P-47D Thunderbolt

1/32 scale

EagleCals Decals

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Eagle Cals #105 - P-47D Thunderbolt are available online from Squadron.com

 
As expected, the recent 1/32 scale Hasegawa P-47D kit has stimulated decal manufacturers into producing new sheets to cater for those of us who want to model either a specific machine or just want to finish their kit in other than the kit supplied markings to distinguish it from the thousands of others that modellers will produce world-wide. 

Eagle Editions has responded to this challenge and has added four new Thunderbolt sheets to their range of high quality decals.

This sheet, EC#105 provides markings for two machines as follows:

• P-47D-28RA 42-29262 Daddy RABBIT.  This machine was flown by Captain Neil D. Stanley of 391^st Fighter Squadron, 366^th Fighter Group 9^th Air Force in the European Theatre of Operations during the closing chapters of WWII.  The machine is in overall natural metal finish with an olive drab anti-glare panel spanning the top of the fuselage with a blue-painted canopy frame.  The reproduction of the nose art for this option is truly noteworthy.   The nose art itself is sharp clear and faithfully reproduced judging by the photographs on the information support sheet.  The scoreboard is something else too as, seeing that the 391^st’s role was ground support, it carries a vast range of victories including tanks, locomotives as well as fighter sweeps.

• The other option is P-47D-27-RE 42-26758 OH JOHNNIE a 346th Fighter Squadron, 350^th Fighter Group machine flown by Lieutenant Raymond Knight.  Lieutenant Knight received the Medal of Honour for his actions on 24 September 1945 and a full reproduction of his citation is provided on the accompanying information sheet.  This option is finished in olive drab over neutral grey camouflage with a black and white chequered rudder.  Its other markings include large white plane-in-squadron identifier 6D5 and a pair of very large 364^th Fighter Squadron insignia.  The rudder marking is provided as two separate decals, one black and one white, to make up the chequers and save on register problems.

A single complete and comprehensive set of stencil data is provided as are national insignia.  The fuselage national insignia is provided as a two-part decal so as you can apply it to the open oil cooler outlet doors.  Puzzlingly, there is also a large segmented national insignia provided.  I understand that larger than normal national insignia were sometimes applied to P-47s in the European theatre to distinguish them from Fw-190s but the placement guide makes no mention of it and I can only surmise that this is a “generic” marking that Eagle Editions have added to all of their P-47 sheets as it is also present on the other sheet that I have.  Both Hamilton Standard and Curtis Electric propeller logos are provided too. 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Two large decal sheets are provided with this issue, the first carrying the vast majority of each options individual markings with the second carrying the national insignia and the stencil data.  The decals themselves are thin, beautifully printed and have an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each design, a good thing if you choose the natural metal option as this film will show on up against the silver surface.  Everything is in perfect register bar the thin white outlines to the Curtiss Electric propeller logos – this is minimal but unfortunately it will be evident on a 1/32 scale propeller. 

The support material that Eagle Editions supply with the decals is truly outstanding.  You get a large sheet that is just shy of A-3 in size as well as a further double sided A-4 sized sheet.  The former is folded down to A-4 in size and carries the placement guide (full colour illustrations) on the front and a stencil data placement guide and written notes on both options on the back.  The smaller sheet carries black and white reproduction photographs of the Daddy RABBIT option on the front and a full reproduction of Lieutenant Knight’s Medal of Honour Citation on the back. 

The decal sheets and supporting information sheets/placement guides are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

A first rate product from Eagle Editions.  It provides you with excellent quality decals for two aircraft as well as detailed and comprehensive supporting information. 

Recommended.

Thanks to Judy at Eagle Editions for the review samples

EagleCals decals are available from Eagle Editions Website
or Hobby Retailers including Squadron.com
 

Preview Text Copyright © 2007 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 17 September, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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