Wednesday, October 9

Preview: MiniArt's 48th scale "Big Set" - P-47D w/base, tools & oil drums to create an airfield diorama in a box...

MiniArt has combined their 48th scale P-47D-28/30 Thunderbolt kit with Marsden matting, eight oil drums & tools to create a mini airfield diorama, perfect for your WWII scene. We look at the real thing & the kit contents in our preview...

Preview: MiniArt's 48th scale "Big Set" - P-47D w/base, tools & oil drums to create an airfield diorama in a box...

Thunderbolt P-47D Bubbletop  w/Base & Accessories. Big Set 
From MiniArt Models
Kit No #49018
1/48th scale
Injection moulded kit
This kit contains 1x P-47D-28/30, a flat base in hard, moulded plastic & 8 oil drums & augurs, tools plus decals & photo-etch parts.
Three marking choices from the USAAF & Brazilian Air Force.
The Subject: WWII airfields with Marston Matting.
Pierced (or perforated) steel planking (PSP), is standardized, perforated steel matting material developed by the United States at the Waterways Experiment Station shortly before World War II, primarily for the rapid construction of temporary runways and landing strips (also misspelled as Marsden matting which is what I always thought it was called). The nickname came from Marston, North Carolina, adjacent to Camp Mackall airfield where the material was first used.

Assembling Marston matting in Alaska
The matting consisted of steel strips with punched lightening holes in it. These holes were in rows, and a formation of U-shaped channels between the holes. Hooks were formed along one long edge and slots along the other long edge so that adjacent mats could be connected. The short edges were cut straight with no holes or hooks. To achieve lengthwise interlocking, the mats were laid in a staggered pattern.

P-47D of the 404th Fighter Squadron, 371st FG
The hooks were usually held in the slots by a steel clip that filled the part of the slot that is empty when the adjacent sheets are properly engaged. The holes were bent up at their edges so that the bevelled edge stiffened the area around the hole. In some mats a T-shaped stake could be driven at intervals through the holes to keep the assembly in place on the ground. Sometimes the sheets were welded together.

P-47 Thunderbolt of the 404th Fighter Squadron in France during WWII
Used for large add-hoc bases and taxiways / runways right up until after WWII, Marston matting can be found in many different paces all around the world. Popping up still useful and not yet rusted away in many places. This matting us a ubiquitous sight in any WWII Allied diorama.


The kit:
A combination of two of MiniArt's 48th scale of diorama accessories  - the Marston matting and the oil barrels - their range is growing ever larger, with a fair bit in here to create your own airfield diorama. 

The plastic parts for the P-47 -  the cured fuselage sides are split vertically.
The main exterior parts of the aircraft, wings, flying surfaces, engine cowls, gun bays are all here.
This version has the full engine, with sprues including the tyres and mechanic's tools for the airfield scene.
Propellers, wheels the early wing fillets that latter marks replaced with dive brakes. The cockpit is the later smooth version for the D28 & D30 in the box marking.
The weapons and bombs included in the kit.
The clear canopy...

Markings:
There are three marking choices in this kit, with USAAF fighters from Italy & the CBI, as well as a Brazilian aircraft, also from the Italian theatre.
The real thing below

For comparison, the real aircraft below...

Notice the wear around the cowl and the streak marks of some moisture on the rear fuselage in the real aircraft photo, below.

Decals:
MiniArt have produced two decal sheets for this kit, with individual and stencil markings that fit the three aircraft.
Photo-etch for the engine, pilot's harness and bombs are included.

The oil drums: A great to compliment a lot of other MiniArt scenery like cables, plastic & metal barrels, & oil drums and tools to effect repairs and maintenance. There are two sprues of barrels which make twelve 200L oil drums plus the augers that go with them to extract the fuel.
The Marston matting:
MiniArt's new method of making solid (not vac-formed) bases for their dioramas continues with this Marston matting section. It measures in at 315mm x 227 mm.

This kit should be available next month from MiniArt's distributors worldwide. You can see more about this kit on the MiniArt Website...