Θέμα: A-10A N/AW 1/32 Trumpeter "What If"

[youngtiger1]

Hello Guys,

I just actually 1st my first model in couple of years. Believe it or not I have 4 kits started and are half way done. So, I do build but don't get to finish them often. So, here is my latest build...its a 1/32 A-10A 2 seater that I created into Arctic Hawg. Just a little history behind the idea...

Arctic Snow Hog

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska--An A-10 with an arctic paint scheme sits next to an A-10 with a regular all gray or green paint scheme sit on the flightline March 1982. That year, an A-10 was repainted in an arctic camouflage scheme as an experiment for an upcoming exercise titled OPERATION Cool Snow Hog.  (photos by USAF)







After looking at these photographs I knew what i wanted to do with my A-10A N/AW Thunderbolt ll. Even though, the family model never made it pass the prototype stage I wanted to build it in a style rather then boring old gunship gray color scheme as  it was represented. So, the journey starting. The Trumpeter kit had a lot of problem but nothing a modeler with patience cannot handle. I added Verlinden cockpit, cutting edge engines, stole (cough..cough) I mean, borrowed weapons from Academy F-16 and F-18 kits. Decals were mix of trumpeter, and academy. A lot of scratch building was done through out the kit (e.i. flaps, vertical/horizontal stabilizers, wheel wells). The main squadron marking (tail and fuselage) I created them in my Adobe Photo-shop. Not a perfect way to do graphic, but it worked and printed them on clear film by laser printer. Most of the paints that were used were Tamiya, with exception of silver and gunship gray that came from Model master. Oil paints thinned with mineral spirits were used for wash and weathering. The photos I added above are a proof of that an A-10 was painted with such scheme. I just took it one step further...



Mike

[youngtiger1]

[youngtiger1]

[youngtiger1]

[youngtiger1]

[youngtiger1]

[MicaGR]

Very very nice and clear work... Good details nice painting... Perfect...
Good Job!

[Heater]

This is one excellent model !!!!!. Very nice job on painting and weathering, and a nice paint scheme alternative to the dark grey of the original prototype.

[ALEX_SSGTi]

Very nice model!
You did a really awesome job!

Nice detail the Ferrari badge!

[spyros molinaris]

excelent job mike.
true details and perfect painting  
did you use any photoetched parts in the model
and tell us few thinks about the kit  

[Γιώργος Ροΐδης]

This is an excellent model  Congratulations Mike 

[Sakis900]

Great work! Congratulations! Love the camo. Can you please tell us the code names of the Tamiya colors that you used and how you used them?

[NIKOS 30]

  Nice work mate. Clear job out of the box

[Harris Charalambous]

Great work!!!!!

[gtdeath13]

This kit is just calling for a what if version... It was never put to service so it can be painted in many different camouflages and nationalities...

You have done a great job and I really appreciate the fact that you shared your work with us... Thanks a lot...

More pictures please, especially of the undercarriage... 

[SnakeEye]

Congrats for this beautiful model... The snow camo looks really nice on it  and makes the aircraft even more aggressive.

[labros87]

Perfect...!

[ID]

excellent work

[s-mat]

This is my favourite camo for A-10 but unfortunately A-10A N/AW can not be painted with it 

Although,your job is excellent

Congratulations 

[youngtiger1]

[Quote author = spyros m link = topic = 17647.msg369623 # msg369623 date = 1295345870]
excelent job mike.
true details and perfect painting: wink:
did you use any photoetched parts in the model
and tell us few thinks about the kit:: salut::
[/ Quote]

Thank you kind words Spyros. The only photo-etch parts that I used where the only one provided in the Verlinden cockpit set # 1706. As for the kit, well, it not completely accurate. The nose is way off. Main wheel wells suck bad, and the whole engines mounting/assemble parts don't fit right. All those raised rivets on the fuselage are nice touch but pain in the @$$ to restore. I found Archer Dry Transfer has these  raised resin rivets that helped solved that problem.  Ah, lets seeeee.....oh yes, rudders, horizontal and vertical, need work. I wanted to drop the flaps but the part were these attach to the wing is hallow. And same goes for the stabilizers (vertical/horizontal).

[youngtiger1]

Here's a look at the wheel wells...

[youngtiger1]

And the whole engine mount assemble...







Its kind of hard to see in these photos what I am taking about. But that whole part needs work if you want it to sit nice.

[youngtiger1]

[Quote author = Sakis900 link = topic = 17647.msg369633 # msg369633 date = 1295346864]
Great work! Congratulations! Love the camo. Can you please tell us the code names of the Tamiya colors that you used and how you used them?
[/ Quote]

Sakis, the main for the main camo that I used are...

Tamiya: XF-1 Flat Black, XF-2 Flat White, XF-15 Flat Flesh, XF-27 Black Green, XF-66 Light Gray, XF-63 German Gray, XF-65 Field Gray, and XF-73 D-Green JASDF. Also, sever other paints to paint the small stuff.

Model Master 4637 Semi Gloss and 4636 Flat clear.

I mostly used my Badger 150 D-action airbrush set to the lowest pressure and when to town...lol To give the fadded look to the main camo colors I added light gray to green, light gray/white to German gray, and light white to white. But I also tried different paints, like buff or yellow w/ black green, added touch of blue to the German gray. I used Blue-tack, I don't know if you guys have this product in you area or it might be called by some other name. Anyway, its a clay type subject that never dries and kids use it to attach posters on the wall without pushing a whole in it. I used it to make small 2mm worms and used it for camo masking.

I hope this answers your question. If anything thing else...just hauler!!

Mike

[youngtiger1]

This is my favourite camo for A-10 but unfortunately A-10A N/AW can not be painted with it 

Although,your job is excellent

Congratulations 

Thank you for the comments. I know it cannot be painted is such camo because it never happened to this jet. But hey, that's why we it What If. It's all good in the neighborhood. Modeling that is

Mike

[youngtiger1]

Oh yes, the undercarriage for my friend....







This pic didn't come out good but it shows the outer side of the main gear.



Again, thank you all for your kind words. I'm glad  that you like my model. Now, I hope to get crackin' with my half build F-16C and F/A-18C. 

Mike