Thunderbolts of the "404"
Parts I and II

 

AeroMaster Decals

Reviewed by John Kerr

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In recent years AeroMaster Products and Eagle Strike Productions, through numerous P-47D Thunderbolt decal sets, have show us modellers just how colourful the USAAF P-47Ds were during WW2.  For this modeller, the P-47 is now almost equal to my beloved P-51 Mustang in terms of favouritism. 

AMD 48-569 - Thunderbolts of the "404" Part I

AMD 48-569 is the first of the "404 Fighter Group" series and has three P-47D Bubbletops finished in overall Natural Metal with very colourful artwork.  Colour of the anti-glare areas vary - see details of individual aircraft.  Four photos of a/c are included on instruction sheet:

A/c #1 P-47D-27-RE (Y8-E) "Elsie / Butch" flown by Major Clay Tice, Squadron Commander of 507FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal finish with customised Black anti-glare panel (extended into a scallop on the cowling) edged in thin Red pin-stripe (decal provided).  Black tail bands and partial D-Day stripes on lower fuselage only.  Oversized underwing insignia are carried on both sides.

A/c #2 P-47D-30-RA (Y8-Y) flown by Lt. William Lee, 507FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal with Olive Drab anti-glare panel and Black belly painted to hide exhaust stain.  Cowling artwork is the first version of the 'Thunderbird' logo designed by Lt. Lee, it became the group's unofficial insignia near the war's end.

A/c #3 P-47D-30-RA (4K-O) "Pride O' Dogpatch" flown by Lt. Harry H. 'Pappy' Yokum, 506FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal with Olive Drab anti-glare panel and Black belly painted to hide exhaust stain.  Yellow wingtips and forward section of underwing pylons.  Cowling artwork is the revised 'Thunderbird' logo on top of a vertical thin Yellow stripe.

AMD 48-569 - Thunderbolts of the "404" Part II

AMD 48-570 is the second of the "404 Fighter Group" series.  As in Part I, this set has three more P-47D Thunderbolts.  This time there is one Razorback and two Bubbletops, again all finished in overall Natural Metal with very colourful artwork.  Colour of the anti-glare areas vary - see details of individual aircraft.  Three photos of a/c are included on instruction sheet:

A/c #1 P-47D-27-RE (4K-U) "Maggie Zass" flown by Lt. Russell Christopher, 506FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal with Black Drab anti-glare panel and Black belly painted to hide exhaust stain.  Yellow wingtips and forward section of underwing pylons.  Cowling artwork is the later revised 'Thunderbird' logo on top of a vertical thin Yellow stripe.

A/c #2 P-47D-22-RE (Y8-W) "Fightin' Gator" flown by 2nd Lt. Fred Varn, 507FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal with Olive Drab anti-glare panel and Black windscreen frame (canopy is Natural Metal).  Partial D-Day stripes on lower fuselage only.  Medals painted on fuselage are; Distinguished Unit Citation, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and 200 Mission Markings.

A/c #3 P-47D-27-RE (Y8-B) "Bobby Snooks" flown by Major Howard Galbreath, 507FS, 404FG.
Overall Natural Metal finish with customised Black anti-glare panel (extended into a scallop on the cowling) edged in thin Red pin-stripe (decal provided).  Black tail bands and partial D-Day stripes on both the lower fuselage and underwing.  Standard underwing insignia are carried on both sides.  Underwing pylons appear to be painted White.

These two new AeroMaster P-47D sets provide six very colourful Thunderbolts in 1/48th scale all finished in overall Natural Metal and sporting some very interesting artwork.  

The profiles on the coloured instructions are excellent and the decals are in perfect register.  The inclusion of colour photos of the real aircraft on the reverse of the instruction sheet (albeit these photos are small in size) is very welcome.

The increasing popularity of the P-47D among modellers is now being matched by model kit producers.  You must be living on another planet not to have heard about the new Tamiya 1/48 scale P-47D Razorback (a Bubbletop version from Tamiya will hopefully soon follow later in 2003).  I have earmarked "Fightin' Gator" from 48-570 for my Tamiya P-47D Razorback currently under construction (article and photos will follow when completed).  

For those wanting to purchase these two AeroMaster sets, on-line sales are available from the AeroMaster Products / Eagle Strike Productions web site..

Thanks to AeroMaster Products for the review sets

Review TextCopyright © 2003 by John Kerr
This Page Created on 17 January, 2003
Last updated 14 August, 2003

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