MiniArt 1/48 P-47D "Advanced kit" review. 

I got the basic version of the kit, because currently, that's the only version available in the US. I really appreciate the options even in the basic kit, wheels up is a nice choice you don't see often. I can bet Becker is pleased with that. I don't mind that the basic kit only has flaps up, as from what I've read P-47 pilots learned real quick to raise their flaps as soon as they touched down. So flaps down would really only be appropriate for a P-47 coming in for a landing. Which it's cool, that with the advanced version you could depict that. I'm waiting on some of the ASK and Eduard aftermarket to make its way to the states before I start building.

I finally found the advanced kit in the US. Great review! Can’t wait to get the kit.

You know how to wet one’s appetite for a kit, Nigel! Well done comparing the basic and advanced kit. Thanks for this review!

Best kit review I have ever watched! Thank you Nigel!

Hi Nigel, Thanks for the review. I'm so happy MiniArt has branched out into other scales and subjects. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jeff

You’re the first! The basic kit is what you described.

I think Miniart are a very under appreciated company. Not had one kit that wasn't incredibly detailed and well put together. Thanks for the review Nige.

When I building kits I always like to have options and I agree pay that little more and get the advance kit . Lovely review Nigel

Nigel, love your show, excellent analysis!!!! I'm a stickler for detail on certain airplanes, the P-47 amongst them. Does this kit include the ring and bead manual gunsight?? Honestly, most kits overlook this small, but if one wants to accurate, feature. Gabreski's aircraft had this as well as many others. I am sure the after market people are already busy with this kit.

I too hold out hope for a Razorback P-47 from miniArt. And while the Tamiya kit is now over twenty years old it's no slouch in terms of accuracy nor detail, and yet that MiniArt does raise the bar to new heights. Looking forward to see how well (or not) it goes together.

The issue with the tail wheel options is easy to resolve. On P-47s and P-40s the opening for the t/wheel to retract into was often covered by a soft canvas sheet which acted as a mud guard that prevented muck and detritus from being flung into the housing. Nothing more. MiniArt have simply given the option to show the tail wheel structure if so desired.

Great Review and a very very nice kit.

P-47 from Miniart has the only geometry flaw: wrong machine gun mask panel on the leading edge, which pulls wrong shape and heights/depths of gunbays and guns in them. On the real thing guns are mounted in parallel to the ground when you are looking on them from the front position. On the kits wing they are parallel to the wings leading edge, which causes the problems, described above.

The Gabreski scheme is the extra in the Advanced version, Nige. Thank you for the review, I want this kit. 😍

It's hard to imagine anything topping the Tamiya kit in terms of fit and finish, it's kind of the ideal kit! Re: That thing with the tailwheel, there were originally aluminum dust covers over the tailwheel assembly, I'm guessing a lot of those were discarded at some point for simplicity's sake.

About halfway through. It is quite complex, but if you understand all locating tabs are potential enemies, the actual outside skin fit is excellent, INCLUDING the 4 part cowling. Don't assemble the cowling over the engine assembly. It must be done separately on its own: I have done it that way and the fit is near perfect. I will trim the engine frame assembly so that only a minimum of support is provided, as I slide the cowling over like a one piece part. My cowling now looks almost as if it was moulded in one piece, but with a very slight sense of separation between the panels: A fair approximation of how the real thing should look. Keep in mind the Tamiya one piece cowl tapers from 29 mm wide at the front of the cooling flaps to only 27 mm wide at the front vertical panel line, so 2 mm of taper over a short distance of 15 mm, and in reality it was nearly parallel at 28 mm throughout, slight taper from 28.3 to 28 mm [Edit: The Mini Art is at 28 mm front of cowl flaps and tapers to 27 mm, the Dora Wings is 27 mm pretty much with no real taper, and I think that is best]. The cowling fit is a simple case of ignoring the instructions, and being wary of all tabs and internal locating surfaces: A slight amount of preventive scraping on all the high internal points (and rigorous pouring stub cleaning) will help allow for the thickness of the glue, or other issues. Many tabs should just be eliminated. Gear length might be 2 mm long, so it is possible I will use the Tamiya gear. To be confirmed. (I just learned from this video 2 gears are provided, loaded/unloaded, which might account for the issue!)

you are spot on Nigel if you want a Razorback in Dora Wings 1/48 P-47C Thunderbolt

As I watch this, I'm currently finishing up my Tamiya P-47D using the Miss Fire/Rozzie Geth II decals from Zotz Decals lol. Can't wait to get this one as well!

Good evening Nigel

Another great review Nigel 👍👍. I am very tempted to get this.

Why would you have an image of naked woman on an aircraft? 😂 Good review Nige. The most disappointing part of the basic kit for me is the canopy. It is a bit rough near the edges of the clear sections and I've got 3 cold shuts in the windscreen ( replacement was the same, a lot of other peoples seem to be the same ). It's a long way from the Tamiya canopy quality. Have they tweaked the canopy mould, as you seem impressed with it? The lower wing could do with a little sanding as the for some reason the panel lines and rivets are heavier than the top of the wing. The top of the nose, where they have used a slide mould, needs a little cleaning up and its also on a panel line, which will then need scribing in. The Dc sprue is for the optional panels for the later aircraft ( D-30 on ), where the landing light was moved to near the wingtip and the dive brakes were fitted behind the gear bays. The different tailwheels are just with and without the dust cover fitted. I would have though this was normally left fitted, so I would just use that one. The 165 gal, Lockheed drop tank is actually a napalm fire bomb, as they have moulded the igniter on the back end, so if just using as a drop tank remove it, If you want to use it as a fire bomb it will need the other igniter adding to the filler cap ( or you could removed the one from the tail and fit this on the cap as sometimes they only carried the one ). The 8 spoke wheels were only used on the P-47N, but several warbird P-47D's have them fitted so I guess MiniArt just got a bit confused there. Don't fit the magneto, part Gc13, as it shouldn't be there, just glue a piece of plasticard over the mounting point to replicate the blanking plate. The cockpit floor should be the smooth style, hopefully someone will come along with an AM one, but that probably won't worry most people. In the normal kit you can only build it with the flaps up. Reviewers keep calling that bulkhead the firewall, but it's got a larg hole in the middle where the back of the engine goes through, so it wouldn't be a very good firewall! The firewall is further back at the back of the accessory compartment.

I thought I was done buying kits tis year but then this one turned up. And very reasonably priced, too! Thanks for the review, I was wondering what the difference between the basic and advanced and it looks like they are doing something similar to what Eduard does.

Waiting for this build! Will you be building the triplane soon?

Do you have a link to that riveting tool. The ASK one

How are you coming along with your Lancaster build?

I love your channel Nigel...but I just wish you would say British gunners or British planes...not English. You dont say a Californian B17...you say American. I know its just a slip of the tongue...but as someone whose grandfather was a desert rat and Scottish...it does grate a little when you say it! But like i said ..i love your channel and wont stop watching you just because of this!!

I have the P-47D Thunderbolt as a die cast model love the United States of America.

Nice

((((....тооооо-ли еще будетттт-пройдет еще лет 30-модельный рынок будет кипеть!,кипеть!))))))

....да,да p-47 от tamiya ушел в прошлоеееее.......

I purchased this kit and in my opinion I would stick with the Tamiya kit