Hi Nigel:

No the pic is not of one of my builds, I pick it up on the web. My two finished 1/72 P 47D´s are Bubletops with the paddle propeller.
The one in 1/48 that I´m building will have the Curtiss propeller.
Keep on posting

A couple of days free and so more progress.
This weekend Ive managed to get all the washes done. I reverted to using an oil wash for the first time in about 12 builds and its finally started to turn out how its supposed to.
Most of the various bits and pieces are either attached or partially painted now. I will be spraying on some "smoke" next time I hit the bench and then its the matt varnish and my Jugs about done.
I tried something new with the bombs. Its a technique for replicated the "cast" look of the bombs. I mixed together some liquid glue and filler and painted this onto them. I reckon its worked out really well, and its something I will be doing again on other builds.
So,,heres how my P47 is sitting at the moment. next weekend should see it finished hopefully.

As always,,comments and advice are more than welcome.
Nige

Absolutely wonderful! I really like the faded effect. Can't wait to see it finished. One question, are the bombs going to get a yellow stripe?

Allen

Hi Nigel!

I can only agree! Looks very good so far...

Jean-Luc

Thanks for the comments guys
Im really looking forward to seeing how it looks after the post shading and a matt varnish.It should really pull everything together nicely.
@ Allen. There will,I think be some form of yellow stripe on the bombs. From researching the "cast" look I noted many variations of markings on the bombs.Some with a yellow band around the middle,some with a smaller band near the fins,almost all with a small circle at the front, and some with no yellow bands at all.I havent decided what stripes mine will carry when I finish them off next weekend.
Nige

That is really starting to look the part now Nige.
I'm really looking forward to seeing this finished now, so stop going on tours and finish it .
Andy

I know,,,I KNOW!!!,,,,LOL.
Patience,, Hope to get it done over this weekend,,1 more tour and then I hope to take at least 6 weeks off!.
Couldnt resist the Tamiya P47M in 1:48 the other day when i dropped into the LHS for a pot of Tamiya paint the other day. That looks superb,and Ive also got my eye on some nice Wolfpack decals in 1:72, so I might be building this great kit again soon. Keep getting tempted by the biplanes in my stash though,,lol
Nige

Six weeks for modelling. That sounds really atrctive ! Apart of all the builds you´re in, what´s next

Almost there!
Ive just finished giving the whole airframe a selected overspray with Tamiya smoke and last thing tonight I'll matt varnish it.
Meanwhile I'll carry on with the ordnance,,,still not bloomin finished that
The underside.

Topside

Generally Im really pleased with how the "smoke" has bought out the panel lines a bit more,,blended the decals in,,and generally added to the worn look of this Jug.

Any ideas of what I may have missed before the matt varnish goes on?
Nige

Looks very good!
Since you asked, there are a couple of thing I would add before applying the clat coat.
You could add some dirt to the wheels and paint some chipping to high-traffic areas like the wing root and the fuselage on the side where the pilot climbs to the canopy. Also, around the machine gun access panels could also use some chipping.

Btw, what's that white clump on the windscreen, masking material?

And another thing, where are the exhaust on P-47? (I know, this is kind of a dumb question) I've never given the issue much thought, but when working on my thunderbolt, this thing popped into my mind. The largish outlet in the rear fuselage is part of the turbo-supercharger, right? (with the intake being inside the cowling) That leaves just the two small pipes coming out of the fuselage behind the cowling on the belly (of the beast).

Hi Eetu!
I havent forgotten about the extra weathering,I always apply paint chipping etc after the matt varnish. The white blob on top of the canopy is indeed masking material.I used an Eduard mask for the first time and for that particular panel on the canopy they only supply the edges,so I used liquid mask to fill in at first but that fell off with handling so I replaced it with a small piece of blue tac that I was able to adjust before spraying that area.

A far as Im aware,and I may be wrong,the exhausts on a P47 are by the 2 rectangular areas just behind the cowling.Photos Ive looked at of P47's dont show much in the way of an exhaust stain in that area so I just darkened it a little with Tamiya smoke.
The matt varnish is going on and its all dulling down nicely
Nige

A lot of kits leave then out - 'cause they are UGLY and don't amount to much



Nige - the exhausts are the round "pipe" behind the ducts - always helps to have a real one lying around to check

Good Call Nige - there is usually a huge plume of smoke when they start, but the engines must run really hot because the exhaust is pretty clean. I have seen some darkening or minor staining in the area but most a pretty clean. At night there is a quite visible flame coming from the exhaust on take off.

Thanks Chuck!
I was pretty sure I was making the right call about the exhaust stain,,even though the actual exhaust is in a slightly different place to where I thought it was.
Apart from having a lot of fun building this kit,Ive learnt a lot about P47's in general along the way
Nige

Matt varnish applied and into the final stretch!
Asuming it dries ok and Im happy with it,,tomorrow I'll unmask the canopy and do the last bits of weathering. Ive still got to put the decals on the props and give the rocket launchers a wash,plus paint the drop tank.
So,,these will be the last 2 in progress photos.
The next pics will be the finished article,,,finally!,,,its been a long build.


Right,,back to the drop tank!
Nige

FINISHED
All done finally, and this is my entry for the "Down Low" Campaign.
Just a handful of photos as the lights not very good today, and I need to try some different settings on my camera. I'll take some more soon.




Nige

nice job mate! you've really captured the faded/beat-up look with this one. and that lady on the nose-art, WOOF WOOF!

Nice Nige, nice.
I love the way the fading has turned out.
Your best build yet I reckon.
Andy

Nige - she's a real beauty and that "fading" technique worked out great.




Research and learning a little more about what you are building, intended or not, is half the fun isn't it ?

Thanks for sharing your build process with us.

Congratulations Nigel ! You´ve done a very nice build. I like it a lot, specially the paint job.
That´s a little jewell

Hi Nigel!

Fantastic looking model I must say, and I don't mean the pin-up girl, congratulations! What about a build features?

Jean-Luc

Thanks everyone!
I really enjoyed this build,as Id had the kit over a year and was waiting for the "Down Low" Campaign to start.I had planned for a long time to try the paint fading technique as well.Next time I will make the initial "fading" more severe as the Klear/Washes/Matt Varnish darkened it all down quite a bit.
All in all though Im extemely pleased with how its come out.A few "firsts" for me on this build.The fading effecta nd the Eduard canopy mask were new techniques, and its the first time Ive managed to get an oil wash to work how Id read it was supposed to do.
The research side of the build was also a lot of fun and I learnt a lot about the 56FG and P47s along the way.As you say Chuck,,its all part of the fun and enjoyment of this hobby.
Andy,,yep,,,your right,I feel its my best build yet by a long way.
Jean Luc,,,I will be very happy to submit a feature.
Nige

Some better quality finished photos can be found HERE
Nige