P-47D Thunderbolt

1/32 scale

EagleCals Decals

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Eagle Cals #106 - P-47D Thunderbolt are available online from Squadron.com

EagleCals EC#106 is the third of the new four new Eagle Editions sheet that I have seen so far.  I was impressed with the last one (EC#105), and I am equally impressed with this. 

EC#106 provides markings for two further P-47Ds.  Their details are as follows: 

1. P-47D-27-RE THE TROJAN WARHORSE.   The machine was assigned to the "The Comanches", the 86 Fighter Squadron, 79^th Fighter Group 12^th Air Force in Italy, during WWII  The information support sheet advises that the serial and pilot are unknown but a quick goggle threw up a French website - Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Database at http://perso.orange.fr/p-47.database/index.html which advises that the aircraft was serial number 44-21032 and it was flown by a Clifford B. Olson.  The machine is in overall natural metal finish with an olive drab anti-glare panel spanning the top of the fuselage and a blue vertical stabiliser/rudder and canopy frame.  Further colour is provided via yellow thunderbolts on the vertical stabiliser/rudder, red cowling flaps and spinner and nose art that comprise a blue horse, squadron/wing insignia and the name THE TROJAN WARHORSE in red with a yellow outline. 

2. The other option is P-47D-26-RA 42-28382 WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO, a 509^th Fighter Squadron, 405^th Fighter Group machine flown by Lieutenant James R. Hopkins in the December of 1944.   This option is finished in Olive Drab over Neutral Grey camouflage with red theatre bands around its fin/rudder and horizontal stabilisers.  The red paint was also applied to the canopy framing and forward part of the engine cowling.  Its other markings include white plane-in-squadron identifier G9-K, a yellow serial number and its truly impressive nose art consisting of a wolf’s head and the word WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO in white – very hard to miss!  The wolf’s head is supplied as a two-part decal so as you can apply the forward part to the cowl and the rearmost part to the fuselage.

As with the other new Eagle Editions 1/32 Scale Thunderbolt sheet that I have seen, complete and comprehensive stencil data and national insignia for a single aircraft is supplied.  The fuselage national insignia is provided as a two-part decal so as you can apply it to the open oil cooler outlet doors.  The sheet also carries a large segmented national insignia that you don’t need.  I understand that these 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 for either option so I assume that this is a “generic” marking that Eagle Editions has 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 too, 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 TROJAN WARHORSE option as this film will show on up against the natural metal finish surface.  As with the other Eagle Edits P-47 sheet that I have, everything is in perfect register bar the pesky thin white outlines to the Curtiss Electric propeller logos – again, this is minimal but unfortunately it will be evident on a 1/32 scale propeller and detract from the final effect.  Some deft wielding of a scalpel will put paid to this problem! 

The support material that Eagle Editions supply with the decals is truly outstanding and what sets them apart.  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 WHOOO option on the front along with the story of how it came to bear that name. 

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

This is another first rate product from Eagle Editions.  It provides 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 18 September, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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