Republic P-47M Thunderbolt Revell 1999 Tool

Guy Rump Author
This time on the bench will be 2 Thunderbolts, the P-47M by Revell and the P-47N by Italeri. 🙂

Guy Rump Author
Internal of fuselage mainly painted Vallejo Model Air US Light Green as well as the cockpit area put together. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Andre K , J35J, Bernd G , Steve D, Matti T, Djordje N, Alberto M & walaroo. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Cockpit now fully in ready for gluing in. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Shihhua L & Sukhoi242. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Fuselage now glued together. Next will be putting together the aircraft's engine. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Rui R & Dave F. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Aircraft engine painted and added, engine cover, wings and tail plane will be next. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Rudy P & Mirko R. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Engine cover added and then the wings and tail plane. 🙂

Many thanks mate for your interest and like Hans JH. 👍

Guy Rump Author
I had to move the aerial so that I could get the rise in the fuselage to fit on. Next will be primer and pre-shading. 🙂

Many thanks mate for your interest and like Guillaume C. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Primer now on and pre-shading added. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Matthias St, Gerard vd S & 1 other mate. 👍

Guy Rump Author
First colour for the scheme added, Vallejo Model Air Gloss Sea Blue. 🙂

Guy Rump Author
Second colour for the scheme added, Vallejo Model Air RLM Red as an undercoat and the Hataka Signal Red over this. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Duster_d & Marco G. 👍

Robert Podkoński
Which plane are you going to do, Guy? (I would prefer Mike Gladych's one 😉 )

Guy Rump Author
As you asked Robert, I'll be doing Mike Gladych's one. 🙂

Robert Podkoński
Great! Thank you!

Guy Rump Author
The final colour of the scheme has now been added, Vallejo Model Air Aluminium. This will also be the colour for the underside, to be done next. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Robert P, Mid Franconian, Marcel K & 1 other mate. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Underside painted Vallejo Model Air Aluminium. Aircraft airbrushed with gloss varnish and underside decals added. 🙂

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes William J & Timmie. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Decals added to upper side of the aircraft. Next will be adding the rockets and extra fuel tanks. 🙂

Łukasz Gliński
Nice shade on the upper side. And respect for handling the decals, I recall they were rock hard.

Guy Rump Author
Added the rockets and extra fuel tanks to the underside and made a start on the undercarriage. 🙂

Thanks for your kind comment Lukasz. I agree that the decals were a bit challenging. 🙂 👍

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Edward Mc, Dave & Andrew T. 👍

Guy Rump Author
Final parts added and a satin varnish airbrushed on, I declare this project completed. 🙂

Many thanks mate for your interest and like Chris. 👍

P-47s started to be utilised in 1943 by the USAAF 4FG, the first flown operationally from England. The first air victory was achieved in Apr 1943 when a P-47 shot down a FW 190. By 1944, P-47 Thunderbolts were being flown operationally in all theatres except for Alaska.
The P-47M was a high speed variant introduced because of German aircraft such as the Messerschmitt 262 and the ME 163. This version had a 2,800 hp R-2800-57C engine with a CH-5 supercharger and the dive brakes of the P-47D-30. It also had an improved 13' Curtiss Electric C542S-B40 propeller fitted, and changes were made to increase speed. These improvements raised the top speed to 473 mph. A total of 130 P-47Ms were built of the 15636 P-47s of all variants built.
The aircraft denoted was piloted by fighter ace Maj Boleslaw Michal Gladych.
He was one of several newly commissioned pilots in the Polish Air Force who flew PZL P.7 fighters to Romania to avoid their capture by the Germans. He escaped internment in Romania and joined the Armee de l'air in France flying Caudron C.714 fighters.
He arrived in the UK in 1940 and joined 303 Polish Fighter Sqn of the RAF. In Jun 1941 he shot down 3 Bf 109s and then crashed his damaged Spitfire at RAF Manston hitting a telegraph pole and fracturing his skull amongst other injuries. He returned to operational service in Oct 1941 and in Jul 1942 was transferred to 302 Sqn RAF as a Flt Lt.
In Jan 1944, he unofficially arranged a secondment to the 56 Fighter Group and was assigned to 61 Fighter Sqn to assist training new American pilots. On 21 Feb 1944 he shot down 2 Bf 109s during a single sortie. He claimed a further 10 "kills" and 5 ground "kills" by Sept 1944. He officially was seconded to the USAAF in Oct 1944 as a Sqn Ldr but known by Americans as a Major.
During WW2, Sqn Ldr (Major) Gladych shot down 17 aircraft and 2 probables. He was awarded Virtuti Militari and the Cross of Valour by the Polish Air Force, the Distinguished Flying Cross by the RAF and the Silver Star with 2 clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross twice and the Air Medal with 3 clusters by the USAAF.

Robert Podkoński
Terrific job, Guy! Thanks to you I know what colour I need to paint my Thunderbolt 🙂