Hi all.
This will be my build thread for my "Down Low" entry.
Its the Tamiya P-47 Razorback in 1:72.
Work as usual starts with the cockpit. The Thunderbolt's office in the Tamiya kits really is a work of art. As detailed as any aftermarket set.
Work on painting,washing and dry brushing is almost complete and I hope to get the cockpit together over the next couple of days.

After building the Bubbletop version of this last summer Im really looking forward to this build.
Nige

Fantastic details for a 1/72 kit.
Looks great so far! I'm gonna keep watching this

Hi Goran!
The Tamiya P47s in any scale really are something else!
One day I'll try my hand at a 1:48 Jug,,but for now Im sticking to 1:72.
The cockpits all finished and together.
A quick photo before it gets closed up

I put the cotton bud in the photo so you can get an idea of the size of this tiny cockpit.
And all finished


Nige

That looks really, really nice Nige. I'll definitely be watching this one. What markings is it going to wear?
Hope all is well.
Leon

Hi Nigel!

Looks very good and... so small! But I'm sure you have big hands because you carry heavy material while on tour! :-)

Jean-Luc

Looking good Nige!

Looks good, Nige This must be a welcome change from the 70ties airfix model

Looking forward to see more

Hi Nigel:

That cockpit is looking good so far. I like the overall look you achieve with the washes and the drybrushing. It´s really small !
What did you use for making the seat belts ?
Keep on posting my friend. Excellent work

Thanks for the kind comments everyone!
It certainly feels good building a Tamiya kit after the old Airfix ones.
Carlos....the seatbelts and instrument panel are the kit decals.
Jean Luc...my hands arent that big,,this little cockpit club is just over 2cm long!
Leon...good to see you posting! This P47 will be in a faded olive drab.Im undecided on what markings it will carry,except that it will definately have a scantily glad beauty on the nose!
Dont hold your breath waiting for progress pics,,Im on tour again now until the 2nd week in May.
Nige

Looking really nice Nige.
I remember how small the cockpit is when I built mine.
Its a shame you won't be able to do anything on this for months now, as I was looking forward to seeing this build.
Andy

Hi Nigel. Your weathering and shading look fantastic in your cockpit. Looking forward to seeing some more progress pics. I built two of Tamiya's 1/48 Bubbletops, the detail is outstanding. I guess you get what you pay for. Great job, Wingman out.

Hi Nigel:

That decal on the instrument panel conformed perfectly to the raised detail. Did you use liters of Micro Sol or what ? It looks very convincent. You can see the dials of the clocks ! Great work.

Great start on the jug Nige
That is some really nice detail work for such a small scale. I will be looking forward to seeing your progress.




What It's not going to be one of those cool anti-dazzle schemes that you are so famous for :-) :-)
Oh well, scantily clad females on the side of a P-47 do look really cool

Good modeling,
Wayne

My goodness that looks good! It is incredible to me that those of you who work in 1/72 pull it off so well. 1/48 cockpits are hard enough for me, I'm sure I'd cause myself bodily harm if I tried 1/72.

I look forward to see more Nigel.

-Derek

Thanks for the comments everyone
No wild camo scheme on this one guys,,its a down low strafing campaign after all,,:)
I have a nice aftermarket decal set I might use,,or I may go for the kit decals. Im not too keen on the "red indian" decals. We'll see what happens. The main thing Im aiming for is a well faded and battered olive drab finish on a war weary bird.
Only 7 more weeks and Im back at the bench...
Nige

Finally back at the bench!
These Tamiya P47's go together so well.Only a small amount of sanding will be needed and I'll be ready for the primer stage. The fusalage and wings have gone together very well and its starting to look like a real Jug.

Nige
My first post with my new camera.I love the super macro setting!

Hi, good to hear from you again lol
That P 47 is looking great, no filler nedded, right ? The pic also look very well. Wellcome back to the plastic world Keep on posting

Damn that cockpit is straight out of their 1/48 scale offering! The Tamiya P-47's are Awesome kits...I have 3 of them in closet waiting to be built

Hi all.
Progressing well on the P47 and more photos to follow soon.
But for now a question for all you P47 fans.
Ive decided on the decal scheme.

Its the bottom scheme of the two. Lt Sam Stamps 63FS 56FG.
The decal sheet says England 1942,but the 63 FS didnt use the P47's until 1943.
I like the blue cowling on the decal option but during my research I came across an interesting dilema. As many of you will know, the Thunderbolts featured white bands on the rudders,tail fins and cowling to avoid being mistaken for FW190's. Various squadrons and groups adopted their own colour cowlings later in the war.56FG's being red.
Its commonly thought that 63FS adopted blue cowlings,(as in the decal sheet) but during my research I found this picture of Lt Stamps in a different 63 FS P47 on the 56FG website.

This was published as "evidence" to dismiss the blue cowlings reportedly painted on 63FS Jugs,and which were in fact painted RAF Duck Egg Green.
The plot has certainly thickened,,LOL.
What do people suggest?
Should I go for the blue cowling because it looks nice or should I try and be historically accurate?
If youve managed to stay awake this far Id like to hear your suggestions,,lol
Nige

That (your photo) appears to be Stamps early ride "Tinkle", before he changed to "Sneaky McGee" markings (with the Pin Up girl on decal sheet and possible Blue Cowl).

I'm not one that usually follows the crowd, I'd vote for the RAF Duck Egg Blue cowl color, just to be different.

Hi Chuck,
Thanks for the reply.I dont suppose you have a photo of the P47 with the Vargas artwork.Theres no name on the decal sheet and I havent found anything on the web yet about Stamp and his Thunderbolts apart from the photo above.
Nige

Sorry Nigel No photo but got this list

42-22762 P-47D UN-S Stamps Lt. Samuel O To 366 FG 9th AF
42-75683 P-47D UN-S Stamps Lt. Samuel O To 353 FG 352 FS
43-25307 P-47D UN-S Stamps Lt. Samuel O Tinkle / Sneaky McGee Artwork on nose - Baby in diaper holding six gun. Later changed to pinup girl.

from this site
http://www.56thfightergroup.org/HisTest/P4763rdFS.html

P.S. I can't find anything to support the Dark Blue cowl band, all references point to it being as you say RAF Duck Egg Blue as you stated to begin with.

Thanks Chuck.
I found the same webpage when I googled Sneaky McGee.
Its good to know the serial number and squadron codes on the decal sheet match up with their records.
Ive emailed the website so maybe they will come up with one.
Nige

Nigel,
Another interesting tidbit
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=56&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=115&Temp=1621&searchString=

EEEck, it's Duck Egg Green not Blue ? And yet another version of the Nose Art ???? But this Nose Art looks like your photo !!

Great link Chuck!
Even mentions Osprey etc stating a blue cowling for the 63FS is wrong.
Duck Egg GreenyBlue colour it is then!!
Back to the bench!
Nige