Jugs over Germany 79 US WWII FIGHTER :8 SCALE PLASTIC KIT intro In June 90, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) issued a requirement for a new light fighter design. Among those manufaturers to respond was the Republic Aviation Corporation of Farmingdale, New York. This company was a successor to the Seversky Aircraft Corporation. Republic s chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, born in Georgia in the Soviet Union, moved to the States, as did his former chief, Alexander Seversky. One of Kartveli s designs was the P-5 fighter, accepted and used by the USAAC, and other countries. In 99, Republic signed a contract to manufacture another fighter, the P- Lancer. The performance of the P- was not good enough to compare with contemporary European fighters, notably the Bf 09E and Spitfire. In the meantime, Kartveli finished the design of a brand new fighter under the company designation AP-0. It was powered by the Allison V-70 inline engine. The USAAC gave it the designation XP-7 and XP-7A, but due to poor performance, no further development was planned. This led Kartveli to install the most powerful engine available at the time, the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. He designed an efficient supercharging duct system using an innovative method. He designed the supercharging system first, and then built up the fuselage around it. The XP-7B prototype was significantly bigger than all fighters built up to that time. Twice as heavy as contemporary fighters, its powerful engine nevertheless enabled the aircraft to reach a speed of 6 km/h shortly after its maiden flight on May 6, 9. The total of 7 P-7Bs was built, the first example leaving the production line in March 92. The first frontline unit to accept the fighter, the 59th Fighter Group, obtained their aircraft no sooner than June. The new figher was christened the 'Thunderbolt'. The P-7C was produced from September 92. A total of 602 examples were manufactured and had a slightly longer nose and an underbelly external fuel tank could be installed. The latter change permitted units based in England to fly deeper into occupied Europe. The P-7D was similar to its predecessor, but many changes were introduced on the production line. The D-5 was the first Thunderbolt with underwing pylons. As such, two bombs could be added to the eight 0.50 guns, improving the combat value of the aircraft. The most obvious change was related to the canopy and rear fuselage. From Block D-25, the old canopy was replaced with a new bubble all-round vision type, with a corresponding cut down of the rear fuselage decking. The older Thunderbolts are known as Razorbacks and the newer types as Bubbletop. The Thunderbolt s performance increased with more powerful versions of the engine installed and with the use of advanced propellers. The final versions was equipped with a dorasl fin to improve stability. The final D version was the D-0. A total of 2,062 P-7Ds were built, making it the most produced American fighter. The production of the 'hot rod' P-7M with airbrakes in the wings followed. But only 0 P-7Ms was manufactured, all of them delivered to the 56th Fighter Group. The last version that entered series production was the P-7N. A new wing with a bigger wingspan and redesigned wingtips was used. The P-7Ns were exclusively used in the Pacific Theatre of Operations and served as a long range escort fighter to protect B-29 Superfortresses on their routes from the Marianas to Japan. Plans to fly them in Europe were halted by the final defeat of Nazi Germany. úvodem V èervnu 90 zadalo United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) požadavky na konstrukci nového lehkého stíhacího letounu. Mezi pøíjemci specifikací byla také spoleènost Republic Aviation Corporation sídlící ve Farmingdale ve státì New York. Firma byla faktickým pokraèovatelem spoleènosti Seversky Aircraft Corporation. Hlavní konstruktér Republicu, pùvodem Gruzínec Alexander Kartveli, jenž pocházel stejnì jako døívìjší šéf spoleènosti Alexander Seversky, ze zemí Sovìtského svazu, již døíve zkonstruoval letoun P-5. V roce 99 získal Republic též kontrakt na omezenou výrobu dalšího stíhacího typu, P- Lancer. Tento stroj však nedosahoval kvalit jeho evropských konkurentù, zejména pak Bf 09E a Spitfiru. Mezitím již Kartveli zkonstruoval novou stíhaèku pod továrním oznaèením AP-0. Pohánìl ji øadový motor Allison V-70. Tento typ USAAC oznaèilo XP-7, resp. XP-7A, avšak pro nedostateèné výkony byl odmítnut. Kartveli se tedy rozhodl použít tehdy nejvýkonnìjší motor Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. K efektivnímu využití výkonu vymyslel dobøe fungující systém využívající výfukových plynù pro pøeplòování motoru. Nejprve zkonstruoval tento systém a až poté okolo nìj trup letounu. Prototyp stíhaèky XP-7B byl znatelnì vìtší než všechny dosud používané stíhaèky. Pøestože byl dvakrát tìžší, než jeho souputníci, výkonný motor mu již krátce po zalétání, které probìhlo 6. kvìtna 9, umožnil dosáhnout maximální rychlosti 66 km/h. První z celkem 7 P-7B opustil montážní závod spoleènosti Republic v bøeznu 92, ale 59th Fighter Group dostala první exempláøe až v èervnu. Nový stroj obdržel bojové jméno Thunderbolt. Poèínaje záøím 92 zaèala výroba verze P-7C. Postaveno bylo 602 kusù a od P-7B se lišil mírnì prodlouženou pøídí a možností nést pøídavnou palivovou nádrž. Druhá jmenovaná úprava umožnila létat hloubìji nad okupovanou Evropu. Verze P-7D se od svého pøedchùdce pøíliš neodlišovala. V prùbìhu její výroby však došlo k mnoha zmìnám v konstrukci. Od bloku D-5 pøibyly na køídlo dva závìsníky pro pumy a doplnily tak palebnou sílu osmi pùlpalcových kulometù. Nejviditelnìjší byla úprava tvaru pøekrytu kabiny a høbetu trupu. Od výrobního bloku P-7D-25 byl snížen trup za kokpitem a kokpit dostal kapkovitý pøekryt. Starší stroje se nazývaly Razorback, novìjší pak Bubbletop. Výkony letounù se postupnì zvyšovaly, došlo k zástavbám výkonnìjších verzí motoru, osazovaly se modernìjší vrtule. Poslední výrobní bloky také dostaly høbetní kýlovou plochu, která pomáhala øešit problémy se stabilitou. Produkce verze D se zastavila s výrobním blokem D-0-RA. Montážní linky opustilo celkem 2 062 P-7D. Tím se stala nejpoèetnìjší verzí amerického stíhacího letounu, který byl kdy vyroben. Následovala výroba vysoce výkonné verze P-7M s aerodynamickými brzdami v køídle, ale nakonec vzniklo pouze 0 kusù dodaných výhradnì k 56th Fighter Group. Poslední sériovì vyrábìnou verzí byla P-7N. Letoun dostal pøekonstruované køídlo se zvìtšeným rozpìtím a od P-7D se dosti lišil. Letouny této verze byly dodávány výhradnì na pacifické bojištì, kde sloužily zejména jako dálkový doprovod pro bombardéry B-29 Superfortress míøící nad cíle v Japonsku. Plány vyzbrojit enky také evropské jednotky ukonèila bezpodmíneèná kapitulace Nìmecka. 79-NAV
ATTENTION UPOZORNÌNÍ ACHTUNG ATTENTION INSTRUCTION SIGNS INSTR. SYMBOLY INSTRUKTION SINNBILDEN SYMBOLES OPTIONAL VOLBA BEND OHNOUT OPEN HOLE VYVRTAT OTVOR SYMETRICAL ASSEMBLY SYMETRICKÁ MONTÁŽ REMOVE ODØÍZNOUT REVERSE SIDE OTOÈIT APPLY EDUARD MASK AND PAINT POUŽÍT EDUARD MASK NABARVIT PARTS DÍLY TEILE PIECES PLASTIC PARTS C> D> 2 pcs. E> F> PE - PHOTO ETCHED DETAIL PARTS eduard G> RP - RESIN PARTS R 2 pcs. R2 2 pcs. R R pcs. R5 pcs. R6 R7 R8 R9 R0 R R2 R R R5 R6 2 pcs. R7 R8 R9 R20 R2 COLOURS BARVY FARBEN PEINTURE GSi Creos (GUNZE) AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR H 90 C7 CLEAR RED AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR H C YELLOW H 92 C9 CLEAR ORANGE C62 OCEAN GRAY C H 9 C8 CLEAR GREEN C6 DARK GREEN H C RED H C WHITE Mr.METAL COLOR H 27 C TAN H 2 C2 LIGHT GRAY MC2 DARK IRON H 52 C8 OLIVE DRAB C5 H 56 C72 INTERMEDIATE BLUE C52 CHROMATE YELLOW Mr. COLOR SUPER METALLIC 2 H 77 C7 TIRE BLACK C6 MEDIUM SEA GRAY SM0 SUPER FINE SILVER
A B PE2 PE C PE6 PE6 C5 RP9 RP PE PE20 PE5 C 2 pcs. PE6 C5 RP0 A PE27 C RP9 C5 PE C5 RP B RP8 C5 PE5 C RP20 C PE6 PE8 PE6 D PE8 RP5 PE9 PE2 PE RP6 C5 PE25 PE2 PE PE7 RP6 PE7 RP2 H 52 C2 OLIVE DRAB C5 RP2 C H C RED D C5 C PE2 C5 PE26 RP7 PE28 RP7 C
E RP RP C C PE RP8 C RP PE9 PE0 C5 F E F2 F F2 MC2 DARK IRON PE PE8 H 52 C2 OLIVE DRAB PE6 PE7 PE PE PE7 RP9 F, F2 PE PE PE6 PE0
F C9 G C8 C C H F8 J F7 C52 CHROMATE YELLOW C52 CHROMATE YELLOW G G2 MC2 DARK IRON C E MC2 DARK IRON C H 92 C9 CLEAR ORANGE E2 pcs. H 9 C8 CLEAR GREEN H 90 C7 CLEAR RED C52 CHROMATE YELLOW G G C52 CHROMATE YELLOW F H closed open C E8 H 9 C8 CLEAR GREEN D0 G open H D0 closed F5 MC2 DARK IRON D2 D28 D25 J J MC2 DARK IRON D2 D25 D28 F6 SM0 SUPER FINE SILVER C C E9 H 90 C7 CLEAR RED 5
2 pcs. R H 77 C7 TIRE BLACK RP PE RP2 PE5 C2 C2 F F6 F5 C52 CHROMATE YELLOW R L C22 2 pcs. D9 D27 PE5 PE L F C52 CHROMATE YELLOW C22 C52 CHROMATE YELLOW C9 PE0 H 77 C7 TIRE BLACK PE29 C0 PE2 6
C PE5 C C28 C28 H 56 C72 INTERMEDIATE BLUE C27 PE5 H 27 C TAN C27 C25 F, F2 C2 PE2b PE2a C8 K DO NOT GLUE! NELEPIT RP6 F - MARKING RP - MARKINGS RP5 - MARKINGS pcs. RP5 B A D,, C E RP RP pcs. C 7
E PE22 E5 H 52 C2 OLIVE DRAB C K F M 2 pcs. N pcs. O C6 C5 D2 D2 D9 D20 H 52 C2 OLIVE DRAB 2 pcs. D6 D7 C D8 C2 P Q S 2 pcs. 2 pcs. D F9 D5 D5 D F0 D6 T 2 pcs. PE8 PE2 plastic PE9 D8 D7 plastic 8 PE9
Q M 000lb bomb 50 gal tank 75 gal tank 200 gal tank 08 gal tank 500lb bomb N O P Q S T eduard 2 pcs. RP+ RP2 E5 C0 C0 RP+ RP2 2 pcs. RP E E2 pcs. E 9
A P-7D-28-RA, flown by Lt. Talmadge Ambrose, 0th FS, 7rd FG, Venlo airfield, the Netherlands, March 95 Talmadge L. Ambrose joined the 0th FS after pilot training in the States at a time when the squadron move from Great Britain to continental Europe. By the end of WWII he flew 8 combat missions and is credited with enemy aircraft destroyed ether in the air or on the ground, nine of them being confirmed. The most successful combat mission was flown on April 8, 95, when Ambrose downed four Fw 90Ds in combat over Hannover. The Jug was christened after Ambrose s wife Dorothy Kolbe. The appearance of this aircraft changed later during overhaul. The dorsal fin fillet was added and the vertical stabilizer tip was overpainted with a blue color. The black upper part of the cowling was a remnant of an older marking, when the entire cowl was black. ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/79 58 55 8 5 2 5 56a 57 + 5 H 62 H H 5 2+5 57 56b 5 8 55 62 0 H YELLOW OLIVE DRAB 8 BLACK eduard
B P-7D-25-RE, flown by Capt. Fred J. Christensen, 62th FS, 56th FG, Boxted AB, summer, 9 Fred Christensen joined the 56th Fighter Group on August 26, 9. His first kill was a Bf 0 downed three months later over Papenburg, Germany. Christensen s final score was 2.5 kills. He destroyed two of them while flying this aircraft christened after his college girlfriend 'Rosamand Gethro'. The first of these was a Bf 09 downed on June 27, 9 and the second victim was an Fw 90 destroyed on July 5, 9. After the war, Christensen joined the Air National Guard and retired with the rank of Colonel. The red nose band was a feature of all 56th FG aircraft, and the yellow rudder was typical for the 62nd Fighter Squadron. ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/79 29 H 9 H 68 8 8 28 2 26+27 2 6+ H 2 22 0 22 2 H 29 5+ 2 25 2 8 H RED H WHITE H YELLOW OLIVE DRAB 8 BLACK eduard
C P-7D-26-RA, flown by Maj. Donavon Smith, the CO of 6st FS, 56th FG, Boxted AB, early 95 Smith s personal mount was camouflaged in a consistent manner with other 56th Fighter Group aircraft. The paints used are a topic of discussion, but in all probability were British Dark Green, Ocean Gray and Medium Sea Gray. In early 95, a temporary white color was painted on the upper surfaces. The red rudder identifies this as a 6st Fighter Squadron aircraft. Maj. Donavon Smith led the 6st FS from September 26, 9 to January 0, 95. He is credited with 7.5 confirmed kills, one probable and three enemy aircraft damaged. After the war, Smith s military career continued and his last assignment was as CO of the 6th Tactical Air Force. ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/79 H C6 6 C62 7 5+6 0 0a+0b 52 H H2 2 C6 H C6 C62 C6 H 52 9a+9b 0 C6 H LIGHT GRAY H2 2 RED H WHITE C62 C6 H2 2 MEDIUM OCEAN GRAY SEA GRAY DARK GREEN C6 C62 C6 BLACK 2 YELLOW H eduard
D P-7D-28-RA, flown by Capt. Robert Blackburn, 509th FS, 05th FG, Saint-Dizier airfield, France, 9 'Chowhound 2nd' had two incarnations with either a red or black nose stripe. The black & white invasion stripes are applied on lower wing and fuselage. The black bands on the tail were typical most Thunderbolts. These served as a quick identification marking to distinguish P-7s from the visually very similar Fw 90. Robert Blackburn flew one more Thunderbolt with the dog noseart 'Chowhound III'. He lost his life at the controls of this aircraft on March 25, 95. He attacked Dortmund Brackel airfield using bombs and guns, destroying two Ju 88s but flew through the blast debris of one of the Ju 88s. The debris damaged his Jug and he decided to bail out. His radio message regarding his situation was the last he was heard from. ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/79 20 H 50 9 8 65 6 6 59 8+9 60 8 H 2 22 0 22 2 2 8 60 6+7 59 H 66 8 RED H WHITE H YELLOW OLIVE DRAB 8 BLACK eduard
E P-7D-28-RA, flown by Lt. Harold Cox, 52rd FS, 06th FG, Y-29 Asch airfield, Belgium, February April, 95 The distinctive yellow nose marking was typical of 52th Squadron, a part of the 06th Fighter Group. The Group marking consisted of three color bands on the vertical stabilizer. The two black bands on the horizontal stabilizer were quick identification markings typical for Thunderbolts. 2Lt. Harold Cox, who is considered to be the pilot of this aircraft, is credited with two kills. The successes were achieved on February 22 and 28, 95. ÈESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/79 H 67 8 7 + 5 6 2 8 H 2 22 22 2 8 6 5 2+5 8 H H YELLOW OLIVE DRAB 8 BLACK eduard
Jugs over Germany STENCIL VARIANTS S8 S9 S5 S0 S0 S0 S S70 S S59 S S60 S S2 S52? S2 S8? S7? S6? S5 S7 S8 S28 S9 S65 S27 S57 S6 S S56 S26 S62 S8 OUTSIDE ONLY S6 S2 S2 S69 S58 S S S S20 S5 S57 S S65 S70 S9 S25 S6 S6 S2 S56 S22 S57 S2 S6 S57 S6 S55 S20 S2 S26 S5 S68 S70 S67 S6 S66 S S9 S0 S5 S50 S S70 S S2 S52 S7 S S5 S7 S8 S8 S9? S S29 S5 S52? S0 eduard 5 EDUARD M.A., 20 www.eduard.com Printed in Czech Republic