Trumpeter A-10A Thunderbolt II 1:32 scale

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Anyone have any experience with this discontinued model? Item # 02214
I came upon it by chance at Barksdale Airforce Base Museum. Is it a difficult build? I may be in over my head since this will be my second build in 20 years. The first being an Abrams tank that i started on about 3 weeks ago. Should I postpone the A-10 until i gain more experience.

Signed

The Newbie

2

How you going to get experience if you don’t build it? Some modelers build for competition, but most of us build for the enjoyment and relaxation of it all. Build the thing, do the best you can and learn in the process. As long as you are happy with it, that’s great. If you run into specific problems along the way, there is always someone on this forum that can help you solve it.
Darwin [alien]

3

BUFF Fan,

I’m building the N/AW version right now, and it is AMAZING!!! It takes some skills, but it is definitely a worthwhile build. The only issue is it is HUGE, so where the heck do you store it!!!

4

I have this kit right now, so here are some of the problems that you may need to watch out for or need to fix:

  1. The cockpit. Being an earlier gen Trump kit, the biggest fault of the kit is the cockpit. Now, normally, I can lump a poor cockpit, but this kit’s cockpit even has me looking at aftermarket solutions, this just show you how BAD the cockpit really is. With Cutting Edge now buried six feet under, you have to look at other solution. I finally bought a Verlinden cockpit and exterior detail set from Sprue Bro. Just be noted that Verlinden’s cockpit is pre LASTE cockpit! So keep that in mind when purchasing.

  2. The ammo feed belt on the GAU-8A. Now the gun and ammo drum are accurate. But Trump messed up on the feed system. They protray it as linked belts, which is incorrect. As you know, the feed type is linkless chute system in which the shells goes down a chute into the gun’s feed. Get Verlinden’s exterior set to correct this (it also contains an extra muzzle so you can display the gun and its associated system separately.

  3. there are very few seam lines, but some are quite annoying! This include the central seam line. Most of it are pretty tight. The one exception is since that the fuselage is divided in half, when you close up the right and left side, the forward and rear end, the right forward and rear does not meet up correctly, resulting in a narrow seam that require a strong pin to close, and even then, putty are needed to fully close it.

The second big one are the main gear pods. When the bottom goes to the wings, the gap and unmatched seam are quite big, and require some shims and plenty of putty and Mr. Surfacer to cure. So be prepared for that one.

  1. The BIGGEST problem though, is the fact Trump can’t seem to decide whether to build a full LASTE or a Pre LASTE version. The end reult is that the model has an alamagation of both. If you look carefully, the upper fuselage has the GPS dome behind the cockpit and the LASTE array on the vertical stabilizers. But the LASTE sensors on the bottom of the fuselage is completely missing. And the “Slime Light” decals are missing too. If you want to build a modern LASTE version, you have to either scratch it from Evergreen sheets or source it elsewhere since Cutting Edge again, has folded under (Cutting Edge used to make an excellent exterior sets that included all the LASTE sensors). If you are making a Gulf War plane, then you need to hack away the GPS dome and LASTE sensors on the vertical fins, and close them up with evergreen sheets and plenty of putty. So your choice!
5

I would say, never mind the inaccuracies, Have a bash, but remember to add weight to the front end.

It is true that both the trumpeter A-10 kits do have their problems the fact remains that with a little extra work they do make for great looking models.

If you want a better looking cockpit etc with a minimum of extra work, look at the Eduard update set

BIG3216

Available from their website for a large discount

http://www.eduard.cz/products/card.php?id_product=3808&name=&catalogue_nb=&type=130&pgroup=1&scale=&product_month=&product_year=&page_start=0

6

I built it a couple years ago, also my second after coming back from a couple years off. It took a lot of sanding were the engine pods mount to the fuse(I left the engines out),. As mentioned, the pit leaves a little to be desired, I added Eduard color zoom I.P. , resin seat and scratchbuilt the turtle deck behind the seat. The canopy is not quite right, I used a Squadron vac-form canopy there. I don’t like the shape of Trumpeters bombs, so I used spares from Academy. I didn’t even bother with building the gun, not seen anyway.

Here’s a link to my pics

http://s661.photobucket.com/albums/uu340/fermisb/planes/A-10/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ16