Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[davegee]

Hmmm, looks like FMS Warbirds are drying up. All FMS birds show 'discontinued' on H.H. I wonder if this is because of the B.S. ban on importing 'drones' H.H. doesn't show them on their list of manufacturers either.

Hi Dan: I was able to find one online so I think I am all set. This is the last P-47 I plan on doing and didn't want to cannibalize my Penrod and Sam razorback to make the new bubbletolp version.I do hope regardless, they will be available in the USA in the future.

Cheers

Dave.

[f4u ausie]

There's a 1500 p 47 FM's here but likely shipping to be drugmoney

[davegee]

Hmmm, looks like FMS Warbirds are drying up. All FMS birds show 'discontinued' on H.H. I wonder if this is because of the B.S. ban on importing 'drones' H.H. doesn't show them on their list of manufacturers either.

Hmmm.... That's unfortunate. I guess I'll just have to continue on with the current bubble top mod and hope that another plane kit comes available in time. Worst case, I could take one of my other airplanes and use those parts like the wings and such. I think I could still pull it off ok even in this worst case scenario. I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is temporary, but we'll just have to see.

Thanks for the heads up on this.

Davegee

[davegee]

Davegee,
I tried thin cloth but at this size it didn't lay right. tried the toilet paper and it looks like my real photo so I'm happy. 99% won't see it but it just feels right to try. I can't imagine what those guys went through, day in day out. facing death and able to come home and have a decent life. My uncle was at the battle of the bulge and Bastone front lines. Came home with a German Luger with ss ruins on the handle. He used to fire it every New Year. When Saving Private came out he and my aunt went to see it. When the tiger came through the village and the tracks were squeaking my uncle jumped under the seats and my aunt had to get the manager. He was in his eighties, but that sound brought back memories.
Rex

Wow! We can only imagine the horrors that these soldiers experienced, like your uncle. God bless all of them, some 16 million from the USA alone who put on the uniform and fought to save the world.

My good friend Bill Getz, who passed away at 99 years of age a couple of years ago, was one of the youngest, if not The youngest 4-engine aircraft commanders flying B-24s in1944-5 in the 8th AAF. He remarked that even as a 19 year old pilot, when they came over the planned Initial Point (IP) to the target which varied from 5-20 miles long or so and couldn't take evasive action until the bomb release point, even for a 19 year old who at that age considers himself "bullet proof" it was absolutely terrifying. He showed me a piece of the front windscreen from his B-24. I had assumed they were armored glass. Nope, it was just clear plexiglass about 1/8" thick, and definitely would NOT stop a bullet or piece of flak.

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

Hmmm, looks like FMS Warbirds are drying up. All FMS birds show 'discontinued' on H.H. I wonder if this is because of the B.S. ban on importing 'drones' H.H. doesn't show them on their list of manufacturers either.

[jetfool]

Davegee,
I tried thin cloth but at this size it didn't lay right. tried the toilet paper and it looks like my real photo so I'm happy. 99% won't see it but it just feels right to try. I can't imagine what those guys went through, day in day out. facing death and able to come home and have a decent life. My uncle was at the battle of the bulge and Bastone front lines. Came home with a German Luger with ss ruins on the handle. He used to fire it every New Year. When Saving Private came out he and my aunt went to see it. When the tiger came through the village and the tracks were squeaking my uncle jumped under the seats and my aunt had to get the manager. He was in his eighties, but that sound brought back memories.
Rex

[davegee]

I must say Bob has a good grip on the bottle, the fight with the Luftwaffe must have really shaken him.
Today I have been priming, silver paint, int, green paint and making more details.
I added the inner lip on the sliding canopy, still need to add the rubber seal on the front canopy edge. I only had blue 26ga wire so waiting on the black paint to dry before installing.
Made a 5/8" square .010" styrene base, glued control stick to this and added the cloth boot around the bottom. Used a piece of toilet paper to represent the cloth, painted it looks good. Don't believe I need to explain where I thought this idea up. LOL
Many other little details have been done
Best Regards, Rex

I think if Bob was still with us today, he'd have a chuckle over the beer bottle.

[davegee]

Here are some photos

looks great, Rex. I like how you made the "boot" at the bottom of the contol stick.

[Grossman56]

Looks great, although somehow you're going to have to pry that beer bottle out of the hand of 'ol Bob! HA!

Well done! This is the level of detail we're looking for!

Cheers

Davegee

Maybe if you promised to install a bottle holder in the cockpit he'd be more inclined to surrender the bottle. Of course, if this was just after his plane was turned into a sieve by a Luftwaffe pilot but by the grace of God he made it back, who could blame him??

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[jetfool]

Here are some photos

[jetfool]

I must say Bob has a good grip on the bottle, the fight with the Luftwaffe must have really shaken him.
Today I have been priming, silver paint, int, green paint and making more details.
I added the inner lip on the sliding canopy, still need to add the rubber seal on the front canopy edge. I only had blue 26ga wire so waiting on the black paint to dry before installing.
Made a 5/8" square .010" styrene base, glued control stick to this and added the cloth boot around the bottom. Used a piece of toilet paper to represent the cloth, painted it looks good. Don't believe I need to explain where I thought this idea up. LOL
Many other little details have been done
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Bob checking out the seat and floorboard and my headrest per a real photo

Looks great, although somehow you're going to have to pry that beer bottle out of the hand of 'ol Bob! HA!

Well done! This is the level of detail we're looking for!

Cheers

Davegee

[jetfool]

Bob checking out the seat and floorboard and my headrest per a real photo

[jetfool]

Dan & Dave,
You guys have a good process going and believe you 2 should offer for sale your products. If others out there are watching, I highly recommend Dave and Dan's 3d painted pilots. The detail of the pilot and detail of the 3d add on parts for the P-47 are fantastic. Propellor Cuffs, Gunsight, mirror etc., Spinner beautiful detail.
Bob trying out the seat and floorboard. A pic of the headrest and my headrest before prime & paint


Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Great news! I always fear that one of my boxes will be delivered by Ace Ventura, if you’ve seen that Jim Carrey movie. I had a very delicate lunar rover model get virtually destroyed by FedEx going to a museum in New York. I had to reprint a couple of parts and their team is working on getting it all back together for display.

Well, Dan and I were very happy to help out in some small way to enhance your great P-47 and will be keeping our fingers crossed that you do well at the show this spring!

Let me know if you have any questions or need any other parts printed.

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

Glad he arrived in one piece, Dave did a lot of 3D printing, awesome job, Dave! I miss the little guy and tell him his buddies, Douglas, Landers and Johnny say hi and save some of the beer for when they fly again!
Seriously, you never know just how good they look until they're actually sitting the cockpit, like a painting before and after it gets framed!
So now if anyone asks where you got the pilot, you'll recommend D and D inc.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[jetfool]

Davegee and Grossman56,
The shipping container arrived in excellent condition. The 3d parts will all be used and the pilot, Well unbelievable the similarity of Bob Johnson. Speaking of Bob, I found him in a relaxed prone position. The beer in his hand was 1/2 empty and Bob was in an unconscious position. At the far end I found 5 more empty beer bottles. He must have had a harrowing last flight. After reviving him he was able to get in his cockpit as the mechanics were repairing the battle damage. THAT'S MY STORY!
I can't thank you guys enough.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Breathless anticipation! Does he still have a full beer!?!?

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Postman should arrive about 1 1/2 hr so I will be waiting in our 7' weather at the end of driveway. Do you think I'm excited?
If you remove the stickers on the wing, I fill the foam with lite-weight spackling. Takes several sanding, filling to get the level you need. My new way is just do the poly sand over the decals and I mask and paint new stars, etc This new way will completely level and cover over and the primer coats will not show the OEM stickers. You will forget they were ever there. Try it on a dollar tree $1 foam board, add some old stickers and give it a try. A lot easier and faster. Just my .02
I have touched the chipped paint from last summer's flying and working on armor glass/frame today. Just need to finish landing gear area and cockpit and I think it will be finished.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,
I will try to explain what I do but first I need to say Elbee is the one that first advised me on this while he was doing his Corsair and I was starting mine. The first time I removed all the factory decals, a long process of filling the deference of the bare foam back to an even level. The last few planes I have done I brush a heavy layer of poly acrylic over the whole plane, decals too. Let dry overnight and sand the next day to start a smooth surface. Sand the first coat until the decals start to show. Brush another heavy coat, this time I try to level the surface even. I start with 120 sandpaper and just cut the poly until the surface gets smoother. Do this about four times and the last coat I use 320 sandpaper. Everything at this point should be smooth as butter and not much weight added. Next, I spray sandable build up primer, sand down to the poly. Low spots will show so spray another primer coat and sand down until the surface is smooth and level. The panel lines will still show up ready for your paint. All this forms a hard shell (almost like fiberglass covering) but little weight gain.
I just watched a video on masking and painting foam models and not pulling up paint when removing the tape. Will try this on the phantom. It is in the P-39 post. He uses baby powder. You should check it out.
Glad to be of some help after all you guys are doing for me.
Best Regards, Rex

Thanks for that, Rex. For this particular project Hairless Joe, I started with a spare fuselage with no stickers like it would have on it from the factory. So, that's a plus. I will be ordering another full kit that has the motor, gear, and all that stuff. Will use the modified fuse from Jim in California, and probably the wings from the kit. Those might have the stickers on them, so I'd carefully remove them and do the technique you described above.

I love the idea of painting on the decals, rather than stickers. On all my big gasers, I have always done that and it looks much better than the stickers. But I haven't been able to put masks down that don't pull up the paint on the styrofoam. I'll check out F106DD's technique he uses with baby powder. Hadn't heard that one yet.

Your package should arrive ok today, hopefully. Let me know if everything is in working order, and if you need anything else you can think of before finishing the model for the contest.

Cheers

davegee