Hello, this is the second of the two 1/48 Tamiya Thunderbolts I built. It’s a 353rd FG machine named Butch II, flown by Lt. William Bailey. Bailey flew 186 combat missions and had 3 air kills and 3 destroyed on the ground. This machine apparently got around and had several different names throughout it’s service life. I further learned that the 353rd pioneered the P-47 ground attack which I thought was interesting as the 56th tends to get all the Jug glory. These men were all heroes to me.
The Tamiya P-47 is heaven in styrene. One of their true masterpiece kits. Always pure bliss. I added photo etch seatbelts and Ultracast resin wheels. I wired up the R2800 with lead solder and added brake lines.
The main markings were done with Maketar vinyl masks. I had a little mishap on the fuse letters (SX-B) and the stars and bars, as they left glue residue behind when I removed them. I had to repaint these with different kabuki tape masks I had in the stash. I normal don’t have issues with these and I suspect I didn’t let the paint cure long enough before masking. Decals used were from Eagle Strike and performed great. I also painted the cowl checkers pattern with squares of Tamiya tape. It was tedious but so much better than decals. The paint was Tamiya’s RAF colors as it was surmised to have been painted like a Spitfire.
Here is Butch II fitted with two 500 pounders ready for a ground attack.
A few in-progress pictures.
1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
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1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Can you fly this plane and land it? Surely you can't be serious? I am serious, and don't call me Shirley
- tempestjohnny
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Gorgeous..... and that cowling is just perfectly dinged up
Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Wow that checkerboard pattern is beautiful
March as one, Don't look back
Odin's sons... Attack!
Unleash hell! Do not repent! Warfare grants us no lament
Let your weapons slash and tear This is no place for fear
Hold the lines! Move as one! In unity our victory's won
Our shields will form a mighty wall
United we shall never fall
Odin's sons... Attack!
Unleash hell! Do not repent! Warfare grants us no lament
Let your weapons slash and tear This is no place for fear
Hold the lines! Move as one! In unity our victory's won
Our shields will form a mighty wall
United we shall never fall
Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Another beauty. I really like that camo scheme on the Jug. Chipping looks great - did you paint that cowl? EDIT: (whoops just re-read and you indeed painted that cowl!)
Last edited by keavdog on Wed Aug 31, 2022 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks,
John
John
- jeaton01
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Splendid, Joe!
- Stikpusher
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
That’s a beautiful war weary Jug there Lawdog! Bravo!
I didn’t realize that other groups besides the 56th did multi color topside camo schemes on P-47s. That looks very sharp when coupled with the checkered cowling.
I didn’t realize that other groups besides the 56th did multi color topside camo schemes on P-47s. That looks very sharp when coupled with the checkered cowling.
"Surely I have made my meaning plain? I intend to avenge myself upon you, Admiral. I have deprived your ship of power, and when I swing 'round, I intend to deprive you of your life."
FLSM
FLSM
- Medicman71
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Man that's an awesome build!!
Mike
Sponsored by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Saab, BAE, and Dassault
Sponsored by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Saab, BAE, and Dassault
Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Beautiful - that's a fantastic build
Stuart Templeton 'I may not be good but I'm slow...'
My blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
My blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
- BlackSheep214
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Wow... that's a gorgeous beater of a P-47. Well done!!!
“Who controls the skies, controls the fate of this Earth”
Author unknown- 352nd Fighter Group, Blue-Nosed Bastards of Bodney
“Send one plane it’s a sortie; send two planes it’s a flight; send four planes it’s a test of airpower. - Richard Kohn
Author unknown- 352nd Fighter Group, Blue-Nosed Bastards of Bodney
“Send one plane it’s a sortie; send two planes it’s a flight; send four planes it’s a test of airpower. - Richard Kohn
- Duke Maddog
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Re: 1/48 P-47 D 353rd FG "Butch II" (Finished)
Wow, you captured the full essence of a well used Jug! I can't say any more!
The Duke
Virtuoso of Miniatures
"Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I get and beat you with 'till you understand who's in ruttin' command!"
-Jayne Cobb, Firefly Episode 2 "The Train Job"
We are modelers - the same in spirit, in hunger to insanely buy newly released kits, hustlers in hiding our stash from our better halves and experts in using garbage as replacements for after-market parts.
Virtuoso of Miniatures
"Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I get and beat you with 'till you understand who's in ruttin' command!"
-Jayne Cobb, Firefly Episode 2 "The Train Job"
We are modelers - the same in spirit, in hunger to insanely buy newly released kits, hustlers in hiding our stash from our better halves and experts in using garbage as replacements for after-market parts.