Republic P-47 (and derivatives) Ideas and Inspiration

[ysi_maniac]

Love Twin Thunderbolt

[Jonesthetank]

Random idea:  RAF PRU P-47 in PRU Blue with all guns removed and with recon cameras.

Razorback or Bubbletop?

[GTX_Admin]

Random idea:  RAF PRU P-47 in PRU Blue with all guns removed and with recon cameras.

Razorback or Bubbletop?

Either...both...

There were some real world RP-47Bs, which involved a handful of P-47Bs modified into photo-reconnaissance aircraft with a camera mounted in the port intercooler vent.  I am thinking of something more substantial though, a bit like the PRU Spitfires.

[Story]

In 1944, Republic Aviation's chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, began working on a turbojet-powered replacement for the P-47 Thunderbolt piston-engined fighter aircraft. The initial attempts to redesign the P-47 to accommodate a jet engine proved futile due to the large cross-section of the Thunderbolt's fuselage.

[elmayerle]

In 1944, Republic Aviation's chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, began working on a turbojet-powered replacement for the P-47 Thunderbolt piston-engined fighter aircraft. The initial attempts to redesign the P-47 to accommodate a jet engine proved futile due to the large cross-section of the Thunderbolt's fuselage.

Do a cross between a P-47N and a F-84B?  Say a P-47N wing with repositioned main landing gear on a F-84B fuselage and using the P-47N canopy?  Leave teh wing guns as well as use the F-84B's nose guns.

[Frank3k]

Sharkit made a jet mod for the Hasegawa 1/72 P-47D, but he retired and closed the business. Evan's P-47 wings + F-84 body may be a better combo.

[elmayerle]

SOme years back, I did a test fit-up and the two wings appear to have the same root chord, so that part would work.  Unless you build it "gear up", modifying the main landing gear could be an effort.  It's still on my list of "Builds to do when I get the chance".

[apophenia]

On using P-47 wings on an F-84 fuselage, a minor challenge is that most Thunderjet kits are later-model F-84Es. Back-dating such kits to YP-84A/P-84B standard involves slicing out 15" (1/1 scale) at the wing leading edge. (Fortunately, that section of the fuselage is basically parallel and the F-84 canopy/ejection seat isn't going to be used anyway.)

Tommy Thomason covered this in his Republic F-84 Thunderjet Fuselage Length article.
-- https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2018/12/republic-f-84-thunderjet-fuselage-length.html

I've mounted my version of an F-84B fuselaged jet Thunderbolt here:

-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg231792#msg231792

[Frank3k]

I have the HobbyBoss 1/72 F-84E, the ancient Heller F-84G and the Hasegawa P-47D. The HobbyBoss is a better kit, with more detail and engraved (vs. raised) panel lines. It's also a simpler construction. Both F-84 kits match well in length, down to most panel lines and access hatches. The P-47 wing fits well with either kit, with only minor surgery.

Shortening either F-84 kit by 5.3mm wouldn't be too hard, except for the canopy section. The F-84 canopy is both longer and wider than the P-47 canopy, so considerable plastic surgery would be required around the mid to rear section of the cockpit. Surprisingly, the windscreen section of the P-47 canopy fits the HobbyBoss kit petty well.

There's a conversion of the Heller F-84G to F-84B on Britmodeller

[apophenia]

... Shortening either F-84 kit by 5.3mm wouldn't be too hard, except for the canopy section. The F-84 canopy is both longer and wider than the P-47 canopy, so considerable plastic surgery would be required around the mid to rear section of the cockpit...

Agreed. If you wanted to retain the F-84 canopy (say for a straightforward F-84E to F-84B conversion), some sort of fiddly zig-zag cut would probably be best. Fortunately, that excised 5.3 mm gives you some wiggle room for sanding/filing your zig-zag cuts for mating.