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

[GreMir]

Ron,
All three versions are exactly the same design by Jacek Slowik.
The only contribution from Mr Staszalek was redrawing the kit, changing the camo and adding some external stores in the later incarnations of the kit. Unfortunately somewhere along the way name of the true designer was dropped by the publisher...
Out of those three kits, the original model is the best.

[member_3]

Thanks for the clarification, Rick and Mike. The only version I found in a quick search was the latest and I ordered that from Krys at the Paper Model Store.

[birder]

Good work Ron! Excellent A-10! I bet Kancho's weapons are good, he's a creative and expert designer.

[milenio3]

Originally Posted by OldTroll

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!

My friend the Old Troll... I am amazed as how well you are doing this model. As you may know I'm building the Desert Storm version of the killer pig, and I came across some troubles. Not on the beginnings, that was easy I almost thought I was doing something wrong! Until I arrived to the wing tips, and now the landing gear fairings. I liked your idea of building these on 3 stages... but I will build the wells. That posed me a more challeging approach of the model.

I will keep an eye on your build. Very, very good so far, my friend!

[member_3]

Thanks, Gerardo! Yes, the geometry of the wingtips is challenging. I test fitted them several times before my mind could accept the final shape and droop. I briefly considered doing wheel wells but quickly came to the realization that I was already in pretty deep just building it as it was. I may try a few extras when I build the version you are doing now.

[member_3]

Time for an update. Here is the underside showing the landing gear fairings. I had to go to photos of the real bird to understand the assembly at the rear of the fairing (the diagram is of little help.)



I took the path of least resistance when it came to the canopy. I purchased one intended for the Fly Models version of the A-10 and found that it was (barely) usable on the MM version. The cockpit interior is pretty generic and "bare bones" - this is an area I may try to improve when I do the desert camo version. I used "Super Z RC56" adhesive to join the frames to the canopy and the canopy to the aircraft. This product has been mentioned before in the forum and can be found in hobby shops that cater to the radio-controlled car and airplane crowd. I got mine at Hobbytown USA. At any rate, here is the canopy and cockpit, warts and all (well, it is a Warthog!)





The innumerable underwing pylons are calling me....<<heavy sigh>>

[willygoat]

Looking great Ron! The canopy turned out nice so no worries. Have fun with the pylons! :p

[Gharbad]

I dunno about you, but there's nothing like a set of pylons to make a cool plane cooler!

[member_3]

Pylons - not difficult, just repetitive. I am not satisfied with the fit at the rear of the outer wing pylons. The profile of the pylons' top edges did not match the wing airfoil. A little pressing here and tugging there was about all I was inclined to do at this point. The ordnance attachment "thingies" will be mounted at the white spots on the pylons. They just seemed to be accident waiting to happen at this point.



The GAU-8 gun and some fuselage doodads have been added here.



And the first couple steps have been taken in assembling the nose gear. Hindsight tells me that I should have done some preparation for anchoring the landing gear legs way back before I skinned anything. The nose gear strut wire penetrates the cockpit floor (Pc 20) and I should have pre-drilled that. The main gear strut wires are apparently intended to penetrate the main wing spar - that might be problematic at this point. This early version of the kit does not have wheel wells like the 2006 version Gerardo is building.

[GreMir]

I'm falling in love with the A-10 all over again...
The newer version might have the wheel wells, but the original (the one you're building) is much better fitting. Computer redraw introduced some issues into perfectly fitting kit....