The Polish book publisher, having recently turned its hand to standalone decals, offers debut sets for the P-47D Thunderbolt and P-39N/Q Airacobra.
There are a multitude of P-39 and P-47 kits available… Hasegawa, Eduard, Academy, RS Models, Tamiya, Monogram and others. However, it can often be the case that you’re simply not that enamoured with the decals provided in the box. It can be great fun researching new markings via the aftermarket. And new sets from Kagero, offering excellent choices for the P-47D ‘Razorback’ Thunderbolt and P-39D/N/Q Airacobra in 1/72 and 1/48 scales, are certainly worth considering.
Read about Kagero's P-51D and A6M Zero markings
Kagero’s KD 48006 Pacific Thunderbolts P-47D (KD 72006 for 1/72) provides four schemes – three comprising Olive Drab and Neutral Gray, and the fourth in bare metal. Not that many markings for Pacific Theatre ‘Razorbacks’ have been released in the past, so these are most welcome. The options are:
• P-47D-3, 42-22641/27 WEST VIRGINIE By God, Capt A L Weeks, 341st Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, Finschafen, Papua New Guinea, January 1944
• P-47D-4, ‘80’ Jo, Lt J C Haislip, 9th FS, 49th FG, Gusap, New Guinea, 1944
• P-47D-16, 42-76053/H50 Kokomo Kid, 310th FS, 58th FG, Noemfoor, Dutch New Guinea, August 1944
• P-47D-23, 42-28083/144 Stinger V, Capt ‘Tood’ Moore, 78th FS, 15th FG, Mokialea, Hawaii, October 1944
As with its other recent releases, Kagero supplies superb A4-sized instruction books, with quality colour four-view artwork of each aircraft. Here, the Olive-Drab machines are enlivened with splashes of colour, such as white vertical tails and wing leading edges, and one is extra jazzy due to its black and yellow engine cowling. The natural-metal example is also attractive, sporting annular black and yellow rings around its cowling and stripes on the vertical stabiliser/rudder in the same shades. Also present on the instructions are two pages of useful period photos of the aircraft in question, some being in colour.
Sharp-looking snakes
For fans of Bell’s interestingly shaped fighter, sheet KD 48008 P-39 Airacobra, Pacific Theatre, also offers four liveries. These airframes are all in Olive Drab over Neutral Gray, but two sport white tails and wing leading edges. Nose art adorns all four aircraft:
• P-39D-1, 41-38367/L, Lil Elsie, Lt Jerry Quandt, 35th FS, 8th FG, Milne Bay, New Guinea, 1942
• P-39N-1, 42-18250/329 The Sad Sack, 70th FS, 18th FG, Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons, December 1943
• P-39N-5, 42-18812/75 Flying Finn, Lt Erick W Kyro, 41st FS, 35th FG, Tsili Tsili, New Guinea, August 1943
• P-39Q-5, 42-20015 Honeybunch II, Capt Donald M Gordon, 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Dobodura, New Guinea, 1943
This set also offers two pages of period images on the instructions and the decals are equally as good as those for the P-47, with the same quality traits.The markings in both packs exhibit excellent printing on thin, gloss carrier film, the colours are rich in hue and the opacity is good. The 1/48 packages currently cost €11.96 and the 1/72 are €7.99 direct from Kagero
