1:24 P-47D Thunderbolt

1:24 P-47D Thunderbolt decals

A decal sheet in 1:24 scale for models of the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber from the Polish manufacturer Techmod. It serves to mark a model that has already been built; on its own it is not a kit. In the large scale even small elements come out that would be lost in smaller scales.

The real subject

The P-47 Thunderbolt was among the heaviest single-engined fighters of the Second World War. It was powered by an air-cooled Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine with a turbocharger whose ducting ran through the fuselage as far as behind the cockpit, hence the typically massive fuselage. The armament consisted of 12.7 mm machine guns housed in the wing. The D version was the most numerous and was built in two clearly different forms, the earlier one with a razorback spine behind the cockpit and the newer one with a bubble canopy and a cut-down rear fuselage. In the second half of the war the Thunderbolt made its name mainly as an attack machine against ground targets, where its toughness and its ability to carry a heavy load proved themselves.

Application tips

First go over the surface under the decals with a gloss varnish, so that no air bubbles stay under the print. Cut the individual motifs out close to the artwork, soak them briefly and let them release from the paper. On a large model a soft brush moistened with water is useful, with which you shift the decal into position without the risk of tearing it. Use decal softener only where a decal lies across rivets or panel lines, and once it has dried, even the whole surface out with a clear varnish.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Thunderbolt in 1:24 scale
• Modelers who want to build a particular machine with a history of its own
• Those completing a large model with quality markings
• Collectors of American fighters of the Second World War