"What If" A-10 Group Build Idea

LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:51 AM

Update. The "things that go BOOM and make holes in other things" are painted and decalled (well, still have the Rockeyes, but that'll be quick). I think I've got the method I'm going to try for the MARPAT, now just to get the courage to start shooting paint!

I did run into some battle damage a couple of weekends ago, the youngest 'Jello got ahold of my hawg and managed to pop the engine nacelles and the tail off, luckily right along the seam where the subassemblies met the fuselage, so repair should be easy, and it actually helped with putting the first coat of USMC green into some hard to reach spaces. She still got a spanking for getting onto my work bench, but that's a two year old for you...

Edited to add: Weapons are done, even got the flat coat on them. Big news is I finally took the step off the ledge and attempted MARPAT on this bird. Snapped a few pics to share:

It's not perfect, but I think it makes a good representation of the digi pattern we wear now.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Monday, June 27, 2005 7:07 AM

Well, I got the undersides shot with duck egg blue, so I'm letting that cure for a couple days before I shoot the first coat of USMC green and start the MARPAT process. Also added some details to the stinger pod, I'll try to get some photos posted soon.

All the ordnance is put together, lots of seams to file down and I'm going to try to paint them in the next couple of days while I'm waiting. Then it'll just be decals and putting it all together! I may actually have something built this year!

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 2:58 PM

Yeah, I'd feel bad if I didn't get those stingers on this bird...

I'm leaning to woodland MARPAT, I just think it will look better, still thinking of going with a robin egg's blue on the underside, but I'm not sure. It'll all depend on how the MARPAT turns out.

I never saw/heard of an urban pattern. Man, that'd make another two or three sets of cammies I'd have to buy. It's enough of a pain to have to own two different patterns!

The graph paper idea may work too. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 2:00 PM

Nice loadout LJ, especially the Stinger pod

So you're gonna try to do MARPAT after all... Woodland, Desert or ... Sky? I'd take a look at graph paper and making masks from that.

(BTW - weren't you guys going to deploy an Urban MARPAT? at one time)

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:51 AM

After staring at my kit last night, I've settled on the following loadout:
Centerline: empty
2 x MERs with snake-eyes iron bombs (12)
2 x 1000lbs LGBs
2 x TERs with Rockeye CBUs (6)
2 x 500lbs LGBs
1 x stinger pod (2) - this will be a little kitbashed fairing I'm putting together from a practice bomb dispenser
1 x jammer (opposite outboard station of the stingers)

Oh, and I think I've come up with a way to try to put MARPAT on this hawg. I was fiddling with my wife's paper punches and she has small square and rectangle ones that I may be able to use to either make masks, or stencils. It's worth a shot.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 11:55 AM

Snakeyes and CBUs, can't go wrong with that. My A-10M will be CAS too. No plans for a jammer (I've never seen a Marine Corps aircraft carrying one) and I'll likely stick a Lima on each of the outermost wing pylon. No drop tank (it's being donated to my Thunderbolt GR.1)

I just got my first weapons set yesterday and I think there are a couple of MERs and some TERs in there. The MERs will be inboard of the main landing gear. My Hog will carry Maverick, but I don't know yet if it'll carry just two or four (two on the Maverick triple-launch rail on the next pylon out from each of the landing gear). I'm finishing mine as a mid-1980s configuration so I'm staying away from LGBs. Napalm? Maybe; I dunno yet.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 6:31 AM

Tell me about it, I've gotten the MERs put together, but I'm still struggling to finalize the loadout I want to hang on my hawg. Right now, I'm leaning to 12 Rockeyes inboard (Centerline will be empty, no pylon at all) then either napalm or LGBs (1000lbs) on the next outboard stations. Then it gets fuzzy. The outermost stations will have a jammer on one wing and a pair of stingers on the other (self defense) My other option it so hang Mk 82 Snake Eyes on the MERs and then put trips of Rockeyes on two of the outer stations...See my problem? So many choices, and I just can't decide on the best looking loadout for my USMC CAS mission. Anybody have some advice?

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 5:49 AM

Nick
Build ends along with 2005 so you've got plenty of time. As you can probably tell, it's kinda cooled off a little - I think everyone's had a lot going on. I know I have. But that's why I decided to let this build run year-round.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 12:17 AM

When does this GB end?I just finished the monogram Hog and would love to do another one.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Thursday, April 21, 2005 8:05 AM

Good find on Weapon Set A. I've been looking for that for a while now. Tried online - hopefully Great Models has it in stock.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:10 PM

Well, I'm reviving this thread since its been in hibernation for this month. Of course, I don't really have much to add, I've been doing yard work and playing with the kids outside lately. But I did manage to get out and buy the Hasegawa weapons set A since I needed the Rockeyes, Napalm canisters as well as the MERs and TERs for my Hawg. Now I've got to figure out what all I want to hang on this beast.

I really need to get some paint shot onto this one so I can post some updated photos, too.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 7:27 PM

Length of USS Wasp - 840 ft.
Length of USS Ronald Reagan - 1,092 ft.

Yup, definately going to need a real big gazorch...

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 6:30 PM

Okay, Paint scheme for my A-10W will be green/sand camo (NOT MARPAT) on top, duck egg blue on the bottom... I just spent some time staring at the MM Acryl racks at the LHS and that's what I've settled on and bought. I think that'll work out nicely. Hey, that's why its a "what if" build, right?

Edit: I guess you could always come up with a JATO-type assisted take off system too. (Not that I'm taking that one on with this build, no sir.)

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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eddie miller

Member since
May 2004
From: Burton, Texas

Posted by eddie miller on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 9:43 PM

With 30+ knots of wind over the deck,I think you'd be in business. They did it with a KC-130 on the Forrestal. Smile [:)]

http://www.forrestal.org/fidfacts/page18.htm

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 9:10 PM

Google search turned this up:

Take-off run 4,000 ft (1220 m) at maximum take-off weight or 1,450 ft (442m) at forward strip weight, landing run 2,000 ft (610 m) at maximum weight or 1,300 ft (396) at forward strip weight.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 7:24 PM

I think I'll go with the "Betty on the bomb" one, though I'd like the last one you sent done up as a decal as well. Those are the two best ones, in my opinion.

I think I've decided on a blue/grey/green scheme on the topsides with a white or grey underside. I think that will work the best. The WWII Pacific scheme would be nice, but I don't want to waste all those stencils I ordered.

I'd like to figure out a way to make the A-10 shipboard qualified. Anybody know what the minimum take off length for a Hawg is? Maybe it would be possible for it to take off from an LHA or LHD without a catapult? If not, could it do an unassisted take off from a carrier deck? That would be something to see...

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 3:22 PM

Yeah, I thought about folding the wings for a while... but the way I figured it, why break up that nice, strong wing spar? That's where so much of it's survivability comes from. Harriers don't have folding wings (though for different reasons) and they seem to have done an okay job. That, and I just didn't want to perform that kind of surgery.

I'm thinking of something along the MEU lines too. Though I'd still like some way of gazorching it off a deck and controlling the recovery ya know? Last time I checked, you guys still like to play at the beach, so then what would be the point of having that kind of cover if it can't come along for the fun?

So what did you think of the nose art? Have you decided on a color scheme yet?

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 2:11 PM

Trigger, you even considered folding wings? I put that right out of my head at the beginning of this build. As far as carrier ops, I think this bird will have to be land-based. It would be an expeditionary squadron that could fly in and operate from a rough field, along with Harriers from the MEU for CAP. That's my reasoning right now, at least.

Oh, I grew up in IL and even spent a few years drinking beer and skipping class at the U of I, so its good to see the alma mater doing well. I -- L -- L -- I -- N -- I !!!

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Monday, March 28, 2005 8:18 AM

Go Illinois??? LOL!!! Marine or not, that's a bold statement for someone living in NC!

Seriously though, LJ - how have you addressed the issue of carrier ops with your Hog? I'll have to come up with a launch and recovery system for my A-10M, but I'm not going to do folding wings.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Monday, March 28, 2005 7:28 AM

Actually got some bench time in while watching the NCAA games (Go ILLINI!) Got a little more painting on the landing gear and the wings are attached (got some gaps to fill at the root). So I guess you could call that progress. Weather may keep me inside today, so maybe I'll get some more done.

Still no solid idea for a paint scheme...

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Sunday, March 27, 2005 9:52 AM

Chris

The build kicked off Jan 1 and runs thru the year, but it's open ended so you can come on board in June. We'll still be here so welcome aboard! I've barely started one of my A-10s and haven't even opened the box on the second one.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 27, 2005 3:13 AM

This is good timing as I have been preparing to start on the Trumpeter A-10 N/AW and was considering a 'what if' type of build. As long as it starts after June you can count me in Trigger. This will be my first group build so it should be a good time.
Chris

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 11:28 PM

LOL! Yeah, I just got a new "lil' trigger" myself; this one walks on all fours and enjoys playing with her sock frog and chasing squirrels. She's 3 months old and already "talking." We're still working out our respective play times.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 8:16 PM

What Trigger said, twice. Seems lately that I'm caught with NO time for models, it's not that work has picked up, but the weather is getting nice and the days are longer, so I'm outside with the little jellos more. No complaints, just frustrating when I see that partially completed A-10 sitting on the bench...

I think I've got a mild case of Spring Fever, but the Corpsman just gives me Motrin and tells me to stay hydrated.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 2:10 PM

Sorry to hear you can't play right now Evan. You've got some really great ideas for an ASW A-10! (What would you call that... I wouldn't use SA-10!) But hey, we're going to be around for a while so if you want to come back later, that's cool.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 21, 2005 4:59 PM

I'm seriously backlogged, so I won't be joining this one, but somebody may pick up the idea if it already hasn't been posted previously: An ASW A-10.

Just got to thinking how the S-3's engines are the same as the A-10's. Add a big bulging P-3 or P-2 surface search radar on the belly, sonobuoys in the tail and nacelle dispensers, tailhook, beefed-up undercarriage, a big-ol' searchlight in a pod on the wing, load it with torpedoes and Harpoons, and stick a MAD boom out the tail and you're good to go!

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Thursday, March 17, 2005 6:22 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trigger74

Hey LJ - you should camouflage your A-10 in MARPAT! Woodland? Desert? Who knows!?! See, I figure by the time you're done painting that (if you're still sane), I'd have caught up!

You'd catch up, alright, since I'd be blind AND crazy trying for MARPAT. I've seriously been thinking of going with a WWII-style blues over white like the Corsair, but then what would I do with the sheet of low-vis stencils I bought. I do have the Vietnam era VMFA-333 Fighting Shamrocks decals that are going on this one, but I'll think about the MARPAT, and then I'll sober up and realize that it just ain't happening.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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Gilmund

Member since
December 2004
From: Haninge, Sweden

Posted by Gilmund on Thursday, March 17, 2005 12:39 PM

Thanks for letting me in guys, I will begin in a few weeks. I guess it´s OK for me to use the badge. Trigger - thanks, I´m sure I find something. I got an old summer job and they always let me work july-august atleast.

- Johan Byberg -</font id="blue"> "Who´s the most foolish, the fool or the fool who follows?"</font id="size1">

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Thursday, March 17, 2005 10:52 AM

Welcome aboard Johan! Sorry to hear about the J-O-B, buddy. That happened to me two weeks before this past Christmas so I know how much that sucks. You'll find something new and better in no time! The build's timeline is open-ended, so if you don't feel comfortable buying modeling stuff right now, that's cool. Hop on board whenever you like! I'm really looking forward to seeing a splintered Hog!

Hey LJ - you should camouflage your A-10 in MARPAT! Woodland? Desert? Who knows!?! Tongue [:P]

See, I figure by the time you're done painting that (if you're still sane), I'd have caught up! Laugh [(-D]

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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LemonJello

Member since
February 2004
From: Green Lantern Corps HQ on Oa

Posted by LemonJello on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:12 PM

I don't see why you can't join up, Johan. The more the merrier, right? A Swedish A-10 would be cool to see, too.

A day in the Corps is like a day on the farm; every meal is a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade... The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy? Yeah...The Men's Department.

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