A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Modelling advice and photos of your latest creations
Post Reply
User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

A while ago Rod and myself got talking about starting a few build diaries for the UKAR forum This is mainly to get a bit more interest and bring some life back in here and share some of the build techniques that we know. I’m not saying I know it all by the way but if I can inspire some others to build and try new things, that makes it all worthwhile to me . It has been a while since I have done a build thread the last being a 1/72 Airfix Victor that I built at the start of the year.
Anyway on with this build. One of my favourite airframes and very imposing in 1/32 scale, measuring 550mm x 500mm! I bought the kit a number of years ago from some guy on a social media site, saying that he would never do it justice and it came with some resin parts. Those part turned out to be a very rare and sought after Cutting Edge Cockpit and Detail set. Jackpot!

When I got the kit, the fuselage halved were joined together and the main wing construction was undertaken and a few other ancillary bits and bobs and after a brief check of the contents all was confirmed to be included.

The Aim of the kit is to reproduce a Euro 1 Scheme; I am hoping that I can get some decals made up to represent an Alconbury airframe but will have to work on that.
Included in the build are as follows:
Resin Cockpit & detail set
Resin Wheels (True Details)
Master GAU-8Gun muzzle & Pitot Tube
A rather funky nose weight

I am to update on a weekly basis and explain what I have carried out in this time though if you have any questions on the techniques, or build, please do comment.

User avatar
Craig
Posts: 4025
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 10:11 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Craig »

Great idea! :smile:

Really looking forward to following this. We can all learn or develop new techniques, me more than most! :lol:

ArabJazzie
Posts: 2174
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 9:38 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by ArabJazzie »

Hello James,
I also think this is a great idea and wonder if this is worth pinning to the top so it could be used as a reference for the future. Im sure it will be worth it in the end, especially after seeing some of your magazine features!
Arabest,
Geoff.
52 in a year! We must be certifiable!

User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

Cheers guys - I will let the mods decide if they wish to pin or not.

Just cracking on with the cockpit and internals here at the moment. Will get a post with photos in the next week.

I understand that Rod might be joining me with a build as well...

Al Wood
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon 26 Jun 2017, 3:25 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Al Wood »

Jamesv9820 wrote:Cheers guys - I will let the mods decide if they wish to pin or not.

Just cracking on with the cockpit and internals here at the moment. Will get a post with photos in the next week.

I understand that Rod might be joining me with a build as well...


This should be good as you both produced top drawer stuff. :snack:

User avatar
Craig
Posts: 4025
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 10:11 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Craig »

ArabJazzie wrote:Hello James,
I also think this is a great idea and wonder if this is worth pinning to the top so it could be used as a reference for the future. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end, especially after seeing some of your magazine features!
Arabest,
Geoff.

As requested :smile:

User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

Week 1 – Working on the Cockpit

Apologies for the lack of an update so far; real life gets in the way and I get to this project when I can.

When I first bought this kit (I recall it being around £65!) it was stated as started) and had the fuselage halves joined and the main wing construction completed. The Cutting Edge detail set had been started with the rear APU and a few other vents were drilled and installed and the refuelling pod on the left wing added (the wings were 80% built as well. I normally do not buy anything like that but the Cutting Edge resin is very rare so took the plunge. Part started was the cockpit conversion for the superbly detailed and very much out of production set, so the first job on the list is the cockpit is to construct this item and set it in the plane.

One of my absolute pet hates is to construct the seats, especially where photo etch is involved. You may notice that all of my builds follow this rule with the Photo etch seats often being removed even in large scale and I opt for a cast resin belt set, typically from the like of Quickboost. Fortunately on this occasion a beautifully moulded ACESII Ejection seat (complete with belts) was included with the set. Primed with Mr Surfacer 1200 at first and left to dry, the first stage is to get the main base colour on. This was Gunze H307 this being the main cockpit colour for the tub and seat and was applied with an airbrush. Left to dry, H305 and H81 (Khaki) was then applied to the cushions and seat rests with the parachute pack being picked out with Tamiya XF-18 (Blue). Various other details were picked out and left to dry.


To apply the weathering I know the usual rule is to gloss then apply the weathering medium, however, I usually go the other way these days and seal with a decent Matt coat and then apply the wash in th recessed. You can see the results for yourself in the photos. Mig Ammo Panel Line Wash (PLW) is my preferred wash; I just find it way to apply and remove once dried. If there are any stubborn stains, these can be wiped away with a bit of white spirit.

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

The cockpit itself was finished in a similar fashion to the seat, the panels finished in XF-85 Tamiya Rubber Black and the detail was picked out with Gunze H67, through dry brushing and applying paints to the dials with a cocktail stick. LCD panels were replicated using clear gloss to represent these being powered down.

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr
ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr





One of the issue with using the resin tub is that the cast fouls on the gun mechanism. The magazine housing is really useful for storing weight in and I ended up filling this up with a product called ‘Liquid gravity’, it a really useful and effectively is small weights used in the modelling industry to weigh down scale locomotive cars but I use it for nose weight. Simply fill up the nose cone and set with thin superglue. Works a treat! The remained of the GAU-8 is not really seen so I took the choice to remove the rest of the gun to allow the resin tub to slide in with ease. Once the assembly was completed, this was fixed in place with 5 minute epoxy resin and set to dry. A further noseweight was installed in the front section of the fuselage again set with epoxy resin. With all the weight, I am pretty sure that this will not be a tail dragger!



ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

ImageTrumpeter A-10 Thunderbolt - WIP Photos by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr


More to follow soon once the fuselage is sealed up and seam lines are sorted out..

User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

Week 2 – 3

Bit of an update on the A-10. The fuselage and wings are now attached – a lot of work has happened in the background to ensure a smooth fit to the fuselage and being honest it has not been the easiest to get right. The fuselage halves had the majority of the locator pins broken off, so to counter this, a thin strip of plasticard was add into the inside halves to ensure that the lined up and did not sink too much to avoid excessive filling (and removal of detail). These were added with a liberal application of Tamiya Extra Thin Cement and left to dry for a few days.
The resin fuselage and weight was added and fixed in place with 5 minute clear epoxy resin. I found in the past that cyno ‘super glue’ was too weak for heavy weighing items and to avoid the issue of things coming loose when the model is sealed, epoxy works a treat. Simply mix, and apply and leave for a good 15 minutes. With the heavier items added, the fuselage was sealed up using Tamiya Extra Thin Cement going along the joins slowly and then taping the join up to hold it. Although the glue goes off and holds almost immediately it is worth while leaving the glue a good 24 hours to cure fully before trying to sand back or remove any excess with a knife. I did find that the Trumpeter plastic was not ideal and took a long time to go off, let alone cure!

One of the downsides of using resin aftermarket parts is the issue of fit of aftermarket parts and whilst the Cutting Edge Cockpit is fantastic, there was a small issue on the front nose which took a while to line up and glue. I found just being patient and using TETC was the best option here. A small amount of filler was required to bridge a few gaps. Four this, I use Vallejo Plastic Putty which if you have not used yet I would recommend. The filler itself is dispensed through a small needle and can be easily controlled in the application. Once on the model, excess can be brushed off by hand easily and left to dry for an hour. If you have areas where you required to bring the filler to surface level, the putty can be removed once dried by scalpel or by dipping a cotton bud in Tamiya Thinner (or IPA) and worked back gently. This works well and is a lot easier to use than more traditional fillers, as no sanding is required thus negating the risk of losing any surface detailing.

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr



With the wings being constructed on the kit when I bought it, the construction swiftly moved on with the rear wing being glued in place with ease. The front wings needed a lot of work to ensure that the fit was as good as it could be and the dihedral was correct. Again, lots of Tamiya Extra thin was used and the result left a large gap on the underside of the wing roots. This was filled with the Vallejo putty and rubbed back when dry. The remained of the Cutting Edge detail set was added to the fuselage concentrating on items that appeared chunky on the injection moulding or items that were not included to make the aircraft a LASTE specification. Since I am building a pre gulf war example, the LASTE conversion was not applied and these items were not included, though the model has included on the plastic tailerons two Sensors on each which were removed, filled and sanded back. Other noticeable changes to the kit were the inclusion of correctly moulded engine exhausts, rear landing gear sponsons and a realistic fuelling point/door. These were all cut, filled and added to the kit. The famous GAU-8 muzzle was also replaced with a white metal version, produced by Master. This was constructed with the use of a soldering iron, flux and a lot of patience! I think the results are well worth it though!

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr



With the majority of the fuselage constructed the attention then turned onto the painting and preparation. I have toyed with a number of ways to carry this out and have gone a totally different and uncomfortable approach for me which I will explain as I go through the process of selection. Before we commence with the camouflage, the model received a primer coat of Tamiya XF-4, Yellow Green, this creates a nice foundation to build up the three tone on and is also used as primer on the real aircraft. The Euro 1 Colours are H301 (FS 36081), H302 (FS 34092) & H303 (FS 34102) all from the superb Gunze Mr Aquaeous range. All paints were thinned with a 50/50 mix of Mr Colour Levelling Thinner (superb stuff too if you have not used it yet – I only recently found out that the thinner has a retarder in the mix hence why it creates a nice smooth surface when applied).
From studying photos it appears that the Euro 1 camouflage is a soft demarcation (this ruled out 1mm tape and masking (phew!)). My usual methodology would be the tried and tested rolled blue tack and masking, which is controlled and gives good results though time consuming. Other choices which I considered were masking with paper held over the model with tape close to the surface which will give a soft demarcation. Less time consuming than the blue tack method but from trialling it, I found the demarcation line was too large. After talking through the methodologies with a friend of mine, he suggested that the ‘good old’ free hand approach would be the best here. I am really apprehensive of using this as I am totally useless at freehand and if you hold the brush too far away or have too low pressure, the demarcation of way off what it should be. His exact words were that ‘the model is 2ft wide, so not even you can mess this up!...’ well we will see!
The key to free hand spraying as I have found out is finding a good pressure to work with, having suitably thinned paint and an understanding of the pattern you are trying to achieve. A few tools for the trade that make the job easier are:
MAC value on the airbrush. If you have not got one of these, they are a life saver sometimes. It just regulates the airflow to the brush and then (even with a dual action brush) gives more control and regulation on the brush itself and paint flow.
Following a pattern. I know it sounds silly but I cannot freehand to save my life. To counter this I draw the pattern onto the airframe in pencil (lightly) to give me a basis to start from.
To get a small demarcation getting close to the model, thinned paint and regulated air are key to ensure that overspray is kept to a minimum. Taking the crown off the brush helps (though care has to be taken to ensure that you do not drop the brush as you will bend the needle – I have done this in the past and it cost me £30 to repair! I hope you can see the result and hopefully it is not that bad, though there is still a long way to go yet!

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1/32 Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr
More soon once the painting is completed.

User avatar
138EAW
Posts: 5112
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 6:56 pm
Location: South Lincolnshire

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by 138EAW »

Looks good in person Mr V, put more photos on if you have time :wink: :grin:
Gary

ArabJazzie
Posts: 2174
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 9:38 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by ArabJazzie »

Just caught up with this James so it must be time for an update! :grin:
Arabest,
Geoff.
52 in a year! We must be certifiable!

User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

Geoff - its complete - I just have not written the review yet!

User avatar
Jamesv9820
Posts: 985
Joined: Sat 20 Sep 2008, 6:06 pm

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Jamesv9820 »

Right - an update (well an interim one for now)

The kit is complete and I still have to add the ending parts, which I intend to do but for now I will add the final shots on. Its been an interesting build, which I have enjoyed but I am please to get it completed. It just was so time consuming and I have no idea why!

I will write the review to complete to pieces on spraying and decals/weapons before the end of the year, but for now, enjoy the final shots.

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5757 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5754 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5753 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5750 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5749 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5746 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5743 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

Image1-32 Trumpeter A-10A - December 2017-5742 by James Vaitkevicius, on Flickr

User avatar
Plane Mad
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri 05 Sep 2008, 11:55 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Plane Mad »

She looks the business, nice to see it in a UK based scheme too. :clap:
If enough power is good, & more is better, than WAY TOO MUCH should be just about right!!!

User avatar
Phantom 892
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon 04 Jun 2012, 11:02 am

Re: A-10A Thunderbolt II - 1/32 Scale Trumpeter with extras

Post by Phantom 892 »

Looks superb :clap:

Post Reply