Republic Nightbolt Mk-I

[TomZ]

Republic Nightbolt Mk-I



After the disastrous career of the Boulton Paul as a day fighter it served with moderate success as a night fighter with the RAF in 1941 and 1942. The lack of forward fire power remained a problem, however. Also, the weight of the turret slowed the aircraft down and performance was too low.
The principle of the turret fighter however was still attractive, and the RAF searched for a more powerful replacement of the Defiant as a night fighter.



The aim was to find a turret fighter with a more powerful engine and armed with forward firing fixed guns in addition to the turret.
A solution was found in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt which came to the UK at the end of 1942. A P-47C was sent to Boulton Paul for conversion.



This company fitted a Defiant turret to the aircraft. The big fuselage of the Thunderbolt provided enough space for the turret and the operator. First flight of the modified aircraft was early in 1943 and tests were so successful that a production run of 200 aircraft was ordered. The aircraft was called Nightbolt and entered service in May 1943.



The Nightbolt remained in service until the end of the war, a total of 327 being built.

Model: Academy P-47 in 1/72 with Airfix Defiant (the old one) turret

TomZ

[kitbasher]

TOP BANANA!   

[Pellson]

This is so outrageously quirky that it's entirely possible. 

[stevehed]

Very neat. Can see it as an intruder.

[The Rat]

That just looks so natural!

[comrade harps]

  :wub 

[Old Wombat]

Very cool!

Needs a radar bubble out on one wing, though.

[PR19_Kit]

The big fuselage of the Thunderbolt provided enough space for the turret and the operator.

And a crew chief and fill maintenance crew as well........... 

What a BRILL idea Tom, I LOVE it! 

I wonder how many Airfix Defiant kits have ended up sans turrets by now? The turrets keep turning up on here in remarkable numbers, but none are actually aboard a Defiant. 

Well, maybe a few of them. It occurred to me that my entry in that class was really a Defiant.

[Dizzyfugu]

That's looking very good, also in that simple livery. 

[andrewj]

Oh ! , that's horrible , I like it .

[rickshaw]

Interesting.   

[AndrewF]

You're a genius, Tom!

[Weaver]

Nice one Tom.

That must have involved some 'interesting' re-routing of all the turbocharger/intercooler ducting, mind you...

[TomZ]

That must have involved some 'interesting' re-routing of all the turbocharger/intercooler ducting, mind you...

I looked in my model and the space was empty 

TomZ

[Old Wombat]

That must have involved some 'interesting' re-routing of all the turbocharger/intercooler ducting, mind you...

I looked in my model and the space was empty 

TomZ