The XP-72 was the ultimate development of the P-47. Powered by an R-4360 giving 3,000 h.p. it was clocked at 508 mph at 35,000 feet. Originally designed as an interceptor, it had become a strategic air superiority fighter by the time the two prototypes flew. It was good enough it was ordered into production in December 1944 with an initial 100. Then some bureaucrat in the USAAF asked "Why are we building an interceptor?" The design designation hadn't been changed! And it got cancelled at the end of January 1945, with only the two prototypes flying. The first had a 4-blade prop; the second validated the operational design with a contraprop to give full power from the engine without throwing the airplane around the airfield on takeoff, or around the sky when maneuvering. The production P-72A would have used the P-47N wing.
The "difficult" part of the project is cutting out the lower wing panel to replace it with the one for the 3-gun wing. Since the kit is designed to use the Tamiya P-47D Bubbletop kit, a resin plug for the ourter wingtip with the later position of the landing light is also supplied. The inner landing light position is filled in and sanded smooth.
This is another easy Halberd conversion to get something really interesting. Given that one of the few perks of living alone these days is I can do whatever I want whenever I want, I spent last night painting everything and today assembling the kit.
Further proof you cannot go wrong with a Halberd kit.
11 attached images. Click to enlarge.
