Republic A-47 Cheyenne

[kitbasher]

Take one old Matchbox P-47, chop it up a bit and stick back together in a slightly different order.
Pics to follow as this progresses.....
   

[Brian da Basher]

Looking forward to seeing them, kitbasher! If your other work is an indication, we're in for a treat!

Brian da Basher

[kitbasher]

Swift progress to date - carefully remove wings and make a neat cut just outward from the undercarriage doors.  Trim about a millimetre at about a 45 degree angle from each cut and reassemble.  
You'll see I've started filling in the joints already, and that i'm not stripping the model first - my plan is to be as neat with the surgery as possible to keep the painting and decalling to a minimum.  Note there's almost no loss in span despite cranking the wing.  I was going to graft a Sabre (off a Typhoon) on the front, but that was going to make too much work and wasn't logical anyway.  Spatting will be the laborious work, I guess.
No Corsairs, Vengeances, Vals, Ju 87s, etc, will be harmed in the making of this 'Stukabolt' (oh yes, a word that WILL make it into the background story!), the ideal (if a tad anachronistic) solution to precision bombing in the jungles of SE Asia.  

[Brian da Basher]

You've got my attention with that cool wing modification, kitbasher! I think you're onto something really interesting here.

Brian da Basher

[kitbasher]

Both wings now fitted, beginning to look more like a Stukabolt.  I've worked out how I'm going to tackle the undercarriage, and I think I will be able to get away with minimal repainting as hoped for.      

[B777LR]

Thats nice! Perhaps remove machine guns, and fit 2 antitank cannons instead?

[kitbasher]

I was going to stick with bombs (2 big ones off an Airfix F4U and 2 small ones from the spares box), to be honest.  I had thought of rockets and may still use them yet.  The cannons are a good idea - and if you mean something like those big buggers Hurricanes carried then I agree, just don't have any.  Reduced the 6 wing MGs to 4, though, to compensate for the bomb load and to reflect the fact that it's dive bomberish.
 

[Brian da Basher]

That's some great progress, kitbasher! I've got a feeling this one's going to be wicked once completed!

Of course, I can't wait to see the spats!

Nice work!

Brian da Basher

P.S. Have you thought about using some sprue to make some of those anti-tank cannons? Maybe you've got a nice long piece of landing gear strut in the spares box that would work?

[kitbasher]

Have you thought about using some sprue to make some of those anti-tank cannons? Maybe you've got a nice long piece of landing gear strut in the spares box that would work?

Actually no, not thought of that so might give it a go.  Using sprue for the spats and fairings though.    

[kitbasher]

Just for Brian da Basher, a pic of the spat template and work on the undercarriage so far!

[Brian da Basher]

I really like your approach, kitbasher! I think you're on track to have some really sweet spatted landing gear! That shot really made my day! Thank you!

Brian da Basher

[BadersBusCompany]

Go with Rockets, it'll look mint!

[Rafael]

Man, oh, man!!!

Rafa

[B777LR]

Hows this sweet build coming along?

[kitbasher]

Hows this sweet build coming along?

Well recently I've been concentrating on my 2 planned Piston Perfection GB entries, rather rashly started (and now stopped) an unplanned third, touching up the 'Stukabolt's' Dk Earth, Dk Green and the SEAC ident bands.
Oh, and I've made and attached the spat templates to the skeletons shown in an earlier post and packed them with filler.
That's now all dry and once the other GB's 'Gloster Mercury' is finished I'll be sanding and whittling down the spats to the shape I want, fixing asap thereafter, and finishing off the painting!