1:32 P-47D Thurderbolt

Decals 1:32 P-47D Thunderbolt from Techmod

A set of waterslide decals in 1:32 scale for a model of the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt fighter, part number 32004. The motifs are printed on a sheet, they are activated with water and slide from the paper backing onto the varnished model. The maker is the Polish brand Techmod, which prints decals for aircraft models with a thin carrier film. It is not a kit and not a finished model.

The real subject

The Thunderbolt was the largest and heaviest single-engined fighter that the US Army Air Forces put into service in the Second World War. It was powered by the eighteen-cylinder R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine with a turbocharger in the rear fuselage, which gave the aircraft its characteristically bulky shape. The P-47D version was the most numerous and was built first with a framed canopy and later with a bubble canopy. The armament was eight machine guns in the wings, and the aircraft could also carry bombs and rockets, so an escort fighter turned into a feared ground-attack machine.

Application tips

A decal holds best on a smooth, glossy varnished surface; on a matte or roughened base a visible rim stays around the motif. Trim each motif as closely as possible, leave it 20 to 30 seconds in lukewarm water and then slide it from the paper onto a spot wetted with water. Press the air and the excess water out from the center toward the edges. On doubly curved surfaces and over engraved lines a decal setting solution helps. Overspray the finished markings with a protective varnish in the degree of gloss that the rest of the model has.

Who the set is for

• modelers who build the Thunderbolt in 1:32 scale
• those interested in American fighter aviation of the Second World War
• builders for whom the markings from the kit are not enough
• collectors of aircraft decals in large scale

It is an accessory for the model, not a kit. The base kit, paints and varnish are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.