Peterpools

Mark Nice work on the AGM-78 and pylon. I find it amazing how you work with such delicate parts - I just managed to ruin my 3D printed ejection seat rails and learned a very valuable lesson on how to treat parts so extra carefully.

Terrific start and theme for your diorama. I just finished a small HO scale structure build thread in the non-LSM WIP forum sections, where part of the building was hydrocal, for both the bricks and stone foundation. I'm very interested in following your painting and weathering techniques, so please go slow. Will be following all the way.

Looking forward to this build as there is one I see driving around all the time. If I remember correctly, a light olive green color.

Thanks Mike Moving ahead slowly as I'm still hoping for the Quinta 3D cockpit set to be released in the next two or three weeks, as I'm planning on doing as many sub-assemblies as possible and literally buying time for the Quinta set. As a backup plan, I bought the Academy set and just might have to see if I can graft it into action when the time comes - hopefully I won't need to do this. Yup, I have plans to also build the Academy A-10C and the HB A-10A down the road, so the Quinta set I bought for insurance will be put to good use no matter what.

Kev Right with you, just an expensive way to learn how to handle and work with 3D printed parts. It almost seemed that one time I broke the part, I just looked at it the wrong way and it snapped in half. Just not so sure if I'm equipped to deal with such delicate parts but I know in the future I'll keep on trying. The ejection seat was fine, it was the rails that caused all the issues for me.

Chris Great plan and I'm glad you thought way ahead, especially about the F4's weight. Resin is a lot heavier then plastic and with the metal gear, you should be A-OK. Just a pleasure to follow your progress and enjoy your build. I might be starting the F4 sooner then later if the A-10's Quinta cockpit set is delayed. For the ZM F4E, I have both the Quinta set and the ASK masks set, so I am ready to roll, just in case.

Carl The bang seats are looking mighty good and you're well on the way to crossing the line now.

Chris WOW, your F4 is looking mighty nice and BIG surely is the word. Guess you now know why I decided to work in 48th scale - space is reason number one. I have the ZM F4-E early and looking to build it this summer. Just hoping it comes out half as good as yours.

Chris Exactly that. I was way too heavy handed with the ejection rails and snapped them in a few unrepairable parts. Still have a shot at using the ejection seat itself but I've already discovered the kit seat is excellent. My biggest holdup right now is waiting for the Quinta 3D cockpit set. Quinta does make sets for the Academy, HB and Italeri kits but I just not sure if I can graft any into the GWH kit. From what I'm seeing in the photos for each set, the side consoles appear to be a bit wider then the kit consoles. I'm thinking of buying the Academy set and if it won't work, saving it as I also want to build the Academy A-10C as well. Still doing a bit more research before I take the plunge.

Phil The only other GWH kit I've built was their 1/32 P-40 last year. Excellent detail and I had all sorts of issues with the instructions, part orientation and some part fit. I'm now underway with the A-10 and I found the same issues with the instructions as far as part location goes ... they look good but could be a whole lot clearer in presentation. I actually decided to use the kits Aces II ejection seat, as I already messed up the very delicate 3D printed one, I purchased.

Scott Some mighty nice research and of course, getting it right is a lot more work - well worth the time and effort.

Rob Jaw dropping detail - absolutely an incredible kit with some of the most amazing details I have ever seen.

Martin YES!

Thanks, Rob and I'm a Hog lover for sure. From the first time I saw an A-10 up close and crawled all around her, she is literally a tank with wings. Surely is going to be a awesome build.

Paul Holy cow, the Tamiya Warthog - I think that the Tamiya kit was the first serious kit of it in 48th scale back in the day and surely, that was a different generation of Tamiya then we're so use to now.

Carl Great you're on board for the Warthog build - surely seems to be a fantastic kit and so well done at this stage (just opening the box and peeking in). Of course, like all exceptional kits, they tend to vanish from the shelves too quickly and need to be in our stashes for the appointed time. I've done the same many times and normally wind-up hunting and paying more for a kit when I want to build it because I just didn't pull the trigger when I had the chance. Any photos of you 1/144 A-10 - I know it's been a long time since that build.

Rob To my eye, the wire wheels look fantastic and just think, you will never have to change a flat tire. I'm still firmly in the camp of: WOW, the details are brilliant, and the look is awesome.

Jeff Absolutely please continue with your truck builds. I do follow your builds and while I post infrequently on them, the work is brilliant, as there is always lots to learn and enjoy from every build. Speaking for myself, some of my build threads receive a lot of comments and views and others, a great deal less. I just enjoy sharing the hobby with my friends and in the end, all of our work adds so positively to the mix and diversity of the forum.

Thanks, Chris so much for the wonderful comments on the structure kit. Today I plan on adding the last of the castings as they are now in hand. Some finally weathering and the yard Office is going to cross the line. Absolutely was what I needed to get the juices flowing and the mojo into gear. Seems at this stage of the game, spice and not doing the same type of builds one after another is the path to follow.

John Nice progress on your 109 - the cammo is looking so good. Nothing like a well written and documented book for references and I have a few prized ones as well that also go back to the 1970's.

Thank you Rob so very much for our kind comments on the Yard Office. It was absolutely a fun build and thank goodness, unlocked my modeling mojo. I'm planning on doing a structure diorama after the A-10C in O scale and the details with that kit is amazing. I'm finding that by alternating between venues, it keeps everything fresh and I'm eager to sit and work at the bench again.

Rob How close to the real deal does this get? Incrdible engineering. I tip my cap as you followed the drawings and instructions perfectly and the results are perfection!

With the Fos Yard Office now completed and ready to be installed on my brother's model railroad, the TIB, it was time to start my next aircraft build: The GWH 1/48 A-10C Warthog. I've had the kit since the day it was released and kept pushing it off to the side as I was waiting for a few pieces of AM to be released for it: The Quinta 3D cockpit set - due mid July (I got the date wrong!) ASK mask set - ordered A 3D Printed Aces II dedicated ejection seat. - on hand. With the bench cleaned, I am ready to dive in. Growing up on Long Island, anything Republic and Grumman's is near and dear. While the A-10s were the last production airplane built in Farmingdale, none of the production aircraft flew off the runways upon completion, as they were crated up and shipped to Fairchild in Maryland and test flown there (I'm pretty sure that's how the story went). I was very fortunate to have been invited to a family day function at Republic by a very good friend, during the production run of the A-10 and toured the line, seeing all the stages of production. Over the years I've seen many A-10's up close and there just is nothing like the Warthog, a true New Yorker. While I'm still waiting for the Quinta cockpit set, I'll start with the nose gear bay and then maybe the loadouts until it arrives. So today, the official start of my Warthog. Paints will be mostly MRP and I'm planning on using kit decals as they are from Cartograf (I do have other AM decal sheets in the stash). Planning on going mostly OOB, as my customary way of building.

Dave Glad you're back on the project and will be following with great interest.

MAJOR PROGRESS Since the last update, the Yard Office has turned the corner and is now in the home stretch. After quite a bit of fussing and tweaking the four hydrocal walls were glued together using Titebond II Wood Glue, with the inside corners reinforced with 1/8 sq basswood. After allowing time for the walls to dry, the wooden portion of the structure was glues into place again with Titebond for extra strength and then entire assembly left to dry overnight. The loading platform was built up with weathered strip wood (Drafting Ink and Alcohol). Of course, I didn’t follow the instructions, just winging it so it looked good and then glued into place. Being a craftsmen style structure kit, all the parts are located by eye and feel. Before the cardboard sub roofs were glue on, I decided the shed roof needed some rafter tails for some extra interest and they were cut and added. Being a model railroad structure, it’s more important to go for the look and feel and not worry about accurate prototypical constructions practices. The kit comes with a small sheet of paper that has the tarpaper strips printed on it and needs to be cut out. Each ‘role – strip’ was glued on with white glue, a slow process taking extra care not to smear the glue all over the place. I added some patches for effect and wear. The tar paper was painted a weathered worn black and dry brushed to pick out the details. The printed roof sign was just plain paper and I built the roof sign around it, again, winging as I went. I wanted it to look old and had seen it better days, so it was glued into position not level as if it had been repaired more then a few times over the years. At this point, all that remains before crossing the line : A good deal of touch up trim painting needs to be done Painting and weathering all the castings, lightly weathering the structure and waiting for the extra castings I ordered to arrive.