Dukie99 Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Great job on the A-10. I am looking forward to see how the blackbasing will play on the ghost scheme, it should be awesome. Kudos for detailing the landing gear, I did not bother with mine. One piece of AM that I really think is a must is the Master Avenger gun. I was surprised of easy it was to build and it makes a huge difference compared to the kit part. If I recall correctly it was also very cheap. The GBU-8 and the sidewinders look awesome. Cheers, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Pretty happy with tonight's progress. Some custom made parts and we are good to go. I used some old Panzer parts to create the wiring harness on the Oleo and then used the copper electric tape for the oval retainers. The wire is beading wire. I started using lead wire but found it too hard to keep looking natural after messing with it to fit on the landing gear. Then of course the fear of a reaction with CA. I needed more custom parts for the break disk but ran out of patience.....A few more wires to run and with a different diameter. I will complete it in the morning and do the remaining gear. Uilleann, KiwiZac and Gazzas 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Again, not sure if it's helpful for your build here or not (or if it was something you wanted to tackle in the first place) but I was never happy with Trumpeter's rendition of the nose wheel steering hydraulics and gear housing - so I scratchbuilt my own. As you likely know, the nose gear of the F-117A and the A-10 are similar in many regards - particularly in that part. Again, just hoping perhaps it might be helpful for you in your own build: Trumpeter F-117A Nose gear steering scratched replacement. SapperSix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 Great job on the A-10. I am looking forward to see how the blackbasing will play on the ghost scheme, it should be awesome. Kudos for detailing the landing gear, I did not bother with mine. One piece of AM that I really think is a must is the Master Avenger gun. I was surprised of easy it was to build and it makes a huge difference compared to the kit part. If I recall correctly it was also very cheap. The GBU-8 and the sidewinders look awesome. Cheers, David David, Thank you for the kind words. Applying the grey pattern on such a large plane is going to be a real test for me in both patience and ability. We are both excited to see the outcome!! I am really excited about the landing gear as well and am very happy to find a place that has the information to help and the people who know and are willing to add their experience. I was able to get the Master AM GAU-8. I found it by accident, actually, looking for parts on a future kit. I have yet to put it together....but soon. Thank you very kindly for your help and compliments! -Frank A-10LOADER 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted September 3, 2017 Author Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Again, not sure if it's helpful for your build here or not (or if it was something you wanted to tackle in the first place) but I was never happy with Trumpeter's rendition of the nose wheel steering hydraulics and gear housing - so I scratchbuilt my own. As you likely know, the nose gear of the F-117A and the A-10 are similar in many regards - particularly in that part. Again, just hoping perhaps it might be helpful for you in your own build: Trumpeter F-117A Nose gear steering scratched replacement. Brian, Wow man....Your work is where I am heading. I am nowhere close to that kind of ability, yet. I am now going to study your work and steal every bit of capability from you that I can. I am am truly amazed with your work. That kind of detail has to take a fair amount of research and experience both of which I will have to work on with great effort to get there. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to look on my humble effort and help me along. I very much appreciate it. I see now that I will have to stock up on more tools and stock plastic to achieve such work. I don't think I will take all that in on this model, but I assure you in my very next kit....you will see my attempt at some of your work. I am going to have to get some real detailed references.... Thanks again for your help man. Its been put in the knowledge base......I hope you don't mind some future questions on your techniques. -Frank Edited September 3, 2017 by SapperSix Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Hey Frank - no problem. Mind you, I'm just as rank a beginner at all this as anyone. But that scratch building bug can certainly bite in a big way. My skills are a mere shadow of most everyone else here on the boards, but I also feel the devil is in the details. Taking the time to correct little things like the nose gear steering unit along with the addition of your masterful brake lines etc really is what elevates a mediocre model from a masterpiece. You're certainly headed in the proper direction. As for tools, all you need is a mk 1 eyeball, a few assorted bits of styrene (brass would be even better perhaps for the tube bits) in as many tiny diameters I could find. Then just start in with the homework. One HUGE advantage you have of course, is that you can walk right up to an A-10 at almost any airshow, and research away. I'm still struggling with the fact that even after it was decommissioned a decade ago, the Nighthawk remains under such a tight amount of security that no one has great detail images (well lit, not blurry, not from 300 yards away etc) of even basics like the gear bays, cockpit structures, engine RCS screens, FLIR or DLIR bays, and particularly the platypus exhaust. So in that regard, you're extremely lucky! I actually used the A-10 as a basis to try and help me along with my own build, as it was about all I could find. Back in 2014, I went to our local show here at Hill AFB, and got a few 'research' shots for my own build. But I think they might serve you even better than they did me, as you're working on this very type. Feel free to dl and use as needed, just as for a kind credit if you pass them on is all. In all their 8 meg full res glory: Not sure if you're already beyond this stage or not - but hoping they might be of some help. Cheers! Brian~ Whitey, SapperSix and Uncarina 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel_W Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Sapper Six, Very nice job detailing the main gear struts with beading wire. I'll certainly be looking into that as I've been using Lead wire, which does has it's issues. Joel SapperSix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted September 7, 2017 Author Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) Sapper Six, Very nice job detailing the main gear struts with beading wire. I'll certainly be looking into that as I've been using Lead wire, which does has it's issues. Joel Thank you Joel!! What have I learned so far.... 1.) Lead wire is very malleable which is great. That also means that excessive handling and bending will create too many kinks in a given section causing you to have to work out all the kinks and straighten it out to look normal. Because it can be easily formed its creates no stress on retainers. Still uneasy of the CA issue with lead so I will have to use white glue or other adhesive. 2.) Bead wire is great for hydraulic/electrical lines that don't have too many or too sharp of turns. In the case of my rear landing gear the amount of stress caused by the beading wire making sharp turns caused some of the copper retainers to lift off the paint. Really this is more my fault for deciding to wire the gear after painting it. Therefore, when I put the copper retainers on top of the paint it was made weak from its inception. I know better than this but so goes the learning curve for all the new techniques and order of task completion. I just didn't get the information and wire till after painting. Having said that, it's still a fair amount of stress put on a part. It also caused some of the copper retainers to split at the seam making the copper tape adhesive too weak to hold its form. I re-enforced with a dollop of CA to keep that from happening. Or as I learned to glue the copper retainer seam down adding both oleo adhesion and retainer strength. 3.) I experimented with foiling the landing gear on both the hydraulic shock and wiring retainers. One of the rear landing gear is painted with Testors Steel metalizer (on the left in picture below) and the other is foiled. I picked the paint for no other reason other than I have had it for years and never used it. Foil looks better, any failings are my inability to cut and place. And also to prep the area to be foiled. I need to spend more time with the white metal landing gear to smooth it out. 4.) The oleo placard decals were cut from some munition decals from a 1/32nd Harrier build I did earlier this year. I keep running in to the need to make decals. I finally have a decent free application (inkscape) and some decal paper. It will soon be time to figure out what kind of damage I can do with it all. If you would have told me a few months ago it would take me a good week to build landing gear I would have had no idea what that means. I still have the lights, weathering and a few minor issues to take care of. I can see other peoples work and see why they can take years for a build. I fear I might be getting addicted to the scratch build thing....Ok, I am...I love the detail and information gathering. The grey color of the wire was picked as some references showed a grey wire (mixed with some red, silver and black sections) and I just wanted to make it stand out on the white for this build. As I perfect wiring, wire wraps and retainers the multi-color issue will be hammered out with experience. I see that my days of knocking out a build in a few months are long gone as I go down this road. I will have to do considerable research and really think out build details, modifications and changes VS ability and available assets. I have gone from out of the box with some after market parts to that and more with this and future builds. Edited September 7, 2017 by SapperSix A-10LOADER, Daniel460, KiwiZac and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzas Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Those gear look impressive. I can appreciate your desire for perfection. Gaz SapperSix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 (edited) I have a good batch of paint mixed. I am using MM Light Ghost Grey for the majority of the plane. I have a pasche VL Airbrush (currently with the sharpest needle due to the liquidity of my paint) that has served me well. I have both a constant air compressor and an electric 20 gallon compressor. However, I cant seem to get the paint to come out at a very slow rate. I am trying to get the paint to come out very slowly to black base my A-10. Frankly its kicking my butt. I have come close but cant seem to get the flow of product down to a reasonable measured level. The paint comes out at too high of a volume making it impossible to make good lines. Once upon a time I had a badger gun and am tempted to go back and buy one...... What do you use to get a good fine line and a limited flow? Edited October 9, 2017 by SapperSix Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 I'm guessing you've already tried bumping the pressure up a few psi? SapperSix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Working PSI now. Switched from my constant air to my electric air compressor with tank. Thanks for the input. I think I just about have it... Edited October 15, 2017 by SapperSix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel460 Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Very nice build so far! That detailing stuff can be a pain and a pleasure.... Dan SapperSix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 Its been a long couple of weeks due to work. And then having to fight it out with my spray gun. In the end I am very happy with my new found confidence on the brush. The black basing didn't go as I had hoped all around but in some places it went very well. As I gained confidence I really was able to nail my first attempt in this regard. I have a backup plan for shading. The Iphone camera doesn't do the shading any good as I tried many ways to pick up the fine color gradation. I was able to work on a number of munitions and other bits that I will show another day. What I have learned on this kit alone has been amazing. Thanks to the many people have offered bits of information and advice. The pictures below show the the final camo outline. Most of the black basing that did work was on the Light Flat Ghost Grey. The dark coat wasn't as thinned and I had to refine more brushing issues before I really got the darker coat going. I sprayed the Light Ghost grey first then did a very fine coat of 50/50 tamiya thinner and gloss acrylic. This was to help my masking not tear up the paint upon removal. Gazzas, Shawn M, A-10LOADER and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapperSix Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Baby got new shoes. Finally had time to put on the landing gear and finish up some of the paint scheme. Next I need to work on my picture taking ability. Below is the nose gear. The picture tells a story of unfinished lighting. Color variation in the photo, not sure what caused that. I have also lost my Laser pod.....I think it was hit and fell off during the painting process. Lots of touch up to be done with the landing gear. Just glad she is finally standing on her own. Below shows how all the leading edges on the flight surfaces have received an nice Dark Ghost Grey coat. Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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