JayW

Really nice Peter - new territory for sure!

And that is the new bar for P-47 models. Let's see if anyone can top it. I don't see how - this is darn near perfect.

Like you, I just didn't know for sure what to do about the tri-colors. I used Tamiya AS-20 (insignia white), AS-19 (intermediate blue), and AS-8 (Navy blue). I used the white as-is, I mixed some white with the intermediate blue to lighten it some, and I mixed some intermediate with the Navy blue to lighten it as well. It gave a result that is not too dark - that's about all I can say. Then washes and other weathering changed it. I think none of us will ever know what shades these Corsairs really acquired when subjected to the rigors of tropical pacific. Almost all photos are B&W, and what color photos there are are no doubt faded or age-altered in some way.

You know what? I am going to retract my concerns about ground clearance for the flat steel belly tank. I still maintain that Trumpeter err'd by having the bomb shackle so proud of the belly contour. But for one reason or another the tank was REALLY close to the ground: So Thunnus - erase any doubts you might have. And get going on that RFI post!

The side view you just posted shows more ground clearance for the tank than the previous - I thought it worse. Still ought to be more, but I can understand your position much more. Were it dragging the ground (it is not) I suspect you would address it, but it would have been major surgery. As for the gear rake - within acceptable limits for sure. And as you explain it sort of is what it is. Were it not for the belly tank ground clearance I would not have mentioned it at all. And thinking further on it - pushing the struts back (magically) would have misaligned the flats on the tires which would have required busting them off. So yeah - I get it. No apology necessary!!! I love this build.

Hey look what I just found. First a picture John has provided in a previous post: Note here that the tank has little rings that attach to the centerline bomb shackle, as they should. Note that the bomb shackle is completely proud of the belly. That is NOT as it should be. I am sorry I did not pick this up earlier. This drawing (93F78218 - "Sway Brace Install. - Belly Tank & Bomb") shows that the bomb shackle is buried almost entirely inside the belly contour: Making this correction alone may solve the drop tank to ground clearance issue. Might be a tough thing to do, but that would do it.

Dan - I have on order an Elegoo Saturn 2. So I have taken the plunge. May I ask - what scale are your 3D printed aircraft parts?

Matt - did one already. Here is the RFI: I included a link to the build thread.

The P-47 is one of my all-time favorite subjects. I have spent way too many hours studying it. It is a thrill to have one of the most accomplished modelers on LSP model it in 1/32. P-47's were the workhorse fighter of the USAAF. It was big, burly and mean. It looked it too. I know that look when I see it. In addition to the virtual perfection of so many details - engine, cockpit, exterior finish, gear bays, etc - your model has successfully captured that look IMO. It looks big, burly and mean. I cannot wait to see a multi-picture RFI. Now - what is going on with that belly tank? It is practically dragging the ground. I did some checking around and I have found a couple things. First, there is a drawing that describes aux tank installations - a few of them (drawing 93X10101). Only thing is, it doesn't describe the flat tank you have. Don't know why. There is a picture however of the 108 gallon "paper" tank belly mounted, shown here: Given the tight clearance of any large tank mounted on the belly to the ground, you would expect the sway braces to be turned in as much as possible regardless of whether its a paper tank or the flat tank. The picture above shows the tank pretty tight against the belly. Not touching of course but tight. Yours is not - there is a good bit of clearance on yours. There must be pictures out there that show in good detail that belly tank on an aircraft. Perhaps check into that? Fixing that would be a PITA, but very doable. Also note the tank above is nose down just a bit. I wonder if the flat tank is supposed to be that way too, to improve ground clearance.... Also, I rechecked that side view you provided us that shows quite well the landing gear rake. Some things to know: 1. The angle between the horizontal ref line of the fuselage and the gear strut should be between 78 and 78.5 deg. That is that 12 deg rake I was talking about (or actually 11.5 to 12 deg). Full disclosure - that value is not called out directly on a drawing. It was arrived at indirectly by yours truly. But every view I have seen on every drawing, if measured, is consistent with that value. 2. The main skin joint on the fuselage is coincident with the horizontal ref line, which is 90 deg to vertical. That is a for sure. I have every reason to believe Trumpeter got that detail right. 3. The LG strut centerline is parallel with the forward edge of the upper gear doors. Not the aft edge. That is also a for sure. Those doors are kind of trapezoidal (not rectangles). I am not sure if Trumpeter got that right. Your view shows the gear doors, not the strut itself. So to measure strut rake angle, all I can do is measure the gear door forward edge, something I didn't do when I checked yesterday (I measured the aft edge). When I measure, I get about 14 deg from vertical, or 76 deg to the fuselage skin joint. If that is a good measurement (please check me), then the gear are raked about 2 deg too far forward. Your latest pictures of the model on its legs and feet back that observation up - the bottom edge of the lower gear door is not quite parallel with the ground, suggesting a slightly too severe rake angle. Ordinarily that would be sorta OK. But this is contributing somewhat to the belly tank ground clearance issue. I did a quick layout, and I think it puts the belly tank about .02 inch closer to the ground. I wonder if those gear struts can be persuaded to be deflected about 2 deg more upright..... Of course, measuring a photograph is not an exact way to do it. So error or distortion might have crept in there despite your efforts to show a true side view. I doubt it though. So, if you feel that belly tank clearance is a big issue, then I would check out those two things - redo the sway braces to get the tank closer to the belly (and perhaps a bit nose down?), and try pushing those struts back a bit (a nail-biting thing to attempt, I recognize). Or - the belly tank doesn't need to be there - but it is a such an excellent detail.

Really? I don't know how imaginative folks like you make the connection between an object of some kind totally unrelated to modeling, and to the object for a model. Ingenious. That sneak peak is cruel! Cannot wait for the RFI.

Kevin - I just ordered a Elegoo Saturn 2 today! Gonna be interesting!

John - by my measure I think the LG will be good! Wheels should be perpendicular to the ground of course, and the lower edge of the gear doors should be roughly parallel with the ground. Everything else - OMG what a beauty!

Drumming fingers on table......

Beautiful. A couple of comments from your PITA follower: 1. That little slot behind the canopy is for the VHF spike antenna. Have we seen that detail yet? The slot looks awfully small. 2. LG - I do not trust that Trumpeter oriented the gear slot to give a perfect gear orientation. Neither the 12 deg rake angle nor the 3 deg splay angle. They just aren't that good. Even Tamiya got the 1/32 P-51 rake angle wrong by a few deg, one of the reasons I didn't keep mine when I made it. If those angles are right, then I would be pleasantly surprised. Is there a way to eyeball that orientation in its current state and see if it's close? If you can and it is wrong, there has to be a way to fix it especially with your demonstrated talents for correcting disasters. Maybe it's just me, but LG orientation is one of the more important aspects of a model WRT convincing realism IMO. If it's off, immediately the model doesn't look real anymore to my eye. FW190 and P-38 are good examples - it's gotta be right. 3. Are you going to dirty up the interior trailing edge cove in front of the flaps? Get it about as weathered as the gear bay and I'd be happy with it. It's going to show with flaps deployed.

You have to be very pleased John. And relieved. I know what it feels like peeling that tape off the transparency.

Yahoo! You are well into the back stretch. Careful with that LG rake (12 deg from vertical (vertical being a fuselage station). A good check is to see if the bottom edge of the lower gear door is parallel to the ground (it is supposed to be). Also the "bow-legged stance" (upper strut is 3 deg bowed outboard). Gotta be just right! Back on page 12 of this thread I provided alot of info on main LG orientation. Along with this picture: Cannot wait to see her on her legs with her shoes on.

Magical. Just magical.

Ha!! These names the Navy gives their toys. OK Peter - why "gator"?

Corsair enthusiasts - how many of you have seen this picture. I had not - it's awesome! Bougainville. Looks like they are working on the prop governor?

Thought I'd show you some pictures of the ailerons; the Rhino layout model is just about complete. LH aileron: RH aileron: Note the RH aileron lacks the trim tab, but both have a balance tab. Also note the mid hinge cutout is smaller (it doesn't have to make room for the tab control stuff). Attach lugs for attachment to fuselage. I have a plan for this attachment: Trim tab and push rod: Balance tab (have not modelled the push rod yet): Bumps on the bottom (low hinge axis required these on the real ailerons). These little plates will be separate parts: I sure hope these things fit the wing well. I took alot of time and effort to try to duplicate the wing and planform contour locally for the Rhino model. Now to make the files for each individual part, and get somebody to print these up. My normal supplier is out of action for a while (don't know how long), so I need an alternate. If anyone has a name let me know; meanwhile I am toying with the idea of actually purchasing a 3D print machine and begin doing parts myself (Airscale has already done this recently). I will now get back onto the wing proper I believe. More skinning. You should see that next post. Take care y'all!

Just an amazing scene Peter! Thanks for turning me on to it.

Peter - you starting in on a P-47? If so you should know that around page 12, I reported that I had discovered John's P-47 build, was gob-smacked, and then proceeded to make his life miserable for a while, pointing out flaws on the engine. John addressed them all, and his engine and the P-47 as a whole is the better for it. Check you sources on the engine versus the model, and proceed boldly. I'll look for your build thread.

Hey guys and gals - As my poor right hand and wrist recover from hundreds upon hundreds of fastener punch marks on the wing leading edge panels (I am not exaggerating), I am doing a Rhino model of the ailerons. In real life, they are made of wood, so no fastener marks or fabric covered bays to worry about. And if I can get the shape right, they make good candidates for 3D printing. I have been studying the drawings of the aileron, and for the life of me I cannot decipher the poorly detailed views of the inboard end. Here is what I have so far in Rhino (it isn't complete) - and the inboard end trim is a guess at this point: The inboard end, at least for the -1A's onward (the birdcage Corsairs, at least the earlier ones, did not have this feature) has a small balance tab with a horn fitting and a push rod to control its attitude as the aileron swings up and down. This pushrod, just as with the elevator balance tabs, has one end attached to the horn fitting on the tab, and the other attached to fixed structure, in this case piggy backed onto a flap support fitting. I have not yet modeled this push rod. These connections are at the extreme inboard end, nestled up against the outboard flap, and necessitate a fairly severe trim to the aileron skins to clear it all. The top assembly drawing of the aileron, which collects the aileron and the tabs and their attaching hardware, shows this sort of: But I can't read the detail drawing! Can you? Detail drawing VS-24019 "Aileron Assembly": The upper trim is not the same as the lower trim, but just how they differ is not clear on the drawing. Anybody have any pictures of the aileron that might help me? I cannot find any.

Yeah really. For my next project (a natural finish ETO P-51D), unlike my current project (dirty dusty stained bleached F4U), I will not be able to hide behind the natural imperfections of such a used and abused airframe. Gotta up my game WRT exterior finishing. Thunnus shows us how its done.

Your painting and exterior finish work is just magical. My god - this is going to be a first rate P-47 build. For sure.