The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Airframe & Miniature 25
Author: Richard A. Franks
Publisher: Valiant Wings Publications
ISBN: 978-1-912932-39-9
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 288
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a close second to the most famous USAAC fighter of the Second World War, slotting right behind the P-51 Mustang. Its big radial engine, sturdy construction, and ability to fight both against air targets and ground targets made it a common sight on all fronts and into the post-war years. This extensive use resulted in the P-47 being a popular subject for scale modelers, so it is no surprise that Valiant Wings tackled the subject in their Airframe & Miniature series. With nearly 300 pages, this book is a comprehensive examination of the P-47 in both the historical record and the modeling world.
The book starts out with a section on the P-47 airframe, which is further broken down into main sections. The first section covers the origins, the prototypes through the P-47C. These aircraft proved the concept of the P-47, and while the early P-47s did see some combat, they merely paved the way for the main Thunderbolts, the P-47D. The next section covers those more well-known variants, from the P-47D through the P-47M. These were the planes that saw the majority of combat, both in US and foreign service. The last airframe type covers the long-range Thunderbolt, the P-47N, while the section itself closes out with a large section on camouflage and markings, complete with color profiles. The P-47 wore an impressive array of camouflage and markings, including a wide range of nose art and personal markings that fit the large fuselage of the Thunderbolt well.
After the real airframe coverage, the next section details the scale world. Because it has been such a popular subject, there is no shortage of kits and aftermarket decal sheets, accessories, and more. The miniature section starts with an overview of the available kits for the P-47 in all the major scales, then provides a handful of build articles of some of the more popular kits in multiple scales. This only scratches the surface, though, so the following section details just what is needed to build a complete P-47 collection, from the prototypes through to the P-47N. This section finishes out with over sixty pages of detail photos and information, broken down by aircraft section. The appendices do the same amount of detail but in kits, accessories, and decals.
For those looking for a single reference on the P-47 Thunderbolt, there is no better choice than this book. It provides everything any modeler could want, from what is available for their respective kit to what needs to be done for a specific variant. For more information about this and other Airframe & Miniature titles, visit the Valiant Wings Publications website.