Academy 1/48 P-47 D 'Gabreski' & 'Eileen' (A Double Build)

Post by **RobertA** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:57 pm

I don't often build anything larger than 1/72, but as my son gave me the 'Gabreski' kit for Christmas the year before last, and I received the 'Eileen' kit from a friend for Christmas last year, I thought I'd make the effort to build the two together..

So here goes.. work done so far:

Post by **EasyEight96** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:24 pm

Thunderbolts yahoo can't wait to see more

Post by **RobertA** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:28 pm

Did a bit more work on the engines today, adding pushrods made from 1.0 mm plastic rod, and ignition cables from 0.2 mm lead wire.. It was worth doing, I think!

Especially as the engine fronts are very visible inside the cowl..

Post by **JayCub** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:54 pm

looking great so-far and i really like the fact you have installed ignition wiring, i think this should be an option included in the kit but a really nice touch.

Tom

Post by **RobertA** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:34 pm

JayCub wrote:looking great so-far and i really like the fact you have installed ignition wiring, i think this should be an option included in the kit but a really nice touch.

Tom

Thanks Tom..

It does make the engine look a lot 'busier' than not adding anything at all, and on a P-47 with such a lot of engine showing, it's definetely worth doing a little bit extra.

Post by **patrickroos** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:09 am

Two Jugs in one go!!!

Love the P-47, this baby could deliver a hard punch and also take tremedous beatings.

Nice progress, the detailing of the engines turned out great!

Post by **EasyEight96** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 12:56 pm

Nice job on tuning up the engine

Post by **RobertA** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:02 pm

Thank you Gentlemen..

Further progress this weekend, as follows:

Cockpits painted up, some lead wire plumbing and etched brass seatbelts added before assembly.

Citadel 'Devlan Mud' wash applied to show off the nice detailing OOB. Fuselage halves joined up.

Post by **Raptor** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:53 am

Looking good. Love the little added details so far

Good luck with rest of the build

Post by **RobertA** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:13 pm

Raptor wrote:Looking good. Love the little added details so far

Good luck with rest of the build

Thank you..

Have added the wings and a bit more today, but now it's time to stop and tidy up and apply some filler et.c, where needed!

Post by **RobertA** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:16 pm

Today's progress:

Wings and stabilizers assembled and glued in place.
One Jug will have the gunports closed, the other will have them open, just for a bit of variation!

Post by **Radzy** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:26 pm

Great progress so far Rob. Both Jugs look pretty and I like the idea wirh showing one with gun ports open.

Cheers,
Radek

Post by **UKscalemodeller** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:28 pm

Youtube's loss is ISM's gain.

Looking good Rob

Post by **RobertA** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:39 pm

UKscalemodeller wrote:Youtube's loss is ISM's gain.

Looking good Rob

Thank you, kind Sirs both...

I will return to YouTube, just don't have the time proper at the moment still.. work is as busy as ever.. and this morning I fell asleep in my breakfast bowl, almost literally! Didn't even make it over to the sofa where I normally sleep in the morning, before I can move upstairs,..

Luckily I was awake enough later on to get some more building done, now I just need to start some tidying up, and some filler needs to be applied..

Tonight is clubnight though, will bring in my little Skyhawk.. hopefully it won't be picked to bits!!

Post by **EasyEight96** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:58 pm

Its starting to look like a jug great job

https://www.youtube.com/user/bnealuk · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:35 pm

Great work on these two dude.

Post by **RobertA** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:27 am

EasyEight96 wrote:Its starting to look like a jug great job

I guess there are some similarities..

Todays I glued the gunports in place, and then added some filler where needed.. and some where it wasn't, no doubt! But better safe than sorry, I guess..

Tomorrow I will hopefully manage to sand the filler down and also remove the gluemarks, without removing too much of the detail at the same time.. fingers crossed!

Post by **UKscalemodeller** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:44 am

Great to read your progress Rob

Post by **RobertA** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:19 pm

UKscalemodeller wrote:Great to read your progress Rob

It's a slow progress Ian, but a few minutes every day still moves it all forward..

Post by **Nige201980** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:14 pm

great work so far mate

Post by **EasyEight96** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:04 am

Hi Rob I've just started my build of my jugs too would you mind if I join in too as a buddy build?

Post by **Radzy** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:32 am

RobertA wrote:
Thank you, kind Sirs both...

I will return to YouTube, just don't have the time proper at the moment still..

Don't let us wait too long... We miss the Hellerminator

Cheers,
Radek

Post by **RobertA** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:11 pm

EasyEight96 wrote:Hi Rob I've just started my build of my jugs too would you mind if I join in too as a buddy build?

Of'course I don't mind!! The more, the merrier...

...which reminds me I haven't done anything on them today, so will go down now and spend a few minutes on the bench!

Post by **RobertA** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:12 pm

Radzy wrote:
RobertA wrote:
Thank you, kind Sirs both...

I will return to YouTube, just don't have the time proper at the moment still..
Don't let us wait too long... We miss the Hellerminator

Cheers,
Radek

I have got a couple of videos to show of my last two builds of 2013.. will see if I can cobble something together..

Soon-ish...

Post by **RobertA** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 3:17 pm

Didn't feel like doing a lot of sanding today, so decided to do something more constructive instead, i.e paintin the landing gear legs, wheels and covers..

Here's a picture of the wheels for both 'Jugs', just bear in mind they have not been touched up as yet:

Post by **HamilkarBarkas** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:53 pm

A P-47 double build - thats perfectly "basicmodellingish" haha

nice progress so far, it looks superb.

Post by **RobertA** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:25 pm

HamilkarBarkas wrote:A P-47 double build - thats perfectly "basicmodellingish" haha nice progress so far, it looks superb.

Well Michael.. why build one, when you can build two???

Saves time in the long run as you are using the same paints for all interior parts et.c.. even though these two Thunderbolts will look considerably different on the outside, when done...

Post by **RobertA** » Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:43 pm

Today's progress...

Still didn't feel like doing any sanding so continued instead with the landing gears, and they are now fully assembled, ready to be glued in place once the fuselages have been sanded and tidied up!

I added 0.2 mm 'lead wire' to the landing gear legs to replicate the hydraulic break cables, other than that it is strictly OOB! I enjoy adding these little extras, it makes a difference without being 'overdone'!!

Post by **RobertA** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:18 pm

Today I finally got the sanding done, and once I was happy with that, I glued the engines in place and added the cowls.. slow progress, but I hope to get some more done tonight!

At least they are beginning to look like a pair of Thunderbolts now, and I'm quite looking forward to start the paintwork..

Post by **Nige201980** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:23 pm

looking great mate

Post by **RobertA** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:41 pm

Thank you, Nige..

Hope to add the landing gear et.c tonight, it's always pleasing to see a model stand on its own feet, so to speak..

Post by **RobertA** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:46 pm

Some more progress over the weekend!

Have glued the landing gear in place, incl. the doors et.c, and added the bombpylons on Eileen (but not on the Gabreski Special), plus a few other bits and bobs.

Next up will be to slab some paint on the models, starting off underneath...

Post by **muskegman** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:57 pm

Looking good Rob

I like what you did with the landing gear hydraulic lines

Mark

Post by **EasyEight96** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 11:26 am

NIce job Rob I didnt do any progress yet on mine but I'll try to get it back as soon as possible

Post by **RobertA** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:30 pm

muskegman wrote:Looking good Rob I like what you did with the landing gear hydraulic lines

Mark

EasyEight96 wrote:NIce job Rob I didnt do any progress yet on mine but I'll try to get it back as soon as possible

Thank you Gentlemen..

Progress today consists of a second and final coat of Sky and Natural Metal on the respective undersides, hopefully by tomorrow I can start painting the top sides..

Post by **RobertA** » Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:34 am

Have started the main painting now.. this morning I did the first coat of green on 'Eileen', and the first coat of red on the nose and rudder of the 'Gabreski Special Edition'.

Hope to give them a second coat respectively tomorrow morning, if the first one has dried properly..

'Gabreski' will take a bit longer to paint as it has quite a complicated camo pattern, but it will only add to the fun.. I hope!!

Post by **patrickroos** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 1:05 pm

Shaping up now and looking good!!

Post by **UKscalemodeller** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 1:11 pm

Looking good Rob.

Post by **RobertA** » Thu Jan 30, 2014 2:50 pm

Thank you Gentlemen..

Nothing new to show just yet, even though work is being carried out on a daily basis, on both models..

Painting takes time.. but I have ,masked off the red nose and rudder and have added a first coat of 'Ocean Grey' on the Gabreski Special. Very poor coverage though (Humbrol 106) so will need at least one mnore coat if not two.. As far as Eileen goes, she is near enough all painted, bar some touch up work. Hope to get started on the decalling at the weekend, at least on Eileen..

Post by **Nige201980** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 12:34 pm

WOW Rob they look beautiful buddy

Post by **Paul** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 1:43 pm

Brilliant work Rob, superb progress

Post by **RobertA** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:14 pm

Thank you Nige!

Here's todays update, where you'll all find that Eileen has had another coat of Dark Green, and I also detailed the gun bays, blocked off the unsightly open gap into the wing (using plastic card) and added a wash..

As for Gabreski, I masked off the cowl and rudder and have done a couple of coats of Ocean Grey, and it's now ready for the Dark Green camo pattern:

Post by **MakingModelsAgain** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:18 pm

You've got something rather special brewing here, Mr A!

Two things actually.

Post by **RobertA** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 7:14 pm

It should please you to know, Mr B.. that I'm having great fun!!!

Post by **Nige201980** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 8:39 pm

Again looks superb Rob

Post by **RobertA** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:18 pm

Thank you Paul, and again Nige..

Going to sit down and do some more work on them in a minute..

Post by **patrickroos** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 3:09 pm

Wow wow wow, looking good dude!
LOVE the gun bays and guns!!!! Well done

How did you do the guns, they look painted and dry brushed?

Post by **RobertA** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 4:06 pm

patrickroos wrote:Wow wow wow, looking good dude!
LOVE the gun bays and guns!!!! Well done

How did you do the guns, they look painted and dry brushed?

Thank you Patrick! I painted them and added a wash, is all.. sometimes the simple solutions are, if not the best, so at least very good!

A bit more work has been done last night and this morning, the propellers got decalled and yellow tips painted, I started the decalling of 'Eileen' and after painting the dark green camo on Gabreski, I did some decalling there as well..

Post by **patrickroos** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 4:45 pm

Cool!

Looking very good Robert, props are spot on.

Love the camo job...Your skills with the hairy stick are Amazing.

Post by **RobertA** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:41 pm

patrickroos wrote:Cool!

Looking very good Robert, props are spot on.

Love the camo job...Your skills with the hairy stick are Amazing.

Hairy stick.. maybe? Decalling? Definetely not.. I think it is the worst part of any build and the bit that causes me the most grief and bother..

But still, it has to be done...

And I did some more today..