N/AW A-10 1/48 Hobbyboss

[billb]

I've made a fair bit of progress over the last week or 3.
Camo, decals and panel lines are done. Next step is flat coat then weathering. & at some stage i've got about 6 months worth of work on weapons to do. Decals are mainly from the Revell F-15E and the aircraft is a what-if based on the USAF going with the N/AW A-10 for close air support rather than the F-15E.

Sorry on the image quality, I really need to work out how to take a decent photo (maybe I should get an actual camera rather than using my phone). Hopefully when the flat coat is on it will be easier to see the variation in the grey coat, the panel lines etc.

 

[amateurmodeler]

How ironic, if i am right SJ is for seymour johnson which is right up the road, and not five years ago the a-10s left pope due to BRAC. And the bases were within about an hour or so of each other. Awesome idea for a concept.

 

[Glorfindel]

Bill she looks sweet. Pre shading with that dark finish is tricky but you aced it. Can't wait to see the dull stuff over her and the canopy exposed.
Cheers, Anthony

 

[wyoroy]

That's looking great.

 

[Afterburner]

Nice work do far! Looking forward to your next update!

 

[myhobbyroom]

Beautiful detailing.

 

[Quaralane]

Looks very good, there.

 

[model maker jnr]

looks great.

 

[billb]

Thanks all, & yep amateurmodeller, it is for Seymour Johnson
Couple of quick pics. New camera arrived today (Nikon D3100) and it's got all sorts of buttons and knobs and other stuff that I have zero clue about. & there's an online instruction manual - 244 pages!
So in time I should be able to take half decent pics but for now these are set on auto and rely on the flash. Fairly happy with how they've turned out anyway though

Flat coat is now on, canopy won;t be unmasked until close to the very end though.

The spots on the centre pylon are some creative gizmology as that will be the only empty pylon.

 

[The Nylon Gag]

Very nice sir.

Your method of pre-shading very interesting, it adds a very interesting and realistic texture to the surfaces.

"Gizmology" is my new favourite word ;D

Gag
(Scratch Gizmologist)

 

[geegad]

looks stunning 2

 

[Glorfindel]

Bill keep it up she's looking great. So tricky getting the panel lines to show with such a dark base. Man, you aced it. now I can't wait to see her with the canopy masks off.

 

[smokeriderdon]

Absolutely awesome!

 

[billb]

Thanks all

Not a lot of progress worth showing on the A-10 itself but the plan is for this to not just be the A-10. One of the most iconic A-10 photos i've ever seen doesn;t actually have the aircraft in it. Here's the start of the 'accompaniment'

 

[smokeriderdon]

Hehehe, doing the whole scene?

 

[billb]

No photo's but a definite milestone. Finally finished putting freaking decals on freaking weapons!
1 AIM-9L - 3 decals
1 ALQ-131 - 6 decals
1 FACE pod - 2 decals
1 Sniper pod - 10 decals
2 TERs - 2 decals total
4 Mavericks - 8 decals each, 32 total
6 GBU-12s - 7 each, 42 total
2 GBU-31s - 2 total
1 rocket pod - 4

That's 103 decals! after painting all the bomb stripes some time ago!
Now I remember why I've only built 1 modern jet in the last 10 years. (although putting a dodgy load on an A-10 means this shouldn;t be a surprise)

Anyway, this means that I am considerably closer to some more photo's. Need to blend the above decals in a bit and finish weathering the weapons and then I can take some more pics. Slowly getting there!

 

[smokeriderdon]

I am sooooooo NOT looking forward to that stage...IF I ever get there.

 

[billb]

OK, progress!
I've actually got a lot done over the last 6 weeks. Getting it on its legs, weathering the airframe and doing those freaking weapons.
Also, finally got to actually try the camera & got to say i'm fairly happy with the results (although I obviously need a non-creased cloth)
Anyway:


The stain angled up from near the rescue arrow seems to only appear on this side in photos. Maybe the Pave Penny pylon changes the airflow on the other side. There's also pretty particular stain patterns in the ladder well.


I do like the way the thing sits up like this:


Pics seem to show a lot of staining around the avionics bay doors below the cockpit on this side.




I found a couple of really good pics showing that the top surfaces seem to be a general thoroughfare for groundcrew with oily, muddy boots. I tried salt-weathering but didn;t like the results so did this with pro-modeller wash dabbed on with a small bit of sponge. I really like this effect!

 

[billb]

Lots of oils seems to leak from a very particular point back on the underside. Most of this is oil paint, with some streaks using copic markers:


& there's some other leaky bits forward


& those sway braces were a pain in the proverbial. Next time i'll pay attention to how others build modern jets and put the braces, and probably wepons on before attaching pylons to wings.


Weapons loadout (probably not realistic but as any 2-seater with weapons is, by definition, made up I had some fun


Wolfpack Sniper pod


Kit ALQ-131 is the early type without the extra depth at the bottom. I left it as that but had to add an intake because it needed one


& this is the changes needed to represent a FACES pod. Which seems to be a basic ACMI pod with a couple of mobile phones stuffed in it. (hmmm, need to tidy up that silver paint ring)


From here I need to finish off the cockpit, O2 hoses, glue seats in and put some extra plumbing in. Add quite a few RBF tags & then glue the weapons on.
oh yeah, and make some sort of canopy attachment mechanism up.

Thanks for looking and all comments/ critiques appreciated

 

[Glorfindel]

Bill this is looking sweeeeeet!!! Great job pal. A stunner.