OTDAEABT 2 - Maly Modelarz A-10 Thunderbolt II MM 5-6/94

[member_3]

25 FEB Parts same as previous (Right) - The right wing went easier than the left just because I had worked the hard spots out already. When I attached the outer panel to the wing stub the effect of the stub being twisted became apparent. The horizontal stabilizer, engine pods and left wing are in good alignment but the right wing has a slight droop at the stub. I will avoid head-on photos like the plague and if comments are made I will explain it as being the result of a high-G maneuver at low altitude. That also explains the occasional skin wrinkle that appears here and there.

Did I mention that this beast is HUGE!!?? It's a single-seat aircraft but much more massive than the 1930s vintage Modelik Tupolev R-6 ( twin-engine, 4-man crew) I have under construction.

[member_3]

Thanks for the reminder about Kancho's Free Weapons, Rick. I have those on a CD somewhere. I was going to take a look at the ordnance provided with Dr. Zarkov's F-15 Strike Eagle also. I haven't researched the A-10 loadout configurations but will do so somewhere down the line.

[rickstef]

Warthog Combat Loadouts: The A-10 Thunderbolt II and the AN/ARC-235 FACE pod

this might help a bit

[member_3]

26 FEB Parts 67 through 69 - I will do the landing gear fairings in three steps: parts 65-67 (center), 70-72 (front) and 73-74 (rear.) I assembled sections 67 and 68 and glued them to the wing. I then added section 69 to the existing structure. The photo shows the right side installed; the left one has been added since and I hope to finish both fairings up in the next day or so. Somewhere along the way I started coloring edges before assembly and I have attempted to cover up previous omissions in that regard.



This brings the build thread into real time so look for postings on a more random basis from now on...thanks for the comments and suggestions!

[member_3]

Did a little research on the tail code and serial number. "BD" is the code for the 917th Wing (Air Force Reserve Command) but the aircraft serial 79-0143 corresponds to an A-10 that was written off with the 57th Wing Nov 18, 2003 due to mechanical failure of starboard engine and inability to retract the speed brakes. I am not aware of USAF policy on transfers of aircraft between squadrons/wings so I guess it is certainly possible that this bird could have been with the 917th early in its career and was later transferred to the 57th. Perhaps some of you Air Force types can elucidate...

Rick - thanks for the loadout site. I'm sure I can come up with an appropriate mix of goodies.

[Don Boose]

Very clean and well-aligned build, and very nice historical research!

Bravo Zulu!

Don

[B-Manic]

Maybe they just transferred the tail. LOL.

Your build looks great. I have been tempted to buy this kit but for some reason always assumed it be one of the more difficult MM builds. I hope you stick some weapons on the pylons.

[dansls1]

Awesome looking plane! Too bad about the trip it took to get here, but well worth the effort!

[member_3]

MM has actually done three versions of this kit.

1 - the one in this thread (MM 5-6/94)
2 - another (10-11/01) by the same designer and Roman Staszałek
3 - a desert camofluage one (6/06) credited to Roman Staszałek

Numbers 1 and 3 are obviously the same design but number 3 has updated (computer) graphics and much nicer paper. Number 3 has a grey color scheme on the cover but is in desert camofluage. Number 2 has the same illustration as number 1 on the cover but I don't know what the actual color scheme of the model is.

[rickstef]

Ron,

#2 is Current USAF Grey/Gray camo(i have that one and the desert one, want the woodland one)

Rick