1/48 G.W.H. A-10C 75th FS "Flying Tiger"

[delayar]

Hi,

 

I recently started the GWH A-10C, deciding to build the aircraft of the 75th Fighter Squadron in the 2017 memorial livery for the Flying Tigers:

A-10C 78-0597 74thFS 23rdWG ACC Moody AFB, GA | August 08, 2… | Flickr

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II - USA - Air Force | Aviation Photo #4717891 | Airliners.net

 

Originally, it started out as a Hobby Boss build, with a ton of Phase Hangar Resin goodies. I was not to far into the build (I built the engines and was in the fitting process for the resin cockpit).

Then came the GWH kit, and it promises a much more easy (and more accurate) build, so bought the kit an pivoted my build. As my spare time for model building is scarce, ease of building is more important to me than a few years ago.

 

So here we are, and so far, I don't regret it. The fit of the kit parts ist exceptional, and the detail in comparison to the Hobby Boss kit ist stellar. So far, I would say the fit is almost on a Tamiya level.

 

I don't build it completely without aftermarket:

Decals: Caracal Models

Ejection seat: Minicraft Model Collection

Cockpit detail: Quinta Studio

Gun nozzle: Art Scale Kit

Landing Gear: Detail & Wonder Studio

 

I will decide later, if I use the kit weapons, or if I will use some Eduard Brassin. I guess it was flown only with training ordnance. Or does anybody know if it flew with live ordnance?

 

At first I tried to use the kit decals for the cockpit, but I was not completely satisfied with the looks, therefore I used Quinta Studios 3D Decals. I bought the small set, since I used a resin seat anyhow.

 

 

 

 

And the cockpit sits in the fuselage section: As stated above, the fit ist phnomenal!

 

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

Edited January 30, 2025 by delayar

[A-10 LOADER]

Very nice start.

Steve

[delayar]

On 1/30/2025 at 2:05 PM, A-10 LOADER said:

Very nice start.

Steve

Thanks!

 

Also, before closing the fuselage, the wheel well was painted and glued in place.

 

And the gun nozzle fairing from Art Scale Kit was attached:

 

 

the wing section also was very easy to assemble. Only at the seam of the landing gear pods some minor filling and sanding was required.

 

 

 

And the included weight to prevent a tail sitter was firmly glued in place with CA glue. You definitely don't want that thing to become loose after assembly 😉

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

 

Edited February 3, 2025 by delayar

[BastianD]

On 1/30/2025 at 1:01 PM, delayar said:

Hi,

 

I recently started the GWH A-10C, deciding to build the aircraft of the 75th Fighter Squadron in the 2017 memorial livery for the Flying Tigers:

A-10C 78-0597 74thFS 23rdWG ACC Moody AFB, GA | August 08, 2… | Flickr

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II - USA - Air Force | Aviation Photo #4717891 | Airliners.net

 

Originally, it started out as a Hobby Boss build, with a ton of Phase Hangar Resin goodies. I was not to far into the build (I built the engines and was in the fitting process for the resin cockpit).

Then came the GWH kit, and it promises a much more easy (and more accurate) build, so bought the kit an pivoted my build. As my spare time for model building is scarce, ease of building is more important to me than a few years ago.

 

So here we are, and so far, I don't regret it. The fit of the kit parts ist exceptional, and the detail in comparison to the Hobby Boss kit ist stellar. So far, I would say the fit is almost on a Tamiya level.

 

I don't build it completely without aftermarket:

Decals: Caracal Models

Ejection seat: Minicraft Model Collection

Cockpit detail: Quinta Studio

Gun nozzle: Art Scale Kit

Landing Gear: Detail & Wonder Studio

 

I will decide later, if I use the kit weapons, or if I will use some Eduard Brassin. I guess it was flown only with training ordnance. Or does anybody know if it flew with live ordnance?

 

At first I tried to use the kit decals for the cockpit, but I was not completely satisfied with the looks, therefore I used Quinta Studios 3D Decals. I bought the small set, since I used a resin seat anyhow.

 

 

 

 

And the cockpit sits in the fuselage section: As stated above, the fit ist phnomenal!

 

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

Amazing details for the cockpit and ejection seat!

[Thadeus]

That ejection seat is amazing. Very nice project.

[delayar]

On 2/3/2025 at 4:26 PM, BastianD said:

Amazing details for the cockpit and ejection seat!

 

On 2/3/2025 at 8:20 PM, Thadeus said:

That ejection seat is amazing. Very nice project.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

I continued with the engines.

 

The components: I didn't bother with filling the seams, since they won't be visible once everything is closed up.

 

 

A detailed look at the compressor face:

 

 

 

And the fan in its housing: 

 

 

And the assembled engine:

 

 

And without further ado, the engine pod gets assembled. No filler needed, everything fits perfect.

 

 

 

 

As per the other thread about the exhaust color, I will paint the ring of the exhaust metallic grey.

 

Cheers,

Markus

 

[viperbite]

Very nice!

[A-10 LOADER]

Nice work, looks good. It's nice those parts are separate pieces, makes painting that much easier.

Steve

[Red Dog]

yep great job on what seems like a great kit

[delayar]

Hi,

 

The fuselage is joined to the wings:

 

 

 

And the IP was fitted with the Eduard PE HUD:

 

 

Also, I removed the supports from the 3D printed gear parts and put on a white coat of paint:

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

[delayar]

The landing gears are painted and assembled:

 

 

The tire parts are not yet glued to the gears. That will be done during installation, to have the flattened part in the right position.

 

The windscreen and canopy frame were painted black on the inside. 

 

 

The airframe is soon ready to get painted.

 

The tails also received some paint and decals:

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

Edited March 18, 2025 by delayar

[A-10 LOADER]

Coming along nicely Marcus, she's looking really good.

Steve

[Eastern]

Nice progress so far. Those landing gears look awesome!

 

Alexander

[delayar]

On 3/18/2025 at 1:17 PM, A-10 LOADER said:

Coming along nicely Marcus, she's looking really good.

Steve

 

On 3/20/2025 at 9:13 AM, Eastern said:

Nice progress so far. Those landing gears look awesome!

 

Alexander

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Cheers,

Markus

[delayar]

I made some slow progress over the last weeks.

 

I tried to replicate the wiring for the Scorpion system:

 

It is made from stretched sprue and the isolation from a very fine stranded wire.

 

Then I sprayed the primer. The toothpick is there to rest the aircraft on its back without contact to the tabletop.

 

 

I did a preshadeing, but after I sprayed the final colors, almost nothing is visible of the preshading, so I will do some subtle post shading.

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

[Aigore]

Plastic magic that kit! Speedy build! Taking notes for my build 🙂

[delayar]

I am at a very slow building pace right now, since I finished my motorcycle kit and have other projects in the garden running.

 

However, I painted the false canopy on the underside and painted some details.

 

 

Furthermore, I made some light post shading with thinned down smoke.

 

 

I kept the weathering very subtle, since the pictures I found from this particular aircraft shows it in a very pristine paint condition.

 

I also started with the ordnance, using parts from a Tamiya F-16 kit (Sidewinders, Lightening pod, GBU-12) and Reskit (DRA, GBU-31, GBU-38, GBU-54)

I have not taken pictures of it, but will do so for the next post.

 

Kind regards,

Markus

 

[Thadeus]

Amazing work. Love the colours. All the texture of the kit looks great with them.

[delayar]

On 7/14/2025 at 11:42 PM, Thadeus said:

Amazing work. Love the colours. All the texture of the kit looks great with them.

Thanks a lot!

 

I tried to replicate the non-skid areas on the wings. The kit decals are black, but according to reference pictures, these areas only accumulate dirt more easily.

So I masked the areas and painted a irregular pattern with thinned clear smoke.

 

 

 

After a clear coat I put on the decals.

For most of the decals I used the decals from the Caracal sheet, only for the Marking of the fuel port and the formation lights I used the kit decals.

 

 

Cheers,

Markus

[delayar]

After a break because of some non-modelling projects, I continued with the warthog, trying to finish it around the end of the year.

 

I decided to go with live ordnance, even though I don't think this aircraft was deployed with those markings.

 

 

The rocket pod is the only part taken from the GWH kit. The Sidewinder, the GBU-12 and the targeting pod are from the Tamiya F-16 kit, the JDAMs are from Reskit. The gun nozzle ist from ASK .

The Mavericks are from Eduard. I will use only one of those, but haven't decided which one. 

 

I bought the pylons from Phase Hangar Resin for the Hobbyboss kit before I started the GWH kit. The pylons also fit the GWH kit with a little sanding, so I decided to use them instead of the kit ones.

 

 

I also applied an oil wash: 

 

 

 

So I am actually close to finishing this build.

 

Cheers,

Markus

Edited December 17, 2025 by delayar

[A-10 LOADER]

She's looking good.

Steve

[delayar]

18 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said:

She's looking good.

Steve

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Markus

[delayar]

Final assembly is done.

The gear doors were a little bit fiddly, but everything else went together fine.

 

 

Final pictures can be found in the "display case":

 

Cheers,

Markus

 

Edited December 28, 2025 by delayar

[Niels]

Very nice!

[Thadeus]

Great looking Warthog. Awesome work.