I'll be cutting the GAU-8 from this kit ... I've got the brass Model Master coming with an order I just placed. Lots of AM goodies going on here .... Guess I need to get started with some pics on my own thread. :)

heres a web site for LASTE, dunno if it'll help, but thought I would post it just the same

hogsofwar.wordpress.com/.../laste-bombing-guide-for-a-10

I can take pictures of the AMT kit sprues and post them if you like, let me know

Bocks Suv

The big Gatling gun on the Monogram kit is such a letdown. I was so disappointed that it was molded in halves attached to the body halves. Yawn. I decided to make a FrankenBolt out of the whole kit and replaced the gun with a ball turret and added lots of other bizarre mods including a webbed chrome paint finish.

Pics or it didn't happen ;)

The big Gatling gun on the Monogram kit is such a letdown. I was so disappointed that it was molded in halves attached to the body halves. Yawn. I decided to make a FrankenBolt out of the whole kit and replaced the gun with a ball turret and added lots of other bizarre mods including a webbed chrome paint finish.

I'm right there with you dlfu... anytime I've ever had issues loosing to much raised detail, I just go with rescribing. All good information, USMC. I haven't seen the AMT kit before. 1/48? Any chance you've got pictures of the kits pieces? Just more food for thought ...

I found a great walkaround of the A-10C at Deep Blue Model. Really good, clear photos to compare to your kit. www.deepbluemodel.com/.../a-10c-thunderbolt-ii

Here's a quick question for those A-10 folks out there ... that does pre vs post LASTE mean? I'm positive it has to do with different variants/ upgrades, but I haven't been able to find anything out there to read about it. Since I'm wanting to do an OIF/ OEF A-10C, I'm sure mine would be post-LASTE.

Also found this "tweak list" for the Trump 1/32 A-10. Great read, if you've got the kit in front of you. No pictures for reference though ... www.largescaleplanes.com/.../A-10.pdf

Thanks again for all the replies. (Sorry again to high-jack. :) Hopefully others are learning something and not just me.)

My A-10 of choice so far has been the AMT kit, I lucked into two of them about a year ago (not the issues with GSE though). I was looking at using the Monogram/Revell kits as donors for a few parts, but the major kit parts are staying put since the panel lines are nicely recessed and one of them is going to be a ceiling hanger for my nephew.

As a side note, if I remember correctly the A-10 and F-4G didnt usually carry the triple Maverick launcher because of the drag penalty after weapons launch, and the A-10 community was also saddled with less than stellar support from legislators so they had to jerry-rig a good infrared setup and used  IR seaker headed Mavericks for this, the usual Pave Penny is a passive IR seaker head that didnt give the Hog drivers the kind of latitude they wanted.

Anywho, I look forward to your build and the ideas it'll hopefully give me for mine.

Yes yes. The RoG kit is really good. I did a lot of research on A-10 kits myself and I believe it won in accuracy. I don't have a problem with raised panel lines philosophically, my problem with them is when I obliterate them :D No matter what I've tried I've never been able to replicate them and I'm not up for re-scribing a whole kit. Otherwise I would build the RoG A-10 in a heartbeat.

That being said, I'm really looking forward to seeing your build.

Just thought I'd share this information about current (however you want to read into "current") loadouts for A-10C's in Afghanistan.

warthogcombatloadouts.blogspot.com/.../operation-enduring-freedom-combat.html

Current A-10 OEF standard loadout:

Station 1: empty pylon

Station 2: LAU-68/131 rocked pod

Station 3: SUU-25 flare dispenser

Station 4: GBU-12 LGB

Station 5: empty pylon

Station 6: Mk-82 LDGP

Station 7: empty pylon

Station 8: GBU-12 LGB

Station 9: AN/AAQ-28 LITENING AT targeting pod

Station 10: LAU-68/131 rocked pod

Station 11: empty pylon

I found it pretty interesting. As far as answers to my other questions on upgrading to the "C" variant ... looks like its just going to be comparing photos and doing the best I can. ... Supposedly a new edition of the best hog book out there is going to be released later this year ... The Modern Hog Guide; The A-10 Exposed.

Thanks dflu, but I'm not worried about the raised panel lines and detail. Everything I've read says the Revell kit I've got is good bang for the buck. If the raised detail gets too damaged I'll just rescribe things use a rivet wheel.

Looking more for what needs to be done IOT bring this kit up to OIF/ OEF speeds. Also ... does anyone have instructions for the Olimp Afghani Hogs Update set? I've already ordered it, but just waiting for it to come in.

The Hobby Boss kit is really nice with no real fit issues.

The Revellogram kit is supposed to be pretty good too as far as accuracy. Only thing that kept me from it was the raised lines...they give me nightmares. :D

Sorry to thread-jack, but I'm asking myself some of the same questions on an upcoming Hog build.

I've got Revell's (85-5521) A-10 kit along with AM sets from Eduard, Verlinden, Olimp Resin, Black Box, Aires, and Master Model (GAU-8 gun tip) ... pretty much have everything covered ... but my question is this;

What all bumps, blisters, antenna, additions/ subtractions, etc, etc, etc, need to be done to this kit to bring it up to OIF/ OEF standards? And what would a typical load out be on the pylons? I'm very familiar with calling in air strikes (in Afghanistan) and can tell you they don't typically leave the strip with a full load. Just curious is there's any AF brethren out there that know .... Never seen the ordinance up close ... just hear it go "boom". :)

Thanks in advance.

 Ok i will be watching, some body start the popcorn !

                                                                                The  Original

                                                                      Mike Oscar Juliet Oscar

                                                                                Outcast !

                                                                         CCXXIX-End Transmission

or the spoilers down, not a fan of the spoilers being open. I planned on having the canopy open anyway.

The other thing with the Revellogram kit is you can't build it with the canopy closed with out surgery.

I plan on doing a WIP thread so I can get tips along the way! should start it in the next week or so!

Sounds awesome, you are going to post some photos of her when you're done for us right? (nudge, wink) 

I really want to see how she comes out. 

wow thats perfect, I've still yet to work with any resin or photo etched parts so this is perfect for getting me into that. I can't beleive I didnt find that site. I'll have to order it and get the ball rollin, I just ordered my hasegawa ground stuff. GETTING PUMPED!!!

Verlinden does one for this kit...

https://www.verlindenonline.com/1-48-a-10-thunderbolt-update-monogram-525.html

remember, it was originally a Monogram kit.

OK all. So I picked up the Revell Kit. Pretty satisfied with the detail. I poped the main parts off the sprue and its a pretty good fit, no massive gaps. Only bad thing is the speed breaks have to open, there is no option and from what I have read online its not an easy fix, anyone know of any aftermarket kits for this plane? I havent found any specifically for the Revell one but was wondering if any other ones can be slightly modified to fit this kit.

Monogram kit....If you have a Hobby Lobby nearby - use the 40% off and you can have this kit for less than $15.00.....

I hadnt really thought about that too much. Probably going for one that will be gray paint scheme, I'll delve into pics and research once I buy a kit.

When do you want to model it? The 1970s-80s, ODS, post ODS?

I built the Tamiya kit a few years ago. The fit was a lot better than the Revellogram kit that I did even longer ago. Here are a few pics of my Tamiya kit.

So I am looking at the Hasegawa US ground crew A. Its got a GPU and a hydraulic cart-which the A-10 uses!- and a couple of crew figures.  Looks perfect for what I am trying to accomplish.

Monogram-----great kit of a badass plane

That aircraft was designed for simple support while forward deployed at austere airfields... Flying off stretches of the Autobahn against the Red hordes in Central Europe.

well I just talked to my buddy, he is a mechanic on A-10's and says they dont use air carts to start up. Says the APU on the plane is extremely good and rarely breaks, and when it does it's usually a pretty easy fix.

I was just thinking....they will be MEL'd for the purpose of this diorama haha

Its not out of the question.  I don't know if the A-10 has an APU or start bottles but if they were MEL'd then you'd need a huffer to start the engines.