After the smashing success of November’s giveaway, I just can’t wait another 11 months to host a second. So here we go!
Now…this giveaway will be smaller and less epic than the annual giveaway…and drawing straight from my stash. Why? Because I’ve run out of storage space, I have too many models I want to build, and rather than leaving ones I won’t get to for some time to sit on shelves unattended, I figured why not set them free to, um, sit on someone else’s shelves unattended?
First up…copies of the two Jugs I’m building at this very moment!
1/48 Tamiya P-47D Razorback – This kit is a beauty in just about every way. As I work through my second Tamiya Jug I’m more convinced than ever that this is one of the best 1/48 kits in existence. Period.
1/48 Monogram P-47D Razorback – One of the best of Monogram’s venerable old molds. I’ll be honest, it doesn’t hold a candle to the Tamiya kit, but it’s simple, solid, and goes together well. In the hand of someone not afraid to get their hands dirty and cut styrene, it could be turned into quite the stunner.
How’s This Going to Work?
Here’s the deal. The giveaway is live the moment this post goes up. It will run through January 31st, and on February 1st I will plug the entrants into a random picker to determine the winners.
To enter, I want to change things up a bit. As a kid, the models were all about the machine. Now that I’m a bit older, I find myself drawn more and more to the men who flew them and kept them in the air. The humanity and the story behind the aircraft are a passion all their own…so to enter this giveaway:
1 – Leave a comment naming your favorite P-47 pilot, and why.
2 – Be sure to enter a valid e-mail where I can contact you, if you win.
And…that’s that! Let the fun begin, and best of luck to all who enter!
Doogs Models 
Gabby Gabreski.
I remember reading about him and building his camo P-47 when I was a kid back in high school. It was a green and brown camo with the invasion strips. I think I used the old Testors kit, the one with all the pictures on the back on the box.
He volunteered to fly with Polish pilots in Spitfires out of England. Then he started flying a P-47D and ran up a 28 kills to be the highest American Ace in Europe. He crashed on his last mission and was captured. He spent the last year as a POW.
He went on to fly F86 Sabers in Korea and became an Ace there. I think he retired as a Colonel or maybe a General in the Air Force.
Unfortunately my finish model is long gone now.
my email: iraqiwildman@yahoo.com.
Thanks.
Robert Johnson – P47 Razorback “Halfpint”
While a mere 11th grader I read his autobio “Thunderbolt!” w/ Martin Caidian in the late 70’s then used book as reference for term paper in my US History class. Paper title was “Berlin In Agony” which discussed how US, GB and Russia crushed Berlin via land and air.
I used “Thunderbolt”as on resource to discuss the daylight bombing and escort missions Johnson was involved. Created nice coverart for my report and to this day my history teacher brings it out and mounts on the wall in his classroom. When I visit my hometown (Gettysburg) and if I run into him he always reminds me he continues to use my cover art when his curriculum reaches WWII. When he met my wife for the first time his first words reflected on that paper and the art he continues to use.
This book focused on Johnsons upbringing in KS or maybe it was OK. A regular guy who fell in love with flying as a kid. Johnson’s missions are discussed with exceptional detail from the cockpit. I first learned about Emergency War Power. The best was his encounter on his first mission where he got jumped by FW190 his plane took a beating and the FW190 broke off engagement as it ran out of ammo. His plane absorbed an incredible amount of punishment and brought him home. This was highlighted in an edition of “Dogfights”.
One of my favorite USAAF WWII planes: it’s big, it’s bad, it can put up a good fight and take an incredible amount of punishment. And lets not forget “Nose Art”, some of the best Nose Art were on P-47’s. Also, I read somewhere, “you have your picture taken in a P-51 to send to your girl, you take a P-47 into combat.”
As a 17 year old kid, I was so taken by this plane and Johnson I immediately built a model. Have been scale modeling for about 4 years. It was a 1/72 scale (not sure if it was an AIrfix or Frog kit). I scratchbuilt the interior (tape, wire, stretched sprue, drilled dashboard painted dials, vacuformed the canopy, cut out cowling flaps with playing card and positioned in open position. Micro Scale decals for insignia and code HV*P. This effort was my first attempt on weathering with “dirty wash”. After decals/micro set applied I gave the plane a wash and the results were stunning. Well, at least stunning for a 17 year old kid. Frequent comments were “how did I paint those markings?”
Model is lost, however I have a P-47 Razorback in my stash and I will do Johnson’s Halfpint.
Robert Johnson
I read his book, Thunderbolt! and thoroughly enjoyed it. What I really appreciated in his book was how he conveyed his joy of flight. From a very young age, he was smitten with flying and it continued into his life.
He flew with the 56th and I have plans to build his Penrod and Sam! One can never have too many Jugs on the shelf. 🙂
Thanks!
Hubert Zemke
When I think of the folks that served in WWII I think of my grand parents and what an amazing generation they were. What little I’ve read about the P-47 and it pilots one name has stuck out to me,….Hub Zemke. This guy was the everyman of P-47s; pilot, commander, ranking POW, he did it all. Early on his plane was adorned with MOY TOVARISH, MY FRIEND. What could sum up a pilots relationship with his P-47 better than that.
I also like that he chewed Robert Johnson out for straying from the formation. Hub knew the value of working as a team and lone wolves were not tolerated.
With all he did during the war outside of piloting his P-47 he still manage to rack up 17 3/4 confirmed kills…..not to shabby.
It’s gotta be John W. ( Wild Bill ) Crump for me!
I Love the story of his pet coyote “Jeep”, the only coyote to fly on 5 mission in WWII! Wild Bill was a heck of a guy, he flew 47’s and later P-51’s, and racked up 311 combat hours and helped save the life of fellow pilot Huie Lamb who went into the drink over the North Sea. Wild Bill remained active as a pilot and as a community leader, even carrying the Olympic Torch in Atlanta in ’96.
r.keener@hotmail.com
William Nellis
The reason he is my choice is not because of outstanding service or anything like that. I had always wondered why the AFB was named as such. A little search into history provided his biography and I read through it. He was married with two kids, yet he answered the call for his Country and I admire that.
He attained First Lieutenant status and flew 69 missions. He was shot down over Luxembourg and was later confirmed killed.
When the airbase was to be named, the people of Nevada chose him because he was a local hero.
I could say Robert Johnson and his plane “Lucky”, which I’m currently building. I’m going with a less well known Jug pilot, Royal N. Baker. He was from Corsicana, Texas and did flight training here also. He was in the 308th FS flying Spitfires in North Africa and Sicily. He scored 3 kills in Spits.
He then went back to the states and was a Flight Commander in the 493rd FS 48th FG flying the Jug. He went to Europe for his second tour as part of the 9th AF. By the end of the war he had flown 523 hours on 272 combat missions in the Spit and the Jug.
He went to Korea in April 1952 and assumed command of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, Far East Air Forces. During the Korean War, he flew 127 missions and accumulated 199 combat hours in F-86 jet aircraft and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Legion of Merit. He was the leading jet ace when he returned home and is the 21st jet ace of the Korean War, with 13 enemy aircraft destroyed.
His aircraft in Korea were named “The King” and I have markings for his F-86 but I’m still searching for photos of his Spitfire and Jug. He retired as a MG and sadly passed less than a year after he retired.
Cpt. Norman E. Olson
First he dropped out of Marquette University to join the USAAF Reserves,
He commissioned as a 2nd Lt., following graduation from Foster Field Flight School in May, 1942, where he was assigned to the 313th FS/50th FG, he then became a flight leader in the 357DF/355FG in March 1943.By that time Olson reached the ETO with the 355th FG and had accumulated over 700 hours flight time.
After that, he was the second 355th FG pilot to shoot down a German fighter, the first to score a double and the first ace in the 355th FG.
He was one of the most aggresive fighters of the 355, but also the most talented, and became the only ace of the group.
He was killed by German flak at Celle Airfield, Germany on 8 April, 1944 to become the only ace KIA in the 355th during the entire war.
His final score was 6 destroyed, plus 2 damaged in air, 2 destroyed (shared) and 2 damaged on ground. This all flying the P-47D Razorback (P-47D 42-8413 “ma fran 3rd”).
I think it’s great for someone to drop out of the University and then become a leading Ace pilot, I admire that.
Doog’s
Got to love the P-47. I’m still amazed when you put your 1/48th scale P-47 next to a 109….. the plane is massive.
I have to go with Capt Gerald W. Johnson
1) Gerald flew wing for the commander, Colonel Hub Zemke on the 56th’s first mission
2) First Ace of the 56th. 16+ kills
3) Flew 88 missions before being shot down while strafing a train. Which he crash landed in a field.
4) Spent 13 months as a POW
5) Gotta have some love for his plane “In the Mood” inspired by one of my favorite Glenn Miller songs. Just the nose art alone puts it at the top of the list for 1/48 scale Razorbacks!
There are many, this is mine.
Regards,
Rodney Anderton
anderton455@gmail.com
P.S. Waiting for you to run a poll for your favorite B-24 pilot. Just Sayin’
WOOHOO! I won! Thanks a bunch Doogs! Hope I can give the old classic a nice overhaul!
The old Monogram kits remind me of my days at the cornerstore drinking freshly made malted milkshakes, snagging the latest issue of Savage Sword of Conan and browsing the tiny selection of latest and greatest kits… Simple times and simple pleasures… I appreciate the prize, and the blog even more!
Nice! Congrats