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RAF SEAC Thunderbolt I, 5 Sqn Burma 1944
Topic Started: Nov 3 2013, 08:47 PM (741 Views)
KallistiUk
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For the next part of my odyssey to built an example of each plane my Father worked on while he was in the RAF in WWII, I aim to fill in a gap between the Hurricane IIc ( RFI: http://s3.zetaboards.com/locate_and_cement/topic/7616955) I built at the start of this year and the Thunderbolt II (RFI: http://s3.zetaboards.com/locate_and_cement/topic/7635798) by building the companion that last one, a Thunderbolt I.

In September 1944, 5 Sqn and 124 Sqn were converted to using Thunderbolts. The RAF had been acquiring this superior American fighter for some time and had adopted the nomenclature Thunderbolt I for Ridgebacks ie P-47D-15-RE, P-47D-21-RE and P-47-22RE and Thunderbolt II for the Bubbletops, P-47D-25-RE and upwards.

It was originally intended to equip 5 Sqn with Ridgebacks to work ground attack missions and 123 Sqn with Bubbletops, but due to a mix up in the training and maintenance schedules, both units departed the training unit with a mix of both types. Eventually in early 1945, they exchanged aircraft so that 5 Sqn had its full compliment of Thunderbolt Is.

So thats the preamble now to the build... I'm pleased to say that this is the first WIP I'm doing with my brand new Nikon D3100 camera since my old one suffered a failure of a tiny 4 mm long plastic clip that means the battery compartment won't close anymore which has rendered the bloody thing useless. That said, I've been wanting to upgrade from that camera for some time and this was the perfect excuse :) I must say having only had the new one for 2 days I much prefer it - its lighter, more flexible and takes photos much faster than the old one.

Box:
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So having built the bubbletop not all that long ago the cockpit was familiar territory. I'd picked up an Eduard PE set while at the Abingdon show last month so this went in along with a resin seat with moulded straps from Quickboost:

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Now while at Abingdon I also picked up the Osprey book "Modelling the P-47 Thunderbolt" in which Brett Green builds a SEAC Thunderbolt and includes a couple of figures that are perfect for Burma. So I tracked them down to an Austalian company called Jaguar and had them shipped over:

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Now although these say "Australian", if you see photos of the RAF ground crews in Burma, bush hat, shorts and boots seems to have been the standard "uniform" most of the time and I've got photos in the album of my Dad dressed like that - maybe not as buff as this guy, but it will be good enough so I can include my Dad in one of the 1:48 builds as well. I'm tempted to do more of an airfield scene and put both Thunderbolts into it, so it'll mean a bigger base and more clutter on the ground... love it! :)

These Tamiya kits are excellent, very enjoyable builds.
Edited by KallistiUk, Nov 4 2013, 09:14 AM.
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peebeep
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The SEAC livery sits really well on the P-47, this should be a treat to watch.

peebeep
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