dogbrush Posted June 19, 2012 Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) Whilst having some time to kill in Oxford I did some hunting around for model shops & found "Howe's Models" in an industrial estate just outside of oxford. This is mainly a RC place but does have a modest selection of kits (so worth a browse if you're passing!). Anyway, I wasn't really looking for anything in particular - just something that I would find challenging so after picking up & putting down several kits I decided to have a go at a 1:144 model of something which I have done before as a kid but in a much tinier scale. I love the shape & design of the A10 and the fact that this plane was designed for putting large holes in the sides of tanks! Must have been terrifying to fly! Anyway, starting with some box & sprue shots it comes on three sprues with one clear one (just for the canopy). Doesn't seem to be particularly detailed and the panel lines look huge and over-exaggerated so that will no doubt annoy me as I work away but we'll see how we get on! There is zero detail inside the cockpit even though the painting instructions suggest an option of leaving the canopy open... will be interesting! Could be a disaster but we shall see! The kit cost around a fiver by the way so this is entertainment on a budget! Edited July 25, 2012 by dogbrush
SaintsPhil Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 I like these little kits, the good ones have plenty of detail for the scale, just don't expect them to be any quicker than 1/72!! Phil
Neal Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 I really like these kits, haven't seen an A-10 done though so I'll be watching with interest.
dogbrush Posted June 22, 2012 Author Posted June 22, 2012 And so it begins! Normally used to starting with the cockpit tub.... ..oh dear, there is no tub, no instrument panel and the seat looks like a couple of stacked cardboard boxes! Spent a couple of hours knocking up a quick instrument panel & gluing to some evergreen plastic for later use. I widened the gap allowed for the seat & panel - it's not fantastically detailed by any stretch of the imagination but I can add a bit here & there! Also started to add a bit of evergreen & milliput to the ejection seat. This is a new world for me in 1:144!! Glad I've got a magnifying glass!!
Neal Posted June 22, 2012 Posted June 22, 2012 Great start, they might be smaller but I dont think 1:144 is any easier or any quicker than any other scale. The instruments look great how did you do them?
dogbrush Posted June 22, 2012 Author Posted June 22, 2012 Great start, they might be smaller but I dont think 1:144 is any easier or any quicker than any other scale. The instruments look great how did you do them? Thanks Neal, will be interesting to see how this badboy turns out! I think you're right - I've worked with lots of scales & they all provide their own challenges! The instrument panel is laser printed on paper & glued to sheet styrene. I did touch it up a bit & scale it down in adobe illustrator to try & get the impression of a panel (using the old adage paint what you expect to see rather than what should actually be there).
dogbrush Posted June 23, 2012 Author Posted June 23, 2012 Finished painting the seat. Made some 0.5mm wide harnesses out of foil. Paintjob looks like a real mess but I'm sure that's mostly the camera-phone's poor quality image! I've given up using the camera phone now as it really struggles with this scale so I've switched to the proper camera. Two fuselage halves glued together & instrument panel in place. Considered adding some kind of flight controls like a yoke or throttle but I really think they would be completely hidden!
dogbrush Posted June 23, 2012 Author Posted June 23, 2012 This one is moving fairly quickly! Put together the underside with the cannon. Unusual design of the nose gear being off-centre to accomodate the weaponry - had to triple-check some reference photos there! There will be zero-detail in the wheel-bay, I really can't work that small! I did pack the nose with milliput though to move the CoG forward a bit & put in a slither of evergreen to at least indicate a wheel bay! Rear stabilisers & wings were straightforward to put together. The Engine exhausts looked awful - closed and stuck out a long way. I didn't really give it much thought as I had already glued them together but quickly opened it back up & drilled/filed out the exhaust and recessed them a bit. This kit isn't the greatest in terms of detail or accuracy but it all fits together nicely with no issues!
Neal Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 Those exhausts do look a little long. Good progress though
wkennerley Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 Great to see one of these being built as I recently acquired one off BM which I hope to build later this year Wayne
dogbrush Posted June 24, 2012 Author Posted June 24, 2012 Those exhausts do look a little long. Good progress though Thanks Neal - I've re-set them further within the engine housing so they do look a bit better now! Great to see one of these being built as I recently acquired one off BM which I hope to build later this yearWayne It's not a bad kit Wayne, in fact it's practically building itself! The only minor gripe so far (apart from the lack of detail and realism) is one of the pylons just doesn't fit on the wing. The instructions actually state you have to file down the stub to attach it! No idea why they couldn't have just altered the mould but there you have it! Some progress pics - wheels on, plyons on & painted in two subtle shades of grey (so subtle I can't actually see which is which!)
Liamfletch Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 Looking good, bet you can't wait to get the decals on. I always forget how small 1/144 actually is until you see it next to objects like your keyboard.
buttoncup Posted June 26, 2012 Posted June 26, 2012 Very nice, i could never model that small! good job!
wkennerley Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 How is this build going? I started mine this week and struggled to get things to line up properly, it is coming along a bit now Wayne
dogbrush Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 How is this build going? I started mine this week and struggled to get things to line up properly, it is coming along a bit nowWayne Hi Wayne, it was sat on the shelf for a couple of weeks. I have made progress on starting the teeny tiny decals, I'm just painting some of the missiles/bombs at the moment - will post some snaps once they're done!
dogbrush Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 I did make the mistake of thinking a 1:144 would be a breeze. Just slap it together in an afternoon & call it done! Wrong.... it may be slightly quicker to put together the main parts as you lose some detail there with less parts but there is still the question of decals. I'm currently about a 1/4 the way through with the decals I think. I've put on umpteen "no step" markings on the wings (although the could say anything, they're that small) and started preparing the missiles & things. Paint job on the canopy is a bit rough - I'll hopefully sort that out later with a cocktail stick! Slow progress but I've not given up yet!
wkennerley Posted July 20, 2012 Posted July 20, 2012 Thats looking really good dogbrush My plane is a t future stage now to tackle the 50 odd decals, see here Wayne
dogbrush Posted July 20, 2012 Author Posted July 20, 2012 Thats looking really good dogbrushMy plane is a t future stage now to tackle the 50 odd decals, see here Wayne Glad I looked at yours Wayne - I'd completely missed off a piece! Decals are taking a while, really messed up the growling teeth on the nose, they're in slightly the wrong position but I'm sure it will all work out. Currently putting ridiculously tiny decals on the missile pylons! Keep going with the decals, it's looking great so far Thanks Neal! It's quite painful but I'll get there soon!!
dogbrush Posted July 22, 2012 Author Posted July 22, 2012 The decals are done & the missiles and things are painted! The next step is to give it some kind of gloss coat (which I should have done before the decals really) and the have a crack at some oil-washing of the panels - should be interesting as I've not really done it before!! Took a while to figure out a solution for painting the yellow stripe on those bombs. In the end, I got a cotton but, cut it in half, stretched one of them by jamming on the end of the bomb, used that to paint the yellow and used an un-stretched one to paint back the light olive colour! Not 100% effective but it worked, sort of!!
Slie Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Inspiring stuff, and it's so titchy! Those bombs look the... erm, well, the bomb. Love it!
Neal Posted July 22, 2012 Posted July 22, 2012 Coming together nicely, the bombs look good. Make sure you've sealed everything before you add the wash you don't want to ruin such good work now. What are you planning to seal it with?
dogbrush Posted July 23, 2012 Author Posted July 23, 2012 Inspiring stuff, and it's so titchy! Those bombs look the... erm, well, the bomb. Love it! Thanks Slie! Coming together nicely, the bombs look good. Make sure you've sealed everything before you add the wash you don't want to ruin such good work now. What are you planning to seal it with? Hi Neal, I used pledge klear multi-surface wax (the newer stuff), sprayed through an airbrush. I don't think I went far enough with it as when I was pulling the oils off the panel with a cotton-bud dampened with white spirit, it started to pull some of the acrylic paint off! Fortunately, the damage is not too bad - with a little bit on the side & underneath, I'll be able to paint over the patches! First attempt anyway, I'll take more care next time!!
Neal Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 It's looking every inch the hardworking 'Hog after the wash. I try to leave klear for a few days to really dry before applying any decals or washes, I wonder whether yours wasnt quite set? Looking forward to seeing it all bombed up now.
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