Rowan takes a look at MiniArt's 1:48 P-47D-25RE Basic Kit.

The P-47 Thunderbolt has been a modellers' favourite since the early days of plastic kits, so it's great to see it firmly back in the limelight with a series of new-tool 1:48 models produced by MiniArt to the latest state-of-the-art moulding standards. The range includes "Basic" and "Advanced" boxings, the latter including photo-etched accessories and extra options, but - as I discovered here - the "Basic" version belies its name and is actually anything but that.

MiniArt's Thunderbolt arrives in quite a large and sturdy top-opening box - and, even so, it's quite a squeeze to fit in all the runners. Most of them are bagged individually, and then sealed together as a neat package.

The P-47D-25RE "Basic Kit" comprises:

300 x grey styrene parts (some not required for this boxing)

6 x clear styrene parts

Decals for 2 x colour schemes  

Once you've got over the sheer number of parts in what MiniArt describe as a "basic" kit(!), you can begin to admire the quality of the moulding. As you'd hope with a new-tool kit there's no flash worthy of mention, and I've found only a couple of very shallow sink marks in my kit. However, there are a few prominent ejector pin marks, some of which need removing where they interfere with parts fitting together. 

The surface finish is excellent, with a mix of lightly embossed rivets and fasteners, plus crisply engraved panel lines and some raised applique panels. Compared with walkaround photos, the rivets are arguably a tad prominent for the flush-rivets of the full-sized airframe, but they should look great - particularly under a primer coat to knock them back a bit.

Detail parts show some beautifully crisp details, and clean-up promises to be trouble free.

A Test Fit

The main parts have runner attachments on the gluing surfaces, so you need to spend a little while cleaning them off before you can test the fit. Most of the attachments are sensibly placed, but a couple coincide with locating pins and require extra care when removing them. This is my first experience of a MiniArt kit and I found the styrene used is quite soft and easy to carve and sand.

Once the clean-up's done, the parts line up beautifully, with a nice tight fit for the fuselage and tail. The fuselage section immediately in front of the cockpit is a drop-in part that fits well and should match the surrounding panel lines if you take care.

The wings join the fuselage very neatly at the roots, with short locating "spars" that will work perfectly well for actual assembly, but don't support the weight of the wings in a dry-fit - so I couldn't attach them for the photo. The wings feature several drop-in panels to cater for different versions, and one point I noted is that the openings have slightly rounded corners, whereas the panels themselves are sharply moulded. It's only a small task to square-up the corners, but it's important in order to get a good fit.

Overall, I don't foresee any stumbling blocks in assembling the kit. Despite it being called "basic", though, I wouldn't recommend it for inexperienced modellers on account of the high parts count and slightly complex assembly.

A Few Details

Construction kicks off with the cockpit, and it's very nicely detailed with 30 parts, plus some decal placards to dot around the "office". A surprise is how the seat's tackled with a convincing moulded-on harness that should look very good when painted carefully. In my opinion this is better than a decal harness, but it will need some delicate work to remove it if you want to add aftermarket seatbelts. (Note: MiniArt's "Advanced" boxings include an etched harness.)

The main instrument is neatly moulded and provided with decals to overlay. Three styles are provided - a full panel, plus two versions with just the instrument faces. MiniArt have been really clever here, because one is designed to cover the whole panel with cut-outs for raised details, while the other has individual decals for the instrument faces to go in the bezels. I'll definitely give the latter a try, as they should look great with drops of varnish to "glaze" them.

The engine is very nicely handled, with 11 parts used even in this "Basic" boxing. "Advanced" boxings allow the engine to be exposed, and it actually looks like all the styrene parts are included here, so I think you could use them as the basis to create a detailed engine of your own and leave the cowling panels off to display it.

The propeller is simply done - just two parts - but features a nicely detailed hub.

The undercarriage offers a couple of options. Alternative parts depict tailwheel with and without covers over the leg and retraction mechanism, while the main gear has a choice of fully extended or loaded legs. To go with the loaded legs, MiniArt include bulged weighted diamond-tread tyres - although, strangely, both diamond and block-tread patterns are provided for the un-weighted option. Two styles of open hubs are included, plus covered hubs, so check references if you can to see what to use for any specific aircraft.

The mainwheel well features quite a complex boxed-in structure that will provide an excellent basis for superdetailing.

MiniArt's "Jug" is armed to the teeth. Along with the 8 x .50 calibre wing guns - slide-moulded for open barrels - the kit includes a comprehensive array of external stores:

75 gal metal drop tanks

108 gal "paper" drop tanks

150 gal metal drop tanks with napalm attachments

200 gal metal drop tank

250 lb AN-M57 bombs 

500 lb AN-M58A1 bombs

1,000 lb AN-M59 bombs

1,000 lb AN-M65 bombs

Smoke-laying tanks

5" rocket tubes

Round things off is a set of high quality clear parts. The canopy can be posed open and the sliding section is moulded with a convincing bulge without any seam line to worry about polishing away. Clear covers are provided for the wingtip and landing lamps.

Instructions & Decals

The assembly guide is printed in colour on glossy stock as a 16-page A4 booklet. The illustrations are clear and the 35-stage main sequence (ordnance is dealt with separately) is well laid-out and logical. Colour matches are provided throughout for Vallejo, Mr Color, AK RC, Mission Models, AMMO MIG and Tamiya paints, so you should have no problem finding what's needed wherever you're based.

Decals are provided for two colour schemes:

1. P-47D-25RE, s/n 226641, "Hairless Joe", LM*S, flown by Col. David Schilling, 62nd FS, 56th FG, August 1944

1. P-47D-25RE, s/n 226641, "Hairless Joe", LM*S, flown by Col. David Schilling, 62nd FS, 56th FG, August 1944

2. P-47D-25RE, s/n 226625, MX*E, 82nd FS, 78th FG, summer 1944

2. P-47D-25RE, s/n 226625, MX*E, 82nd FS, 78th FG, summer 1944

The decals appear to be excellent quality, matte finished and printed with pin-sharp registration. The cowling checker-board for scheme #2 is tackled as five separate panels that should work OK with setting solution to help them conform to the contours.

MiniArt provide a very comprehensive set of servicing stencils for the airframe and ordnance, complete with full page positioning guides.

Conclusion

MiniArt's 1:48 P-47D is very impressive - well designed and packed with detail. But 300+ parts in a "Basic" kit? I think MiniArt have redefined the term. Perhaps "Standard" would have been a better choice to differentiate the kit from the "Advanced" boxing. That's my only criticism of what is a fantastic kit, simply because I think it risks leading people to think it's suitable for beginners when it really isn't. 

That said, anyone with a bit of experience will relish what promises to be a hugely enjoyable build, and the finished model promises to be a real beauty. It represents very good value for money at its usual UK price of £34.99, and it's easy to find it cheaper if you shop around like I did - my kit cost me just over £25, at which price I think it's exceptional value.

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