area for the Thunderbolt kits:

Please note that the green is much darker in person. My camera just screws up all the colors when the lighting is so bad... The 1st pic is probably the most accurate regarding the color (it's even a little bit darker IRL)

I hope you like it. This Pit took me about 6-7 hours to paint up and weather (not counting in the time the wash needed to dry) I really love building those Tamiya Thunderbolts! The are the best kits I've ever seen (together with their 1/32 Mustang).

Cheers, Clemens

I know, it gets confusing does it. I first posted the completed pics of my Me 262 in the Canadian GB, and I am not even in that one.

Nice work there, great work on the pits.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one...

Thank you very much, mate!

Hello Bish.

Can you add me as another member for this GB?  Please put me down for Eduard's 1/48 Spitfire Mk. IXc.

Thanks,

Rob

Rob, glad to have you on board. I have added you to the roster.

Outstanding cockpit, Clemens.  The worn paint look is especially convincing and well-done!

Thanks a lot, Checkmate!

I'll post an update, as soon as Photobucket lets me upload any pictures...

I got the fuselage halves joined (no sanding done yet), put the IP-decal in place (I had to cut it into pieces) and I painted all the innards of the Jug in that beautiful Zinc Chromate (you have to get used to the color, but you start to like it as soon as you do so...)

Cheers, Clemens

Clemens are you using zinc chromate green or zinc chromate yellow?

Questions of authenticity now have me wondering. would a fictious P-47 be acceptable for this GB? I will make it true to life by making it part of a specific FG. It would be just an added plane attached to that Squadron.

 PS I was just reading up on the Jugs and learned the Bubbletops were nicknamed "Superbolts" by the pilots.

She's slowly starting to look like a Churchill. AFV Club molded the skirts as all separate parts and I'm having trouble getting them to fit. Still since I've only tacked them down with a smidgen of cement so I can pull them off to put the treads on I guess they don't have to be perfect. 

Checkmate: I'm using Zinc Chromate Yellow, as most Thunderbolts were painted in that color.

Ken: Would be OK for me, but I don't make the rules... Let's see what Bish says about that...

Cliff: Awesome work on that Churchill!

SchattenSpartan

Checkmate: I'm using Zinc Chromate Yellow, as most Thunderbolts were painted in that color.

 

Good, Clemens.  I was going to suggest that (yellow), since I've seen numerous color photos indicating the use of it.  You are way ahead of me!

And, yes, that is a nice Churchill, Cliff!  Excellent painting!

Thanks guys! Though CMK02 the only thing I've painted so far is the undersides of the skirts, the insides of the periscopes and other areas I won't be able to get to when the whole thing is assembled- most of her is still bare plastic. Oh and I did paint the interior white and added a little brown wash to that, you can see some white paint still on the hatches and the blue tape I stuck on the interior of the turret to mask the inside.

Ken, been giving it some thought. Is there a specific reason for making it a fictious Jug rather than a real one.

The Churcill is looking good.

Interesting comments on the Zinc Chromate for Jug's. I made the error of painting my first B-24 Yellow in the pit. I must admit I am not keen on the colour. I didn't realise Jug cockpits were yellow.

I think you got that wrong, Bish. The Jugs' cockpits were not painted in "Interior Green", that is right. But they were also  not painted in yellow. Their color was a dark shade of green (like on the cockpits I posted pics of already). The rest of their interior (everything not seen by the pilot) was painted yellow.

With you now.

Gamera

Thanks guys! Though CMK02 the only thing I've painted so far is the undersides of the skirts, the insides of the periscopes and other areas I won't be able to get to when the whole thing is assembled- most of her is still bare plastic. Oh and I did paint the interior white and added a little brown wash to that, you can see some white paint still on the hatches and the blue tape I stuck on the interior of the turret to mask the inside.

Yeah, probably didn't make it clear.  The wheel wells, inside landing gear struts, etc. were often in ZC yellow.  Cockpit would have been one of the interior colors.  ZC Yellow in the cockpit would probably cause retinal burn!

finally got some work done on my Fw-190 but photobucket isn't letting me upload photos

Gamera-the Churchill is looking good.

ok got PB working. Just had to reload it a couple times.

so got work on the cockpit finished

the shoulderstraps go on after I have installed the cockpit into the fuselage

checkmateking02

Yeah, probably didn't make it clear.  The wheel wells, inside landing gear struts, etc. were often in ZC yellow.  Cockpit would have been one of the interior colors.  ZC Yellow in the cockpit would probably cause retinal burn!

IIRC, on Repulic built Jugs, the cockpit was painted in Dull Dark Green. On Curtiss built Jugs it was their own version of Interior Green. But Curtiss built Jugs only served stateside. They had some quality control issues from what I remember reading.

Stik is right about the color difference: Republic painted the cockpits in "Dull Dark Green", while Curtiss used their "Interior Green". I think everything but the cockpit was painted in Zinc Chromate though, not only the wheel wells. Basically everything was painted in Zinc Chromate (for surface protection) and then the cockpit was painted over in one of said colors to avoid eye-irritation (imagine looking at a cockpit painted in that bright greenish yellow for hours...)

Some thunderbolts were painted in Zinc "Chromate Green" Instead of the yellow one AFAIK, but the yellow-painted Jugs weree far more common.

Really nice work on that cockpit tub, Shiv!