1:32 P-47N Thunderbolt

When camouflage stopped paying off

The Republic P-47N came about for Pacific distances: it was given a new wing with tanks, a stronger landing gear and a range that allowed it to escort bombers to the Japanese islands. It came into service, though, at a time when the Allied air arms had mastered the air and a camouflage finish had nobody left to deceive. Most machines therefore stayed in bare polished metal. A layer of paint taken away meant lower weight and a few kilometers an hour more speed, and that was worth more than being hidden on the ground.

Recognition markings replaced camouflage

Instead of fields of color came conspicuous identification bands: colored areas on the engine cowling, on the rudder and on the wingtips, each group different. The logic was turned on its head. Whereas camouflage is there to hide a machine from the enemy, these markings were meant to show it to your own side as quickly as possible. Over the Pacific the fighting was done in large formations and mistaking one of your own aircraft for a Japanese fighter was a real risk, so visibility won out over inconspicuousness.

Why bare metal is masked differently

A glossy surface is merciless to the modeler. It shows every fingerprint, every trace of glue and every imperfect edge of a sprayed area that would be lost in a matte olive shade. The masks therefore have to fit exactly and come off cleanly. The set deals with the framing of the canopy from both sides and adds masks for four national insignia, that is for both sides of the fuselage and for the wings. A sprayed star on polished metal merges with the surface, whereas a decal stays visible as a glossy island. The package holds neither the model nor paints.