P-47D Razorback Thunderbolt
Kinetic - 1/24 Model Kit

The P-47 Thunderbolt started its development with the Seversky P-36, followed by the P-43 Lancer during the late 1930s. The US Army Air Corps was interested in the design development and authorized the lightweight XP-44 Rocket and V-12-powered XP-47. By 1940 however, the two designs were deemed inferior to Luftwaffe aircraft and while Republic tried to improve the XP-47 with the XP-47A, the USAAC wasn't interested. Republic completely reworked the design by combining a larger engine with a larger airframe (it was already armed with eight .50 caliber machine guns) and the XP-47B was approved.

Like all fighter aircraft of the day, the P-47 was designed with the distinctive 'razorback' fuselage and received incremental improvements during its production. Republic was not able to produce the P-47 in sufficient numbers at its Farmingdale, NY plant so a second facility was opened in Evansville, IN. Curtiss was also tasked to produce the P-47 at its Buffalo, NY facility, but that production facility experienced major problems and the resulting aircraft were designated as P-47Gs and used only as stateside training aircraft.

The P-47 was the mainstay for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat in Europe and Pacific theaters. Even after the P-51 Mustang entered the war, the P-47 had the highest number of aerial victories than all other USAAF fighters combined. When the Hawker Typhoon was revised with a cut-down rear deck and teardrop canopy, the USAAF quickly adopted the concept and the P-47 and P-51 were redesigned with similar bubble-top/teardrop canopies.

Among the features and options of the kit:

Nicely detailed cockpit
Postitionable canopy
Very detailed engine, mounts and firewall
Cowling panels can be positioned on, partially, or completely removed
Detailed gun bays and ammo bays
Positionable doors on gun bays and ammo bays
Gun bay doors and bay undersides molded in clear for optional reveal
Positionable wing flaps
Choice of Curtiss or Hamilton Standard cuffed or uncuffed propellers
The kit provides the following external stores options:

Choice of metal or paper underwing external fuel tanks
Optional centerline 'flat' metal external fuel tank
Choice of bomb or bazooka rocket tubes
This release has two marking options:

P-47D-2-RE, 42-8096, 342 FS/348 FG, 'Miss Mutt/Pride of Lodi Ohio', as flown by Lt R.H. Parker
P-47D-15-RE, 42-76275, 510 FS/405 FG, 'Squirt II', as flown by LTC Robert R. Rowland
The decals provide a set of airframe stencils and instrument faces for the instrument panel.