P-47 "Jug" Group Build

My grandson (6), bought me a kit as a present; Testors (dual kit # 520). I've built a 'RB' in 332nd livery.

Now, I trying to build this kit as Grabeski's P-47D and the kit has a 'turtle back' to replace the "RB' aft fuslage!

Anybody in the BG had any experience with this particular kit? 

Ok just finished this testors kit. I will do a review about it in the A/c forum. Well here it is

I finished this two days ago a little slow to post I used aeromaster The wolf pack pt.1this

was the pretty common scheme. And this particular pilot got one kill during the war.

This is also the revell one I did.

It was finished last year though. Well thanks for looking all comments welcome.

didfaI wrote:

My grandson (6), bought me a kit as a present; Testors (dual kit # 520). I've built a 'RB' in 332nd livery. Now, I trying to build this kit as Grabeski's P-47D and the kit has a 'turtle back' to replace the "RB' aft fuslage! Anybody in the BG had any experience with this particular kit?

Gabby used both and there are decals for both aircrafts

Andrew,

now its time to start Tamiya Razorback and continue the Thunderbolt quest

I have a Hasegawa bubbletop and continue work with decals. In the meantime I also did the canopy

just finished decals on and panel lines  my Pengie IV

Thanks !

I used (as usual) the "Craft Smart" acrylic Craft Paint ($0.49) at Michaels dilluted with water and dishwasher soap.

Same thing I used to make smoke effect - I will redo it shortly, because it is too much smoke (Thanks Frank )

Later today I post pictures with a corrected smoke stains 

OK, so I made a next step, redo the last "dusting"

I am curious what you guys think about this effect ...

LOL, I do not think Tamiya will stop P-47 :)

I am going to get Bublletop, because Hasegawa is not what I expected.

I have those two "almost" done however I am struggling with cawling painting. I made a mistake and painted insignia red and I did not compare it with decals color. Now I need to match already painted part to the already placed decal - what a nightmare ....

its so quiet here ...

no thunderbolts on workbenches ?? 

Any progress guys ???

I am fighting with my Hasegawa bubbletop, mostly because I did not match the decal background coor to the cawling and now ... it is a very painfull process ... 

Ahhh, I wish there was a Thunderbolt on my workbench right now! Certainly lined up in the build-queue, and it's taxiing at number 4 right now. Hoping that I can hit it around May-ish? I keep opening the box and poking around in there, checking out the AM decals I snagged. 

It sure looks nice in that box.

Hi gzt.  I was wondering if the GB is still open for entries?  I just started working on two P-47's last night.  I am building them cause my fiance tells me there are too many planes in my case with flat dark colors.  I will try to build these with a metal finish. Hope the come out right.  If I am able to join, they kits are the Tamiya and Revell 1/78 scale kits. 

Welcome to the group !!!!

Post picture of your build as WIP not just finished kit and have fun !

gzt wrote:

its so quiet here ... no thunderbolts on workbenches ??  Any progress guys ???   I am fighting with my Hasegawa bubbletop, mostly because I did not match the decal background coor to the cawling and now ... it is a very painfull process ...

Nope don't have one althougth I might save up for Tamiya's M. But there sure expensive

but worth it

I did not see any kit such well designed and made. You have sets there for more than just M you can make a D version - in fact quite few Ds  

I plan to add one more Bubbletop to my collection - last Gabby's aircraft ! and it has to be Tamiya. I worked on Hasegawa - a nightmare compared to Tamiya kit. 

dupes wrote:

Hey GZT, are you saying the Hasegawa M is a nightmare compared to the Tamiya, or the Hasegawa bubbletops in general?

I build Hasegawa D bubbletop. The Wing attachement to the fuselage simply ...

Tamiya Bubbletop for just few more bucks offers much more and the kit is exceptional 

I did not see Hasegawa M  

Huh. I'm surprised (not in a good way!) that the usually smooth-fitting Hasegawa has such an abberation in a popular kit like that...especially since I have 3 in my stash.

Oh, here's a link for the Has M:

http://www.dragonmodelsusa.com/dmlusa/prodd.asp?pid=HAS09549 

I believe this is the same kit with additional dorsal fin but the structure is taken from original D bubbletop.

The fundamental flaw of Hasegawa design is in bottom side of wing - fuselage fitting. There is no way it could fit correctly. It takes a lot of putty and sanding time, rescribing the panel lines and rivets to do it right. On the other hand tamiya made a very elegant design and wings are attached to the fuselage just like a real plane has (almost). Nice fitted beams stick from the fiselage and there is NO FITTINg issue of any kind. 

I got Hasegawa bubbletop because it was cheap ($26) but now I would add twice as much and get tamiya instead.

 Besides this issue Hasegawa cockpit is ...hmmm.. pretty spartan while in Tamiya kit you do not need anything (with exception of seat belts). Details level is absolutely great. I used Tamiya cockpit (from M kit - bacuase they provided two sets of cockpits D and M within M kit) to my Hasegawa Bubbletop

gzt wrote:

I used Tamiya cockpit (from M kit - bacuase they provided two sets of cockpits D and M within M kit) to my Hasegawa Bubbletop.

Ahhhh! Great tip! I hadn't looked into my Tamiya M closely enough to know that...saves at least one AM cockpit for my Hasegawa D's...

Welcome to the Group !!!

Greg

That is some outstanding work on the bubble top. 

I am done with repainting the cawling - keeping the decal intact

the reason for such crazy operation was the color of the decal background. It supposed to be a Insignia Red but it was much lighter than insignia red. Wehn I place the decal on painted cawling, I realized the diference but did not pay much attention to it. Later when I placed both together (cawling and fuselage - the diference in color was taking all atention . I tried many things: shading the color with dilluted "dust" to bring it back, but nothing wroked to my expectations. Finally I decided to do over and paint the whole Insignia Red background except the pinguin

Here it is as of today. After the paint cures I will finish it.

Sorry, but I do not have any idea if those will fit

Here is an update on my Pengie IV. Finally I was able to match the colors and engine is officially attached to the fuselage