OK I know I should be concentrating on the Hunter PR.11 and I've broken another New Year's Resolution but I couldn't resist this. Bought the kit absolutely convinced that the proposed 'Old Kit, Bad Kit' GB proposal would be a winner. Well it wasn't, but I'm combining that proposal with this GB and getting as close as I can to a 1-Week GB effort.
The kit? It's the old and execrable Heller P-47N (see Thunderbolt P-47N, Heller L084 (1974) (scalemates.com) (http://thunderbolt%20p-47n,%20heller%20l084%20(1974)%20(scalemates.com)) and typical reviews at https://www.modelingmadness.com/review/allies/us/mesnerp47n.htm (https://www.modelingmadness.com/review/allies/us/mesnerp47n.htm) and Heller 1/72 P-47N, by Joel Hamm (modelingmadness.com) (http://heller%201/72%20P-47N,%20by%20Joel%20Hamm%20(modelingmadness.com))). And yes, it really is that bad. Sorry forum buddies from France, but it's true.
So let's start with the instructions. They're satisfactorily laid out and easy to interpret, but some of the images do leave a lot to be desired. Take for example this:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51325853401_e399ccb55f.jpg)
which makes the P-47 look more like a Martin Mauler or Boeing XF8B with a prolapsed reduction gear casing.
And this:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51325853411_bb5c72ac35.jpg)
which would have dissimilar plastic parts look the same, when they don't:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51325116992_871bec0f88.jpg)
Fit of parts is OK, but some of the location points are a bit vaguely moulded and/or not so clear on the instructions, such is the case with the engine and cockpit area. Also wing construction is a tad odd - the kit may have been engineered by a trainee (that or a practical joker). Why? Well take a look at the parts breakdown for the 1/72 Academy P-47D (http://www.modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/us/acadp47da.jpg): the underwing parts (left of picture) fit into the upperwing parts - as is so often the case with wing parts - thus enabling neater flap and aileron joins. Not so this kit - the smaller upper wing part fit into larger lower wing parts making for a very ugly join. But hey ho, that's the least of our wing worries!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51326573489_8d68eb82d1.jpg)(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51326846575_aaa1ff28f6.jpg)
Anyway, building. Started yesterday, commencing with the removal of the stubby underwing rocket pylons. I say 'rocket', the kit parts look more like school sports day javelins. Bombs are dispensed with and a little bit of detailing informed by https://intscalemodeller.com/viewtopic.php?t=22316 is added.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51326846560_2c00bca2db.jpg)
All now painted up following overnight drying, some drybrushing and thin washes added to draw out/highlight detail, for example in the cockpit:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51326846550_5b53a40060.jpg)(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51326573434_96e5d601ac.jpg)
The fuselage is firmly taped up and left to set hard overnight, ditto the wings. Ah, yes, the wings. This is what the Heller P-47N is best known for - its upside down wings. The wing root clearly shows the upside down aerofoil section. How? HOW??
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51325853351_2d215de2c9.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mcuq34)
No matter, building this for a laff.
Anyway, the cunning plan is to create a Republic of China RF-47N. Of course there was never, ever such a beast. Cameras can't fit the fuselage 'cos it's full of supercharger, so they'll have to hang under the wings.
More in the next thrilling installment!
Good progress :thumbsup:
Quote from: NARSES2 on July 21, 2021, 07:07:21 AM
Good progress :thumbsup:
I'm building it so no one else will have to!
There is whiffing potential in any kit, no matter how bad. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Why not.. adds to the party. Cockpit is tricked out nicely
I have to agree with The Rat's sentiments as well. Personally I find ordinary -> awful kits better to whif with as a base. Probably a discussion for elsewhere though.
Keep up the good work
There was actually a proposal/concept for a recce P-47, and it had AFAIK a camera in/behind the port intercooler vent under the front fuselage. Does not sound very effective to me, and it was apparently not adopted for service.
Reading the thread title I pictured a Taiwanese B-47 Stratojet...
Ratty/buzzbomb: fully agree with you, my whiffery makes a lot of use of such kits. My reply to NARSES2 was tongue-in-cheek.
Dizzy: didn't know that.
Quick bit of post-holibobs glueing and sticking:
1. Wings, tailplanes and tailwheel bay doors fitted.
2. Checked main u/c legs against Academy P-47D parts. Build pics of the Heller P-47N suggest the legs are too stalky but they match up pretty well against the Academy legs. Am assuming the latter are accurate, based on kit reviews.
3. Worked out how to fill the void on the N's instrument panel, again using Academy parts as my reference.
4. A spot of home-made decal planning.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51365878967_2c83d4ff5e_z.jpg)
Building mostly done, undercarriage and sorting out the camera arrangement to follow. Some initial PSR done and the home-made decals are designed. I've some 'home alone' time next week so fingers crossed there will be some major progression between now and the end of next week.
As you can see, no attempt to scribe panel lines, etc.
More RF-47N progress:
Credit where credit's due, the Heller kit's main components fit together well, and despite the wing errors there's not much filler required at the wing/fuselage joint, nor with the tailplanes. All hidden after a base coat of Humbrol 56 Aluminium.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51383895780_b9fdd1bb44.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mhBU2A) (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51383895770_8a1b981b7a_z.jpg)
Heller for some reason decided the drop tank pylons warranted an irregular leading edge, so the offending notches were treated with some plastic card and a little bit of filler.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51382122287_15cac94913_m.jpg)
The camera installation - to be explained in the backstory but linked to reality (and a later republic product):
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51382884826_cb9bbe4c3e.jpg)(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51382897126_02b6a759de.jpg)
Need to square off the camera ports a little more. (https://flic.kr/p/2mhBU2q)
Moving along very nicely
Well the wheels are on (tailwheel was a pain in the derriere, in the end replaced by a Ye Olde Worlde Airfix MiG-15 nosewheel), and I'm pleased to say the beast doesn't look as lanky as I feared. A P-51 drop tank from the spares box has been added.
A coat of Xtracolor High Speed Silver has been applied, will let that dry over the weekend before checking it's OK, touching up here and there and then masking a few places that'll get some Xtracolor Duralumin. Other general paint tidying will be needed, too.
Pics at the next update.
Oh, did I mention that the canopy is waaaay oversized? Not to worry, eh?
Almost there. Some tidying up of the paint job and the rudder stripes needed, and a final coat of varnish, then it'll be done.
All of the markings are home made, bar the fuselage and upper wing roundels.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51474594992_59266991bf_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mqCKK7)
well it looks like a Jug to me :thumbsup:
Quote from: Martin H on September 14, 2021, 12:48:09 PM
well it looks like a Jug to me :thumbsup:
And quite a good looking jug, if i may say so. :thumbsup:
Quote from: DogfighterZen on September 14, 2021, 01:07:46 PM
Quote from: Martin H on September 14, 2021, 12:48:09 PM
well it looks like a Jug to me :thumbsup:
And quite a good looking jug, if i may say so. :thumbsup:
It does indeed :thumbsup:
I like Jugs ... Although I prefer them in pairs. :wacko: ... just got one myself (Tamiya 1/48 P-47D) :thumbsup:
Great build, mate, & a less common user! :bow:
Quote from: Old Wombat on September 17, 2021, 08:20:44 AM
I like Jugs ... Although I prefer them in pairs. :wacko: ..
I'm a straight glass man myself :cheers: ;)
Thanks chaps for the generous comments, you might change your mind if/when you see it in the flesh!
Apart from a bit of touching up I'm calling it done and aim to post pics and a brief backstory over the weekend. I'll be glad to get it done, tbh. It's not the greatest kit (but I knew that already - see first post) and I've gone from treating it with informed scorn (a consequence of knowing that it was a poor kit), to being a bit more objective about it and getting into a groove with it, to becoming frustrated with it.
The home-made decals took two goes to get things satisfactory, and even then one or two replacements had to be run off. That's not the fault of the kit, of course - printer limitations and a lack of aerosol decal fixer, but added a tad to the frustration. And the rudder stripes. Entirely self-inflicted this was - that'll learn me to be clever and try a short-cut that's taken longer to tidy up than it would have taken to do it a more time-consuming way. Never mind, we must learn from our mistakes!
Tiny bit of touching up done, I could go on with these forever but it's time to stop (some of you may know the feeling). More in the completed builds thread.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51515039939_9e3bcdc098_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mud3BM)
Looks right in those colours sir :thumbsup:
Quote from: NARSES2 on September 26, 2021, 06:23:06 AM
Looks right in those colours sir :thumbsup:
You're too kind, Chris.
Sweet work all around
Quote from: kitbasher on September 26, 2021, 08:59:51 AM
Quote from: NARSES2 on September 26, 2021, 06:23:06 AM
Looks right in those colours sir :thumbsup:
You're too kind, Chris.
Bribery works all the time Dave, and I'm quite cheap ;)
Nah seriously looks good in that photo, especially considering what you started with