The owner of Thundercals is a huge P-47 fan, so it is not surprising that his first sheet is on the P-47D Thunderbolt. This particular sheet covers two aircraft that operated in the Pacific during WWII. Both are in pretty much olive drab over neutral grey. The sheet is sized for the Tamiya 1/48 kit, but there is no reason why these might not also fit other Razorback Jugs from Hasegawa, Monogram or Otaki.

The first option on the sheet is 'Bouncin Bette' from the 19 FS/318 FG when based on Saipan during June 1944. This aircraft has large areas of unpainted metal, including the fin, elevators and horizontal stabs, and most of the cowling. The aircraft has blue tail ID stripes as well as a large blue outlined area on the front. The sheet has a paper mask to help in getting the aluminum part of the scheme properly sized. This aircraft also has a thin black stripe on the lower part of the yellow prop warning markings, making for a most unusual scheme.

The second aircraft is 'Passionate Patsy' from the 301 FS/58 FG when in New Guinea during 1944. This aircraft has the white fin/rudder of all aircraft operating in the theater. It also has a yellow cowling and spinner tip. The cowl flaps are an alternating bare metal and red. Since the color of the printing is in doubt, you are provided one in both black and red.

The sheet is superbly printed by Cartograf and provides enough common markings to do one of the two options. The full color instruction sheet includes a data placement guide as well as references for the schemes. 

It is an excellent first sheet and I know you will see more in the future. No web site as yet, so please send inquiries to Thundercals@yahoo.com

November 2011

My thanks to Thundercals for the review sample.