Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[jetfool]

Davegee,

Yes, she is usually right in sizing up my excitement to assemble/ build a new plane. I really think she enjoys pulling my chain. Overall, I have enjoyed these last few weeks of choosing a particular plane and pilot to model. Collecting all the materials I might need and taking the time to look at all the photos and seeing little details that I want to add. The most fun I've had are the ideas and friendship that this site has to offer.

These last 20+ days have been more about fun than modifying the P-47 but every day I wake up wondering "What Will Elbee come up with today"

Rex

[jetfool]

Has been a fun Journey with your daily count down. Just one more day and then I can get my heart rate back to normal. I'll probably be so relaxed that the day has come I'll oversleep X-Mas morning.

[davegee]

jetfool

Wow! Looks like that Thunderbolt just took out 5 or 6 (if you include Rudolph) of Santa's reindeer with that fighter pass! I think Santa can Still accomplish his mission with three operable reindeer, though!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!

Davegee

[jetfool]

I was thinking the same thing, Davegee. OLE' Elbee getting in his last lick. Thanks, Elbee!

Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas, Rex

[jetfool]

The Big Day has arrived! Commander in Chief said last night that dog and I can open our presents Christmas morning. Just don't understand why she won't wake up at 5:00 am? So, dog and I sat around the tree drinking a pot of coffee until Momma arrived, 7:30 am. Well, don't know who was happier, the dog with large cow leg bone or the P-47. Dog took off down hallway w/bone and hasn't been seen since. This is a model worth waiting for, beautiful and larger than I thought. Later today I will assemble and check everything works then start on modifications.
Merry Christmas to All, Rex

[jetfool]

Thank You.

Wishing You and your lovely Wife Merry Christmas

[davegee]

Thank You.

Wishing You and your lovely Wife Merry Christmas

Looking forward to the upcoming detailing/build/assembly of Lucky!

Davegee

[Grossman56]

Me as well, great model and I've seen Dave's first hand. Way back in the day, OV10, Charlie Brown built one and put a 4s system and changed the prop. It outperformed the 6s. You'd have to look back around 2017 to get the exact changes, but man it performed great!

Good times at Muncie

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[jetfool]

Thanks guys.
This model is really excellent, no blemishes on paint or deformed foam. Can't wait to get where I have several coats of polyacrylic clear on to harden the skin before starting to detail. I have assembled and installed a new receiver with my 6s Admiral battery. everything works as advertised so disassembly has taken place for the first coats of clear. Decals removed with no pulling up foam, will lightly sand before clear.

Davegee, Did you remove the cockpit to repaint the dark green per Republic int. color? Looks like the inst. panel needs to be black also. Think I will make the correct gunsight and Armor glass plate. Pilot needs a repaint too. Haven't removed canopy yet, these are just my observations.

Dangerous Dan, Hope you received the wheel bushings and they work ok. If not let me know and I will make new ones.


Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Hi Rex: yes, my recommendation is to carefully remove the canopy and remove all the plastic parts of cockpit for repainting, including the forward control panel, which should be Matte black. The plastic cockpit panels can be repainted a dull dark green color. I used a Model Master Euro Dark Green I FS34882. I think Model Master is no longer in business, but you find something dark green that should work.

The pilot needs rework, repaint, or replacement. I did repaint mine and added scale helmet cords that make it look better. But still not very good, rather cartoonish, I think.

The rudimentary K-14 gunsight that comes with the kit should be removed and replaced by a gunsight similar to what we (or I) put in on my Corsair. The reflective glass should be square instead of oval like the Corsair. I can help you with that if you like.

[f4u ausie]

Thanks guys.
This model is really excellent, no blemishes on paint or deformed foam. Can't wait to get where I have several coats of polyacrylic clear on to harden the skin before starting to detail. I have assembled and installed a new receiver with my 6s Admiral battery. everything works as advertised so disassembly has taken place for the first coats of clear. Decals removed with no pulling up foam, will lightly sand before clear.

Davegee, Did you remove the cockpit to repaint the dark green per Republic int. color? Looks like the inst. panel needs to be black also. Think I will make the correct gunsight and Armor glass plate. Pilot needs a repaint too. Haven't removed canopy yet, these are just my observations.

Dangerous Dan, Hope you received the wheel bushings and they work ok. If not let me know and I will make new ones.


Best Regards, Rex

Hi rex hope the dog liked his bone.. ive heard much about the polyacrylic, or minwax,, (same thing?) Was wondering if these coats help with or reduce the foam gatoring in the foam,, and when u sand it ,, will u sand it to a point which flattens any gatoring already there if u get the chance , post pic after poly coats,, thanx

[jetfool]

f4uausie/

Yeah, the dog took off to a room where no one would bother him. He spent most of the day knawing away on it. He was a Happy Camper.
Once I get my phone and computer talking together I will post pictures. Minwax is the brand of polyacrylic I use. Some use Varthane brand paint.
If theres gatoring I use Spackling and spread it over and let dry a day till hard. Then sand it smooth usually finish sand with 320 paper. Then I brush on 3-6 coats of poly letting each coat dry before next coat. Poly dries fast, even faster if you use the wife's hair dryer. I sand lightly with 320 paper between coats then primer. For my Tigercat I try to keep it out of the sun because of the dark color but so far no gatoring. Yes the Polycrylic does protect the foam and you get a hard surface that helps on hanger rash. Try it you will like it.

Best Regards, Rex

[jetfool]

Davegee,

Looking at the exhaust pipes in pictures the models look too long. I see where you trimmed your exhaust and added the waste-gate. How short did you make yours. Removed canopy and interior. Wife wants to repaint pilot to reflect clothing worn in the war. Who am I to argue with an offer I can't refuse.

Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,

Looking at the exhaust pipes in pictures the models look too long. I see where you trimmed your exhaust and added the waste-gate. How short did you make yours. Removed canopy and interior. Wife wants to repaint pilot to reflect clothing worn in the war. Who am I to argue with an offer I can't refuse.

Best Regards, Rex

My wife paints all my pilots so you are in good company!

I think the model was designed by FMS like it would have had lengthened exhaust stacks if it didn't have a waste gate. I've seen this on some restorations where they didn't have the waste gates installed any more. Maybe that's where they got that idea. But for your plane, I cut it off short, pretty much where it starts coming out of the fuselage. Then I made a small round disc of plastic (waste gate), cut off about a third of it so it could fit at an angle inside the ring that you cut off nearly flush with the fuse. The waste gate would be open a ways (your choice of position) on the ground, and then would eventually fully close at altitude to force the exhaust air through the piping to spin the turbo charger about 3/4 back on the bottom of the fuse.

I just took a pic of my Penrod and Sam so you can see how I did it. This area would have a lot of brownish heat and exhaust stains on the waste gate and surrounding area, and a stream of exhaust, (probably best done with an airbrush) showing how it was blown back by the windstream on the fuse. It's not perfect but pretty close, I think.

You can pull off those plastic panels to better work on them and then reglue them on later. Might make it a bit easier to do.

[jetfool]

Guys,
Not much going on in any forum that I check out daily, so I guess I'll let you know what I have accomplished so far. Decided to sand all the molding stars off airframe that would show. She looks like she has chicken pox with all the little splotches. Filled non scale seams with spackling and sanded smooth. Used my 3- view and made the camera and intake in wing. Used .040" styrene sheet and filled out the landing gear covers per pictures. Shortened exhaust pipes and added the waste - gate inside. Removed cockpit and painted interior a darker green, need to paint instrument panel and side panel controls. Pilot removed primed and wife will paint, changed the pilots head to be slightly looking up and to the left (10 o'clock position). Re-positioned trim tabs on ail., rudder and stab. Lightly sanded whole airframe w/320 and believe I am ready to start brushing the polyacrylic clear on to harden the shell.
It seems like this project is going fast but I am spending about 10-12 hrs. a day down in the skunkworks. Also, I spent the last 20+ days preparing everything I wanted to do while Elbee kept the countdown going.
I am taking pictures as I go and as soon as I can I'll post pictures.

Best Regards, Rex

[f4u ausie]

Boy mustb cold in windiana u have done pleeennty.. imagine that productivity at the real skunkworks,, well done

[davegee]

Guys,
Not much going on in any forum that I check out daily, so I guess I'll let you know what I have accomplished so far. Decided to sand all the molding stars off airframe that would show. She looks like she has chicken pox with all the little splotches. Filled non scale seams with spackling and sanded smooth. Used my 3- view and made the camera and intake in wing. Used .040" styrene sheet and filled out the landing gear covers per pictures. Shortened exhaust pipes and added the waste - gate inside. Removed cockpit and painted interior a darker green, need to paint instrument panel and side panel controls. Pilot removed primed and wife will paint, changed the pilots head to be slightly looking up and to the left (10 o'clock position). Re-positioned trim tabs on ail., rudder and stab. Lightly sanded whole airframe w/320 and believe I am ready to start brushing the polyacrylic clear on to harden the shell.
It seems like this project is going fast but I am spending about 10-12 hrs. a day down in the skunkworks. Also, I spent the last 20+ days preparing everything I wanted to do while Elbee kept the countdown going.
I am taking pictures as I go and as soon as I can I'll post pictures.

Best Regards, Rex

Wow! You're really moving on this project! All those days counting down to XMAS let you go over in your mind what to do once you got your hands on it!

Looking forward to the pics as they come in. I have now three of these (used to be 4) and I remember that it did not have a aileron trim tab factory- molded in for the left wing only (since the real planes did not have a trim tab installed for the right aileron). I used a 3-view drawing and made a template for the size and placement to cut the left aileron trim tab. Maybe you have done the same. I'll enjoy going over your progress pics, you are doing a great job on it so far, I bet!

You're going to have a ball with this airplane when you get it all done!

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,

I used my 3-view and scale up the left ail. trim tab, same for camera and air intake. Plane matches the 3-view really well. Layed out the gas caps, formation lights and added the underwing aileron covers (3 ea. side). Nobody will notice but I'll know! Made a wood plug and using clay made a mold. Used lite weight Bondo and poured in my 6 little clay moulds. 15 min. later presto ail hinge covers.
I had plenty of time to list the main things on paper I wanted to do thanks to my Commander who saw the big picture. LOL

Taking a break today to fly with my buddies

Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,

I used my 3-view and scale up the left ail. trim tab, same for camera and air intake. Plane matches the 3-view really well. Layed out the gas caps, formation lights and added the underwing aileron covers (3 ea. side). Nobody will notice but I'll know! Made a wood plug and using clay made a mold. Used lite weight Bondo and poured in my 6 little clay moulds. 15 min. later presto ail hinge covers.
I had plenty of time to list the main things on paper I wanted to do thanks to my Commander who saw the big picture. LOL

Taking a break today to fly with my buddies

Best Regards, Rex

You Deserve a break after that whirlwind of work!

Gas caps??

Cheers

Davegee

[davegee]

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