Thanks Peter, she’s finished now and I’m deciding what’s next!
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I decided to build a few missiles for my F-15, as I had some empty pylons.
I decided to add two AIM-120 AMRAAM, mid range air-to-air missiles. Type is fire-and-forget capable of active homing and retargeting.
I decided to add two AIM-120 AMRAAM, mid range air-to-air missiles. Type is fire-and-forget capable of active homing and retargeting.
Moving on…my next build is going to be the A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog.
It is one of my favorites because of its ground support capabilities that are second to none!
I will be building more missiles and bombs from my kits once I get the A-10 finished. It will be fun deciding how I will load it…bombs or missiles, etc.
See ya next time…
It is one of my favorites because of its ground support capabilities that are second to none!
I will be building more missiles and bombs from my kits once I get the A-10 finished. It will be fun deciding how I will load it…bombs or missiles, etc.
See ya next time…
A-10 Warthog update…
Cockpit assembly done…
See ya next time…
Cockpit assembly done…
See ya next time…
- Joined
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Re; F7F Tigercat: First of all, beautiful job! (As usual). I wonder who at Grumman thought that that long, protruding nose landing gear would ever stand up to carrier landings.
Roger
Roger
Thanks Roger!
I agree…I think any nose gear aircraft is a problem when you’re trying to use an arrestor hook, as the tail sits too high. As far as the nose gear handling the shock loads, I think the pilot has to land nose up and let the main gear absorb most of the impact and then set it down on the nose. But we know that’s not always going to happen! And it failed the carrier tests anyway because the landing speeds were too high and the plane is too heavy. So yeah, beautiful and fast aircraft, just not carrier material.
A-10 Update…
Fuselage was assembled with the cockpit assembly. First I had to do some preliminary painting.
Above is how I typically tape things for painting.
After painting above.
Next I assembled the wings to the fuselage…
However there are many gaps and mismatch of surfaces. Those will be sanded and puttied. Oh well…
And finally she is starting to look like an A-10…
Off to putty and sand…this feels like Groundhog Day!
Ps- The tank killer shoots depleted uranium projectiles that go through armor.
Fuselage was assembled with the cockpit assembly. First I had to do some preliminary painting.
Above is how I typically tape things for painting.
After painting above.
Next I assembled the wings to the fuselage…
However there are many gaps and mismatch of surfaces. Those will be sanded and puttied. Oh well…
And finally she is starting to look like an A-10…
Off to putty and sand…this feels like Groundhog Day!
Ps- The tank killer shoots depleted uranium projectiles that go through armor.
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A-10 Warthog update…
Airplane is puttied and sanded and ready for paint. I built the engines and painted the nacelles the base color because it will be much more difficult later.
So painting has begun.
See ya next time…
Airplane is puttied and sanded and ready for paint. I built the engines and painted the nacelles the base color because it will be much more difficult later.
So painting has begun.
See ya next time…
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A-10 update…
Base color finished. In addition, I painted the canopy and glued it on. It’s a different color because that is the color of the fuselage around the canopy once the camouflage is added.
Next I have to paint the landing gear bays and then start the camouflage.
See ya next time…
Base color finished. In addition, I painted the canopy and glued it on. It’s a different color because that is the color of the fuselage around the canopy once the camouflage is added.
Next I have to paint the landing gear bays and then start the camouflage.
See ya next time…
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Update on the A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog”…
I painted the camouflage and it was a little challenging. I was even worried at one point if it would look good. But I think she turned out good after all. So I put the decals on.
Next I have to build the landing gear and doors and get her on her feet.
Then I can do some weathering and panel lines.
And finally will be pylons and ordinance that I will build from my Hasegawa missile and bomb kits.
So still a lot of work ahead!
See ya next time…
I painted the camouflage and it was a little challenging. I was even worried at one point if it would look good. But I think she turned out good after all. So I put the decals on.
Next I have to build the landing gear and doors and get her on her feet.
Then I can do some weathering and panel lines.
And finally will be pylons and ordinance that I will build from my Hasegawa missile and bomb kits.
So still a lot of work ahead!
See ya next time…
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The camouflage turned out great!
Bill
Bill
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2024
- Messages
- 1,536
- Points
- 438
Up to your usual high standards, but that is one ugly airplane!
Roger
Roger
Thanks Bill!
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Thanks Roger!
As far as looks, I had the same conversation in the past, and all I can say is I have and will continue to build some less desirable aircraft looks wise. That's because I am building for historical significance and to have a complete representation, within reason, of all military aircraft starting from WW1 to present in my collection.
That said, I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has different taste and what attracts me to aircraft isn't just how they look, but what role they have played and how successful they were. Some aircraft look great but had little historical contribution. And some were merely stepping stones in aircraft design, that had very little significance, other than being a learning curve for the aircraft company.
The beauty in the A-10 for me, is it represents crucial ground support that has saved many lives of ground troops and has proved to be very successful in combat, especially in the Middle East, where one pilot and his wingman destroyed 29 tanks in one day! It was purpose built for a certain role and it does it very well. They are trying to retire it, however even now against the F-35 that is supposed to replace it, it is better at ground support in tests thus far. So to me it represents a menacing support aircraft that means business and can deliver the goods in spades, with armor-piercing incendiary 30mm projectiles shot from a 7 barrel gatling gun in the nose, missiles and bombs, etc. That to me is a thing of beauty! And I am sure the ground personnel who call in air strikes because they are surrounded or outnumbered, etc., see it as real beautiful aircraft when it comes to the rescue! It was designed to fly low, slow, take punishment and keep flying, all while giving ground support. It has been doing that successfully since its first combat role in 1991 in Operation Desert Storm to present. First flight was 1972, and first service was 1976.
So I love the success and duration of the aircraft in the role it was designed for, and the historical significance that comes with that, thus I love the aircraft regardless of looks. Kind of like an ugly woman with a beautiful heart!
In conclusion, you must not know her like I do. You might not want her in your bed, but you want her in your corner!
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There have been many odd looking aircraft throughout the history of flight. I have always felt that the stranger it looked, the more appeal it had. I once had the opportunity to watch a A-10 demonstration flight and it was quite amazing. I wouldn't want to look up and see an A-10 taking aim at me. 
Bill
Bill