Republic P-47D-25-RE Thunderbolt in French colors.

[Jicehem]

Hello everybody

Here is my last finished model. This is the very old Monogram kit (issued in 1967 !) of the P-47D-25 Thunderbolt. This kit is inaccurate on some points but it's possible to correct them.
The nose is too long and the aft fuselage is too... short ! The wings in connexion with the cockpit are luckily correctly located.
The work consisted to shorten the nose by 1,5 mm and to lengthen the fuselage by 2 mm. The second point to improve is the real shape of the engine cowling which is too conical due to actual molding technics. The third point is the shape of leading edge section which is round in place of being triangular. Finally I had to relocate the machine-guns which are, in front view, horizontally laid.
When I did the modifications (beginning in 2000) I didn't take pictures but drew some schemes...
Improvement of the engine cowling and new fixing of the engine:


Actual build:


New build:


Improvement of the leading edge (the black portion is to be filed):


The "new" fuselage:


The finished model represents the plane of Sous-lieutenant guillaume who was shot down by flak on November 20, 1944 above Colmar and taken POW. The unit was GC II/5 "La Fayette". The French cocades painted simply on USAAF's stars indicate a plane from the Naples depot :




















Jicehem

[No.1]

Excellent surgery and nice looking kit

[draken35]

Excellent work!