crazypoet

Some stuff both for the current P-47 project and for the A-20 that I hope to snag from HPC when they get ‘round to releasing it next year...

This is surreal... My mind is - yet again - completely twisted ‘round itself trying to comprehend the talent, skill and pure stubbornness (as it takes to make things perfectly believable up-close) that I see on display here and did I read that you’re going to fly this thing on scale radial engines?!?!?! With functioning turrets and gunsights??? gawds - I hope to live long enough to master even 1/10th the skills I see on display here every day

Love me a Starlifter! I had more than a few jumps outta those

After a long series of misadventures, I finally got the trophy from the Nationals i still need to get a decent set of pics, but it’s nice to have Boat and prize reunited...!

Ernie - you’ve mastered 1/32, so 1/16 sounds like a next logical step... i say do it and have some fun!

Nice 1/32 DC3 at DeAgostini/ModelSpace - but as with all their kits, they are a wee bit “proud” of the product still, i’ve seen people do some *very* nice builds off this kit. https://www.model-space.com/us/build-douglas-dc3.html

I did an inventory and was a bit startled... Eduard Engines, flaps, interior and exterior and bomb bay... and more yah - I went a bit (well, ok, more than a bit) overboard when I got the kit. I figure it will be worth it if I can make it into a fitting tribute for the grandfather of a friend of mine, who was killed in ‘45 when he was shot down over what’s now Czechoslovakia well, that and I got totally sucked in by all the stuff that was available!

I consider that I have nearly a grand between kit and aftermarket invested in the B-17 waiting quietly in my stash. Compared to that, a few hundred more for a BUFF in 1/32 isn’t so much to consider

Awesome and thank you!

Research is kinda fun! I found documentation that the 56th Fighter Group switched from the factory props to paddle-bladed spinners in January ‘44 - life is good

She’s a beauty! I do wish more of the cockpit was visible - you did a masterful job in there

So I’m continuing to take a hard look at the cockpit, trying to match photos of various vintages against the kit version, including the Eduard PE set. Two things i’ve noticed, regardless of the series within the P-47D family, are the rudder cables and pulleys, along with what looks like a support cable that connects from behind the IP to a point just forward of the stick. Since these are plainly visible in every photo i’ve seen, i’m going to see if I can scratch up a way to replicate them. Ditto for the connections between the throttle and engine. Last, i’ve seen two different throttle versions - I *suspect* that the correct version for my early series bird is a rounded knob, instead of the hand-sized grip provided in the PE set... more to come as I dig a bit deeper!

I get ya on that one! i’m looking Forward to seeing a Mustang in Civvies, even is it’s not a risky female actor...

In order to have all my existing photo postings un-f**ked back in early ‘18, I shelled out for one of their pay plans. Until I paid up, every photo link i’d ever posted anywhere was broken. they’ve since changed their policies and non-paid photos are again visible, albeit with that lovely PB watermark smeared over the center. regardless of any of that, i’m no longer willing to support them.

This is great work! not to mention learning all the quirks of the kit and seeing your approaches to dealing with them as well

Perfect workbench view... now I need to find a way to retire!

Last of the plain PE installed, primed, swore at, touched up, primed again... layer of Tamiya flat aluminum for wear and light chipping, then a slightly darkened cockpit green (matching some surviving examples from before they shifted to a darker internal green) and a slight start to some fading and detail. when I get home, it will be time for the seatbelts, Eduard colored PE, details, washes and general internal mayhem to bang things up a bit and make it look appropriately lived-in Meanwhile, it’s time to stop and watch the sunset, with a nice gin-n-tonic...

Almost all of the base cockpit PE done and took a stab at wiring the IP - all while hanging at the lake house. there are far worse workbenches than this... priming tomorrow - but now, it’s time for a drink and a sunset

Beautiful job on this! i love some of these early jets - the evolution in design that happens from the ‘40s through the late ‘60s led to some unique and interesting aircraft. Love these!

Cockpit PE is proceeding... veeeery sloooowly i need more than a few minutes at a time to do this - hoping for some solid blocks of time over an extended weekend up in the mountains... with just the slightest amount of luck, i’ll have this all at least assembled and primered by the time I head back to the office next Wednesday

The Eduard instructions have me doing a bit of trimming on the IP - I suspect that's to account for your first point. On the second - thanks for the heads-up! Worst case, I can cut a notch or three in the piping to make room

That's what tipped the scale for me!

So I'm still working through the cockpit details... Mostly research and cross-indexing, which proved to be a bit more challenging than I'd anticipated (Achievement: FIRST DOUBLE SCOTCH AWARDED) First, the gunsight... The P-47D-6-RE came from the factory with the US N3 gunsight with a Republic-designed sight head. Most of these were swapped out for the British MkII in short order. Sadly, there's not a good photo of the cockpit interior of my bird, so I have to roll the dice and hope. The decision was simplified a bit since neither the kit nor the Eduard Interior PE set has the N3/Republic sight - only the British MkII and (later) MkVIII sights. So.... MkII it is. Crossing my fingers and hoping that I don't find a new reference a week from now that shows the factory sight installation... Next, rudder pedals. I've seen two variants, both included in the Eduard PE, but no documentation as to which goes with which variant. Soooooo… I flipped a coin and went with the version that I like better. There is at least one good reference that shows this ship with a field-modded rear-view mirror, so I know which one to use. First pic: US N3 w/Republic Head Second: British MkII Third and fourth: rudder pedals galore!

Looking sweet!

Figured it was at least worth asking...