D-Day +4 , 1/48th Hasegawa Republic P-47D USAAC, Capt D. Smith
The 56th Fighter Group, 61st Fighter Squadron were tasked with support of the D-Day invasion flying 8 missions on the first day. Throughout the month of June missions were mostly ground attacks, interdiction and to destroy the Germans ability to resupply. With Allied supremacy of the skies the 56th saw little action for air to air combat. Based out at Boxted AB. The P-47's of the 61st FS were lead by Maj. Frances "Gabby" Gabreski, the squadron had almost an all-star lineup of pilots that would make any Hall of Fame. As Gabreski's P-47 has been modeled many times prior I wanted to do something not as familiar but just as controversial when it comes to the color scheme. Even when Hub Zemke was asked the various color schemes used in his squadron, he couldn't really recall. Even with some research and checking other aviation sites, on what is the correct scheme for Capt D. Smith's P-47 was is not definitive. I even found some really rough color photos but the quality are so bad the colors are really quite hard to tell. Even ran across an instance where the scheme was white washed and look closer to a Luftwaffe scheme than a US Air Corp. Seeing a few built, in Med grey/Dk Green over Lt Grey or natural metal, another scheme where the lower was in Azure Blue? A tutone Grey over Med grey undersurfaces, so basically it can be any one of those schemes. As the squadron over painted the natural finishes in the local RAF paints that were available, not any 2 were really alike. The Kit world sheet calls for Lt Ocean Grey/Dk Ocean Grey over a natural metal undersurfaces. With a touch of Lt Grey at the nose demarcation line and at the front lower areas of the rear stabs. As I try to stay within the historic reference to a particular plane I want to model, being a rather non-standard scheme and it's unusual nature I went with the decal called for. But since I could not find Dk Ocean Grey, I mixed my own to create it. And what I did is I used Aeromaster Ocean Grey and 5 drops of Gunship Grey (36118) to darken it. I used Gunze Med Grey as the Lt Ocean grey portion of the scheme. At first it looked to light. But as it dried it darkened a bit and looked much better the next day. And even darker with the gloss coat applied. I wish we had the real airframe or any other aircraft that had this combo. I am sure will have someone refute this , but as I read a few of the comments on those who built "Ole Cock" III no one actually commented any of those schemes the modelers chose were incorrect as there is no proof of this is wrong. Anyway it really is a unique scheme as most "Jugs" can be built in unusual colors. Not always OD or natural metal. Any way the kit went together well, no issues other than the typical wing to fuselage seam clean up. The Hase kit has been criticized that the lower portion of the fuselage is to shallow, as I compared it next to the Monogram kit yes I can see the difference but really who cares? It is a P-47, and it looks great on the shelf. I want to thank Neil for a great job and his encouragement to all who participated on this Inaugural GB for I-modeler. To Martin in creating a wonderful site for modelers. And to all who commented so enthusiastically on the WIP. Thanks for viewing and God Bless
Chuck
Fly Navy
Great work Chuck. Nice to see it finished.
Thanks Gregor, I appreciate all your encouragement.
Great job Chuck,it was well worth the wait,so the fuselage isn't quite the right shape well I certainly couldn't care less, I love P47's for there tough ,rugged look. Thanks for taking part pal and thanks for your kind words.
Neil.
Thanks Neil, it was a pleasure, and for a change to really grind this baby out despite the outside influences of everyday life.
Your hard work was really worthwhile, Chuck, it's turned out very well. While being a little late might have been important 70 years ago, I'm sure we didn't mind the slight delay on iModeler!
Thanks George, it was actually completed on Friday, but I was delayed in posting the images, as I got into what they say a writers block as I just couldn't get myself to write up a little summary of the history and kit. Even this commentary on the final build I'm not to thrilled with it, as it deserves much better that what I wrote.
Nice looking T-bolt, Chuck. Coincidentally I did this same machine but in 1/24: http://imodeler.com/2013/10/vintage-fighter-series-p-47d-thunderbolt-124/
You've made some interesting points about colours. I'm not aware of a 'Dark Ocean Grey' as an RAF colour used by the FS at Boxted, Essex (a nice pub there called the 'Wig and Fidgett'), but RAF Ocean Grey is available at White Ensign Models in the UK: https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/Ocean+Grey+AC+RN+07/368/#.U5glPXaOeCk
It's nice to see this important aircraft finely represented in the group build.
That is an amazing P-47, sorry I missed that one when you first posted that, wow huge in 1/24th scale. That White Ensign is that Dk Ocean Grey? I have Ocean Grey from Aeromaster, Xtracolour and Polly Scale, all a little different in shade but not dark at all? And thanks for sharing your P-47.
It's just 'Ocean Grey'. Are you thinking of Dark Sea Grey?
Have a look at this Britmodeller link, where OG and similar colours are discussed.
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/73447-ocean-grey-is-ocean-grey-is-ocean-grey/
Your efforts paid off Chuck. Great "Jug".
Are you saying you used all the paints in the last picture?
Yes Al, I used some of each of those paints on this build, amazing how many colors someone can you on certain projects. Not just OD,grey, black, interior greens and silver.
Neat camo scheme Chuck. I am really drawn to those 56th schemes as well. I have done the old standard of Gabreski's recently and was going to post it in the near future. I like your take on one that wasn't Gabreski's! And I like your discussion of the camo research. Great write-up and a great build - i agree, the Hasegawa is still a nice kit.
I plan to build some more Jug's and get the Tamiya kit as well, I really do want to do an all NMF with the yellow nose, a couple of awesome schemes as well, not any 2 T-bolts are alike. And thanks Paul for the commentary.
Nice job, Chuck...dunno if you realize it, but one of your gear doors is missing on the right side, ol' boy.
Yes the carpet or floor monster ate it. Fell off during the painting session, also the brace that is under the bubble canopy also was lunch for the floor as well. I have been keeping my eye out for them, I am hoping I will come across either piece.
Surely you mean starboard old chap ,tally-ho pip pip.
N.
Nah..."starboard" is a floaty-thing term, ain't it? lol
Lol, well it is quite noticeable so I really do hope I can find that gear door. It's not like it is a teeny weeny small piece, But it can sure bounce off some where.
Chuck,try putting a fresh bag in your vacuum cleaner and then give the area around your work space a good going over ,beware those bits can tend to ping off further than you think so do the whole floor space then have a look in the bag, or failing that you could pull the remaining one off, take a piece of flat plastic from a food container or any other source then use your gear door as a template ,remembering to reverse it,then just cut it to shape and paint it up,even if it isn't perfect it will be passable where it is.
N.
Hi Chuck, All your hard work paid off. Your 56th FS color scheme is indeed unique and that big bruiser looks great wearing it.
Thanks Eric, you can do a slew of different T-bolts just with the 56th FG as a basis.you can build a nice line up of P-47's in different schemes.
Nice Chuck, very nice indeed..
As you said in your write up, the colours changed from plane to plane so what the exact scheme was is not that certain.
What is definite, is that is your build looks good.
Well done Chuck.
Thank you Simon, can't wait to see yours when it's completed. The Hase kit was pretty nice build, not too much of a challenge, enough detail parts to produce a nice plane when finished. Still want to get the Tamiya kits and an build an Academy one as well.
Forget about the Academy one Chuck, the wing/tail plane fit is c**p.
Have a look at the Revell 1/48 scale N variant, not bad, cheap too.
Hope to get some more done soon.
Beautiful , Chuck. Definitely up to your usual standards and quality. Very nice, indeed.
Thank you Joe for the kind words.
very pretty chuck...thank's for sharing
Thank you Bob, appreciate the encouragement.
Chuck.
You did a marvelous job on this. I followed your progress and seeing the finished model was well worth the wait. I use one of those little rechargeable sweepers to fight the carpet monster. It has a clear plastic slip in container to catch the lint, etc. I have had excellent luck in finding little parts. The brand name of mine is "Shark" but I am sure there are others. I was good friends with Zempke for over twenty years before he passed away. I had also asked him questions now and then about colors and his stock reply was always "H--- kid, I just flew em you build the models. You probably know more about colors than I do". So Chuck I would think that whatever your research came up with and if you like it then it's OK. I like it.