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1/48th Hasegawa A-7D, 4450th TG "raison d'etre"


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7 hours ago, ExchefAndy said:

He's on point... nice work with the pilot! 

Andy

Thanks Andy.

 

5 hours ago, BastianD said:

Looks very nice so far Steve.

I think it’s quite similar to the A-7E I’ve built in the past (brush painted 😉😞

 

 

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I believe it's the same kit, different box and decals.

 

2 hours ago, Geoff M said:

Good job with that pilot.  I usually have to hack them up to get them to fit in the cockpit.  Most of the time they are double amputees.

Thanks Geoff.

This one is taking special planning. Usually I'll add the seat towards the end of the build but, since I'm adding a pilot, everything had to be test fitted multiple times to see if everything would fit and, also the order of which things need to be installed so they all fit. The seat has to go in now with the pilot before I add the instrument panel and front dash, otherwise the pilot won't go in.

Steve

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47 minutes ago, aircommando130 said:

That's an awesome start to a very cool A-7! Your next build should be a F-117 on the taxi way with it! 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Cheers...Ron

Funny you should say that. I had already planned of photographing the A-7, when she's finished, with my F-117A that I finished back in January of 1998.

Steve

 

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Had a really productive day today and got the fuselage closed up. Since everything was dry-fitted multiple times, this helped speed things up. I was also able to get the air brake, various other external pieces and, the chaff/flare panel installed. I sanded the kit part slightly smaller so it would sit just below the surface of the fuselage so when I attached the photo-etch pieces, they are now flush with the fuselage. I spent a lot of time sanding the intake lip before I installed the intake so now I have very little work to do to blend everything in.

Steve

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Brief update for today,

I masked off the front windscreen and sprayed two light coats of Alclad "Armoured Glass" on the center section. It didn't come out as nice as I would have hoped. I didn't want it to be too dark and, I think my coats were too light so, it's kinda "grainy". I'm not happy with it but, I didn't want to make anything worse so I left it. It's now glued on and fit really well.

I also got the landing gear and wheel hubs primed and painted and, added the anti-slip walkways to the horizontal stabs.

Steve

 

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On 1/6/2023 at 7:36 PM, BastianD said:

Great job again Steve

 

On 1/6/2023 at 8:16 PM, Mr.Happy said:

Nice seeing this project coming together. 
 

Mr. Happy

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Steve

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Made some good progress this week. Managed to get all the necessary pieces cleaned up and built up for the wings, got the Royale Resin wheels sprayed and, added the strengthening plate to the Hasegawa travel pod.

Steve

 

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Back at the bench and moving right along. I got the main wing and the wingtips attached to the fuselage, she's starting to look like a A-7 now. I had to make a .015" spacer to take up the gap at the front. So far this is the only "bump in the road" on this build. This is a normal panel line on the real jet so, we'll see what it looks like after some primer. The flaps are just dry fitted for now.

I finished up the wheels and decalled the landing gear, I just need to spray a coat of gloss on the gear to seal in the decals then, I can finish the paintwork and some slight weathering. The tail hook is also finished. Getting closer to the paint barn now.

Steve

 

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Steve,

 

Gotta nice job on getting the wing to set true with the shim. Simply but very effective.

 

Those resin wheels look great too.

 

Shes really taking shape now and I’m looking forward to your airbrush progress.

 

Mr. Happy

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2 hours ago, Mr.Happy said:

Steve,

 

Gotta nice job on getting the wing to set true with the shim. Simply but very effective.

 

Those resin wheels look great too.

 

Shes really taking shape now and I’m looking forward to your airbrush progress.

 

Mr. Happy

Thank you.

I'm really apprehensive about the paint work, I've never done a wraparound scheme before. I did purchase the AERO MASK set for the camo, hopefully I don't screw it up.

Steve

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Yesterday I got the pylons, from Phase Hanger Resin, cleaned up, holes drilled and, pinned to the wings. The MAU-12 bomb racks are separate to make painting easier. The "stand" that they come printed on comes in handy for something to hold while painting as well. These are a giant upgrade to the kit's pylons, which are incorrect. The kit's pylons has three notches in them for the sway pads when in reality they should only have two.

Steve

 

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52 minutes ago, GW8345 said:

The kit pylons are for USN A-7's with the BRU-10 bomb rack, the USAF pylons were different in several ways.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification.

Steve

Edited by A-10 LOADER
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The nose gear wheel well and doors got a coat of Insignia White. I'll leave the main wheel wells and the tail hook area go until after the colors are applied because it will be easier to mask. The Gunship Gray was sprayed on the pylons and the travel pod while the bomb racks got a coat of Alclad Dull Aluminum. I still need to do some hand painting to the bombs racks then they'll be finished.

Steve

 

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Finished up the MAU-12 bomb racks and had to test fit one into the pylons, they look so much better than what the kit offers.

 

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I added a grab handle to the side of the front windscreen.

 

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I had to add a .030" strip to the top of the canopy framing because there was a gap. Once the glue dried, some light sanding and now the glass and framing fit nice and tight.

 

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