The later bubble canopy replaced the raised rear fuselage of the razorback layout. This gave the pilot a less obstructed view behind the aircraft and became a distinctive feature of later Thunderbolts.
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The P-47D combined the Thunderbolt’s large radial engine and turbo-supercharger with heavy gun armament. It served as both an escort fighter and a fighter-bomber.
Many late-production aircraft displayed a largely natural-metal finish, with anti-glare paint and unit markings breaking up the silver appearance. The kit’s Mayo and Kepner options illustrate two different treatments rather than one universal Thunderbolt palette.
Sources and accuracy
Historical summary adapted from the exact-kit manufacturer background. Scheme selections are limited to the individually supported markings; source uncertainties are retained.
These are the kit manufacturer’s paint recommendations. Follow the exact instruction diagrams for placement, marking choices and mixes. They are separate from the historical palettes below.
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The manual palette covers both marking options and external stores. AS-12 supplies the bare-metal finish. XF-62 and XF-53 are the manual-listed bottle alternatives to AS-6 and AS-7, so the duplicate sprays start unchecked. Exhausts mix XF-7:1 + XF-56:5. Scheme B green panels mix XF-4:1 + XF-5:3. Deselect paints for markings or stores you are not building. Supplies are optional and start unchecked. X-20A thinner is for Tamiya X/XF acrylic bottles, not the AS/TS sprays.
Paints (19)
AS-6 Olive Drab Spray (spray alternative to XF-62)$9.25
Select any tools you need to add them with your paint selection.
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Paints and supplies sold separately. Prices and availability update from each product.
Historical Paint Schemes
Choose a documented aircraft or vehicle finish, then a paint system. These researched alternatives are separate from the instruction list above.
Each pack is its own shopping list. Choose one paint system; selections stay separate. Out-of-stock items remain visible but cannot be added. There is no bundle discount.
Exterior scheme colors only. Check the diagrams for pattern and placement. Interior, crew, small details and decals are not included unless a pack explicitly says so. Model paints are manufacturer-intended reproductions or labeled approximations, not independently measured exact historical matches.
One of the most famous planes of WWII, the P-47D Thunderbolt was an outstanding single seat fighter plane excelling in high-altitude bomber escort and low-altitude ground attack. The P-47D featured a turbo-supercharged engine and was active on both the European and Pacific fronts. To solve the problem of insufficient visibility of earlier models, later Thunderbolt models were redesigned with a transparent bubble canopy, leading to the birth of the "Bubbletop".
Following the successful release of the P-47D "Razorback", Tamiya now introduces its successor, the "Bubbletop" to the 1/72 scale War Bird Collection. At just 153mm it is the perfect size for collecting Fuselage and canopy designed with all new parts to accurately represent bulky size Loads of accessories including 500 pound bombs and M10 rocket launchers Decals for 2 types of markings, including the 8th Air Force, 78th Fighter Group.
