A-10B N/AW, Night/Adverse Weather, Hasegawa, Falcon Conversion, 1/72
Intended on improving the capabilities of the A-10A. One Warthog was converted with dual controls and updated systems which ended up on the fast movers of the day when it was decided not to go with the dual A-10.
I used Falcons' triple conv. kit 4604. and Hasegawa A-10. As it turned out the Hasa kit was missing the wind screen. In comes Jaime Carreon to the rescue who kindly sent me a spare A-10 Monog. kit Yes, the whole kit. Sierra Hotel!
I modified the construction directions instead of the large fuselage section I used just the rear hump. I also fused the rear of the Falcon cockpit tub to the Hasa. tub. I did use the Falcons' taller tail sections. A lot of Bondo later. I didn't think that I would be doing conversion kits this late in the game. It went better than I thought it would. All except that I found out that Hobby Boss makes a kit of the A-10B. For decals I mostly used the Monogram set one that might have been in squadron service.
Having built this and the F-4H1 conversion, I think that I'm done with vacumform plastic.
Very nice conversion, Robert @roofrat
Excellent use of the challenging vacuform of which I never had the courage yet to work with.
Excellent result, Robert, a model rarely seen!
And, yes, kudos to our friend @jetmex!
Neat looking model, Robert, well done on completing the conversion. The colour scheme really suits it.
Great job all around, Robert.
Came out great Robert! It's always cool to see unusual subjects and you picked a good one!
Nice conversion and model! Looks great.
Great conversion, Robert (@roofrat). Using the vac must have been painful, but it came out great. I have always thought the A-10 looked better with two seat.
Well done, Robert! You’ve definitely earned your Vacform wings.
Great conversion Robert, you've made a great looking two seater A-10! Rare build indeed.
Thanks all!
Robert Royes (@roofrat)
This turned out great and it's the first time I have seen one done like this with two seats. Well done !
Many years ago, I was the commander of an M-60 tank, riding with my head and upper torso out of the cupola. My loader was sitting on top of the turret looking aft, like he should have been. We had assigned areas to watch for enemy vehicles and aircraft. We also happened to be "tail end Charlie" in the column, and we were eating everyone else's dust.
We were travelling in a tactical road march on a dirt tank trail out in the desert. I noticed a look of horror on my loaders face.. he froze. I did a quick glance behind us, and I immediately saw a "hog" swooping down on us at a VERY low altitude.
Instinctively I ducked inside the turret... and a split second later the A-10 flew directly over us..my loader was still sitting there frozen in fear. I popped back up and watched in amazement as the A-10 driver flew ahead of us practicing a strafing run on a tank column. He was flying so low that I could see the swirling dust vortexes being kicked up by the aircraft's wing tips.
A split second later I checked on my loader who was still sitting there frozen. I reached out to him and broke him out of the trance he was still in. Another second or two and the A-10 popped up and simply disappeared.
Then we both looked up at our radio antennae and realized the top section was missing, along with a foot of the lower half of the radio mast. The A-10 clipped it off as he flew over us.
Thinking back on this today, I often wonder just how close "The Hog" was to the loader who had to be merely inches from the plane. I can also imagine how the Iraqi tank crews felt. Had this not been a training mission, and if it was for real with real bullets flying, (with us being the enemy that is), we all would have been dead.
I'm SO glad they were on "our" side and my hat's off to the Hog Drivers.
Thanks, Loui. I've seen them practice, and they are quite a site, the USAF is aways looking to defund them. @lgardner.