Tamiya 1/48 P-47D Thunderbolt

The P-47 was an outstanding escort and ground attack aircraft and was the heaviest and largest single seat fighter built during WWII. It rose out of a humble beginning which saw its ancestors the P-35 and P-43 fall short of expectations.

Early on the “Jug” was used as an escort to the ETO heavies, but was replaced as the P-51 came on-line; its best role was that of a ground attack aircraft both in the ETO, MTO, PTO and CBI theaters. P-47’s was used by the U.S., British, French, Mexican, Brazilian and Russian air forces.

Lt. Raymond L. Knight

Enlisted into the Army Air Corp on Oct 12, 1942 in Houston Tx. Commissioned as a pilot in May 1944 after training at Stamford, Sherman and Foster fields in Tx. Continuing at Matagorda and Abilene Tx., he finally was assigned to the 350th FG / 346th FS in Italy.

He flew 82 missions from December 1944 until his death on April 25, 1945. Promoted to 1st Lt. in March, by the time of his death he had 180 hours of combat time while flying 82 combat missions. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, six Air Medals and posthumous Medal of Honor for his last missions over the Po Valley in northern Italy.

Over two(2) days, he destroyed fourteen(14) enemy aircraft in strafing airfield’s and led attacks by his squadron mates that destroyed 10 more.

On April 24th he volunteered to lead Lt’s. Henehan and Hosey on a recon of the Ghedi airfield. He did a low-level pass on the field, observing eight(8) German planes under camouflage. Rejoining his flight, he led them in, he accounted for five(5) of the aircraft with his flight getting two(2) more.

Returning to base for refueling and rearming, he volunteered to lead 3 other pilots on a recon of the Bergamo Airfield. Using the same technique, he discovered a heavily camouflaged squadron of enemy planes. While being hit by ground fire, he lead 10 passes on the field, he destroyed six(6) fully loaded twin engine planes and two(2) fighters, with his flight destroying five(5) more.

Final Mission

On April 25th, with his damaged P-47 repaired, he lead “Ivory” flight, to Ghedi, to destroy the remaining four(4) JU-88’s missed from the previous day. He cruised down the middle of the runway taking heavy fire, here he destroyed his fourteenth(14) plane, calling in the rest, his flight got ten(10) more. After the flight retreated from the field he radioed to see if anyone was hit, no one was. However, he said he was badly damaged and didn’t know if he could make it back. His squadron mates tried to persuade him to bailout over friendly territory, when he wouldn’t, told him to land at Forli. He refused knowing the 350th FG needed Thunderbolts, he continued on, gaining altitude slowly. Lt. Hosey went ahead to find the lowest point to fly over the Apennine mountains. He thought Knight was going to make it, then Knights plane hit treetops, tumbling it hit the mountain and exploded.

His action helped stop a pending Luftwaffe attack on the allied push over the Po River, saving countless allied lives. Lt. Bill Hosey, a few days after the mission, signed documents for a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross. Twelfth Air Force headquarters rejected it in favor of the Medal of Honor. Knight along with Col. Kearby (PTO), were the only P-47 pilots to receive the Medal of Honor in WWII. Knight's remains were buried in Woodlawn Garden of Memories in 1949 and reburied in the Houston National Cemetery in a special section for Medal of Honor recipients on April 25, 1992.

With the allies on the north of the Po, the Germans air offensive stopped and their supplies gone, von Vietinghoff surrendered Army Group ‘C’ on May 2nd 1945, against the orders of Kesselring.

The Tamiya Bubble Top, represents a D-25 through D-28 versions. It is well designed with the build taking about 2 to 3 weeks. The engine detail is very good, but if the cowling is left off, after market items would enhance it. The flaps are positionable while control surfaces are molded in place, except the rudder. If you want to show off the cockpit area you really don’t need aftermarket items, a parachute harness might be an option, the kit does come with a pilot.

Tamiya sprays: AS-6 Olive Drab, AS-7 Neutral Grey(under body of plane), TS-17 Gloss Aluminum (wings) TS-29 Semi-Gloss Black.

Looking at pictures from the resources, it was important to understand why his plane had silver wings, so the time frame is important as to how you model it. His plane was the only Olive Drab one of his unit, it is thought to be a replacement aircraft that was going to the 1st BFS (Brazilian Unit) before redirected to the 350th FG. In January 1945, Knight flew through his own bomb blast requiring a compete wing replacement, thus getting his silver wings from salvaged aircraft.

Additionally different drop-tank types were used in the ETO and MTO, single and double ribbed. These were pointed out to me by Norris Grazer of THUNDER CALS. I started to look harder at drop-tanks on pictures and sure enough there they were. I spotted a great picture in the “P-47 Thunderbolt with the USAAF in the MTO, Asia and Pacific” book, on page 24, of a 65th FS Razorback. I used a single ribbed tank for this MTO model.

Note: Evansville built P-47s used the Hamilton Standard prop with the more rounded prop dome.

1. Decal Sheet

2. P-47 Thunderbolt with the USAAF in the MTO, Asia and Pacific – SMI Library (Kagero)

3. Air Force Historical Support Division Web Site: https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/639610/knight-1st-lt-raymond-l-knight/

4. Osprey Combat Aircraft - #92 “P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force” – Jonathon Bernstein.