1/32 P-47 Thunderbolt

[KSaarni]

The Sutherland decal sheet has two birds on it, “Angie” and “Anne.” I found some recce intel on the base:

http://www.forgottenairfields.com/belgi ... -s101.html

Oh my!

What a fantastic site ! Truly fantastic, many thanks Bruce!
***
Go on Belgium --> East Flanders and then select SintDenijs-Westrem. This is very close to where we live and has clearly very interesting history. It's well known that here existed an airfield until 1985 (also written in the article). But then closed due to a big Expo was built... Ghents IKEA store is also located on this area.

During operation Bodenplatte on the 1st of January 1945, heavy fighting occured also above the skyes of Ghent
Battle over Ghent

But man, this is really great stuff!

I could spend the rest of the night just going through all those forgotten airfields and

- Kari

[speedgraflex]

Popcorn!

Very interesting information! And the photos of the bombing of Ghent convey so much — as does the photo of the very young pilots of the 308. Thank you!

I felt you would relate strongly to the forgotten history of these bases — and appreciate the kind of research being made.

[KSaarni]

Popcorn!

Very interesting information! And the photos of the bombing of Ghent convey so much — as does the photo of the very young pilots of the 308. Thank you!

I felt you would relate strongly to the forgotten history of these bases — and appreciate the kind of research being made.

Yes I do, very much appreciated!

- Kari

[speedgraflex]

I am still thinking about this and wanted to add that my gut feeling told me from the first that you should look at aircraft involved in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. I did think about aircraft from other countries as well, but I would really like to see your skills put to use on challenging natural metal finishes.



For bare aluminum P-47s, the overall scheme is shown here on Bill Dunham’s 460th FS P-47D, Bonnie. The markings include black fuselage bands, a blue rudder leading edge and red and white rudder horizontal stripes. The black turtle deck seems to be unique to Dunham’s aircraft.

58th Fighter Group

69th Fighter Squadron 2/44-12/45 the 69th P-47s carried a red horizontal cowl and aircraft codes A5-A33 on the side of the fuselage
310th Fighter Squadron 2/44-12/45 the 310th used a yellow cowl stripe and Aircraft codes H43-H66
311th Fighter Squadron 2/44-12/45 the 311th had a blue cowl stripe and aircraft codes V67-V69

348th Fighter Group

340th Fighter Squadron 6/43-3/45 Red vertical stabilizer stripe, aircraft code numbers 1 -25 within the stripe on the vertical
341st Fighter Squadron 6/43-3/45 Yellow vertical stabilizer stripe, aircraft code numbers 26-50 within the stripe on the vertical
342nd Fighter Squadron 6/43-3/45 Blue vertical stabilizer stripe, aircraft code numbers 50-75 within the stripe on the vertical
460th Fighter Squadron 9/44-3/45 Black vertical stabilizer stripe, aircraft code numbers 100-129 within the stripe on the vertical

[KSaarni]

Thanks Bruce,

Very interesting choices!
An overall metallic finish is a very challenging work! To get it really smooth, I would first need to test build aka paint a guinea pig first...

I think I have somewhere in the attic, a box with some old unbuilt kits and there Hellers 1/72 Thunderbolt... That could be used as testing object if full metallic finish would be the chosen camo!

I have also been thinking, as a continuation to my Fw-190, to build a Thunderbolt from a US flight group that was located in St Truiden on the 1st of January 1945. Those two builds would then have a "connection"..

Difficult!

- Kari

[speedgraflex]

[KSaarni]

Here we go ! :-)

- Kari

[speedgraflex]

Informally known as the “Peruvian Six Pack,” I send you this as a toast. TGIF!

[KSaarni]

thanks Bruce!

The closest one, what color does it actually have? Seems very reddish to me ??

- Kari

[speedgraflex]

thanks Bruce!

The closest one, what color does it actually have? Seems very reddish to me ??

- Kari

I found the caption—“This is the famous ‘Peruvian Six-Pack,’ repatriated to the USA by Ed Jurist in 1969. By 1974, he and the CAF had the six Thunderbolts flying. All were later sold, en masse, with a trainload of spare parts to aircraft collector, David Tallichet who eventually dealt them off one at a time.

The uppermost airplane in the photo, 45-49335, ’Unadilla Killa,’ had suffered at least one engine-failure and forced landing. This airplane now resides with Westpac Restorations and is painted up in 78th FG markings on natural aluminum. It is on active flying status. Westpac received most of Tallichet's huge cache of spare parts.

Second from the top, 45-49192, pictured here in red-striped tail, was pretty much destroyed in a flying/crash landing accident when the fuselage broke into two pieces (pilot survived), then was restored to static display condition by the American Air Museum in Duxford, England (Major parts of this Thunderbolt went into ‘No Guts, No Glory,’ a P-47N fuselage mated to P-47D wings and the serial number was transferred over to this airworthy composite aircraft).

Third airplane, 45-49167, with the diamond-checker nose, became a static display at the US Air Force Museum, Dayton Ohio.

Next, wearing the red nose ring, is 44-90471, now painted up as ‘Hairless Joe,’ resides at the Tillamook Air Museum in Oregon. It is in on flight status.

Fifth from top, 45-49181, in skull & crossbones, can now be seen at the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum. This one had suffered an in-flight turbocharger explosion but, obviously, made a successful landing. Though in airworthy condition, it is no longer flown.

At the bottom, 45-49205, with the white-painted tail, is at the Planes of Fame East Museum in Arizona. It is airworthy.”

My thought is the closest one is olive drab, but the cowling does seem to be reddish. Possibly a photo effect?