A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

I'm about to return to building what is probably my favorite modern military plane - the Fairchild A-10 Warthog. To get myself back into the swing of things, I just purchased a very basic and inexpensive Revell snap-tite kit of this plane.

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As with all snap together kits, this one is engineered to be easy to assemble.

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I will be enhancing mine by adding different armament and using an aftermarket set of decals to build a two-tone gray A-10 of the "Flying Razorbacks" of the Arkansas ANG. This one will be built with the gear up and displayed on the supplied stand.

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Even though this is a "snap-tite" kit, I will be using traditional building techniques (glue, filling, sanding) to complete the build.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
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iggie
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by iggie »

Interesting choice; looking forward to seeing this come together
Best wishes

Jim
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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

Spent a couple hours starting. Completed the cockpit and pilot and assembled the fuselage. Put putty on the seams and started sanding. I also glued the engine pods together and added putty - just waiting for it to dry so I can sand and paint. Painted the rudders and top of the horizontal surfaces. It's going together rather well - I'm still waiting for the decal sheet to get here. Hopefully they will get here tomorrow.

pmmaker

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The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

iggie wrote:Interesting choice; looking forward to seeing this come together
Thanks, iggie. It's a great, easy to build kit to get myself ready for several bigger, more detailed builds to come. I have two Academy A-10s, (one will be done in the markings of a 23rd TFW "Flying Tigers in two-tone gray, the other a 47th FS, 917th FG in the European I scheme), one Revell/Monogram A-10 (in the anniversary markings of my home state's 103rd FW, Connecticut ANG "Flying Yankees), and one Hasegawa A-10 (in a two-tone gray scheme of the 122nd FW Indianna ANG "Blacksnakes"). I also pre-ordered the new Hobby Master A-10C ("Hairless Joe"79-0145, 47th FS, 917th FG, Barksdale AFB, 2012).

When it comes to having the A-10 in my collection, I'll be going from none to 6 in a rather short time.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

Added the completed engine pod assembly to the fuselage. I had pre-painted the engine pod assembly its two tone gray camouflage and masked off the dark gray for another round of light gray. I used my "Perfect Plastic Putty" to fill in the two seams where the engine assembly joins to the fuselage:

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Spray painted the underside front fuselage a dark gunship gray and masked of the false canopy. The fuselage is now ready for a shot of light gray:

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Now I painted the fuselage underside by the engine pods a light gray. I also started giving the wing pylons and the main wing undersurface their primary coat of light gray.

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So far this build is going rather smoothly and is showing promise. I'm still waiting for the decals to arrive. I'd like to finish this one by the end of the weekend.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by ShaunW »

Great start here, PMM. So maybe we're going to see a series of A-10's from you then? This is yet another famous aircraft that I've never built a model of, not because I don't find the type interesting, but I've simply never got around to it.
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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

ShaunW wrote:Great start here, PMM. So maybe we're going to see a series of A-10's from you then? This is yet another famous aircraft that I've never built a model of, not because I don't find the type interesting, but I've simply never got around to it.
I hope so Shaun. It will take a while, but I hope to get a couple done this year. This snap-tite kit is just a "practice" build. I don't use an airbrush much (too lazy to clean the darn thing! :???: ) and I'm just starting to get proficient with spray cans. Once I'm comfortable with my procedures and skills, I'll start on the more expensive kits.

I've always loved the A-10. The Connecticut ANG used to fly them years ago. I built a few when I was younger, but when I quit the hobby and got rid of my models years ago, I threw them out. Now that I'm back into building, I've decided it is time to add the plane back into my collection.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by ShaunW »

Back in the late 1970's when I was still living with my parents I will never forget looking out of my bedroom window due to hearing aircraft and seeing a pair of A-10's yanking and banking, using a local school as "target" practice. I only ever saw that happen the once - there were no A-10's or indeed other USAF aircraft based near us, our nearest airbase was an RAF Vulcan field about 20 miles or so away (now an airport).
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

Continued work - finally sprayed the undersurfaces a light gray. Then I masked off the dark gray area on the upper fuselage.

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Now my attention shifted to assembling the wing. After gluing the upper and lower sections, I glued the entire wing assembly to the fuselage. Next I painted the wing.

After a couple of hours of drying time, it was time to remove all the tape and see the results. Overall, I'm happy with how this one is turning out.

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I've some minor touchup painting to do (canopy, gun, tires) and I need to finish the bombs and wing pylons.

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I can see that I'm heading towards the point where the decals will be needed. Hopefully I'll have them by mid-week.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by PTB11 »

You've put a lot of work into this PMM and it really shows. Hope the decals arrive soon.
Looking forward to the big unveiling.
Regards, Paddy.

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jssel
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by jssel »

Scrubbing up nicely.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

PTB11 wrote:You've put a lot of work into this PMM and it really shows. Hope the decals arrive soon.
Looking forward to the big unveiling.
Checked the tracking on my eBay decal order - decals should be in Monday or Tuesday.

Still to be done:
- painting touch ups & error corrections
- mask, paint, and mount canopy
- paint ordinance and mount to pylons
- attach pylons
- paint tires
- attach horizontal tail
- attach rudders
- paint gun
- weather
- paint engine exhausts
- decal

Still a bit to do before I'm totally finished.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

Almost done and the end is in sight! I've finished all the small details and weathering and am now ready to decal this model.

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My decal sheet came in today.

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I will add the markings and will post a thread in the aircraft forum.

pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by ShaunW »

Man, that's looking good!
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.

Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
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pmmaker
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Re: A Builder's Bench - pmmaker's Workbench Window

Post by pmmaker »

Haven't worked on my A-10 in a while - it's just sitting there staring at me. I've really got to get it and its sister (Another A-10, this one a re-release of the old Monogram kit by Revell) done.

But in the meantime, I've finally finished this SMER 1/48th scale Fokker D.VII for our group build. I think it came out pretty well and I like it. (see this thread for more info: http://uamf.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=389&t=17413)

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The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
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