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Trumpeter A-7D, Updated 12/14/15, Seeking Your Opinion


Barry

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have been a little slack on the A-7 build but I have been waiting on the casting of several parts for my MER.

In flying fashion Harold has come thur with some SUPERB Casting that will same me hours of reproduction not only on the A-7 but on any other model I need MERs or TERs on. His work is "Most Excellent".

 

I have added several shots of the MER with both the Masters as well as Harold's cast reproductions. There are also shots of the cast pieces.

The forward end has castings of the lower and side ejectors guns. The aft end has the masters of these with the casting on the "U" shaped lower ejector gun mounts.

 

Barry

post-4217-1231088495.jpg

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Close up of casting mounted with sway brace arms. I would like to reproduce them as investment casting for strength, maybe Ernie would be interested in casting them?

 

Barry :rolleyes:

post-4217-1231088869.jpg

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WOW! work like this is what i dream of being able to do one day.. where on earth do you get good reference to be able and add details such as this?

 

First Thank You for your words.

 

Most of my references are from the standard published works, Squadron, Verlinden, Internet etc.., nothing special. In the case of the A-7 I found a wealth of photos on a site called Prime Portal (great site) there is a very large portfolio of aircraft to choose from. It also helps that I was assigned to Myrtle Beach AFB on the A-7 in the mid 1970s so there is a lot of first hand experience. It helps further still that I am still in the aviation business and have amassed nearly 40 years of aircraft knowledge. I also know a lot of structural and system engineers that have worked on my subjects during their careers or with their help I can come up with the "best practices" used to solve many unseen areas.

 

But at the end of the day it is all about what level of detail you are willing to devote time to and what makes you happy keeping in mind this is a hobby. In the case of the A-7 I have working on the kit for going on three years now and although I do not work it every day I do put an average of 20 hours a week into it. I worked on the wheel well alone form nearly 3 months and I must have close to 150 hours in them. Sometimes I overwelm myself by trying to be too exacting in my recreation of detail.

 

I build in a lot of detail that my not be visible when finished but I take to opportunity to continue to develope my skills, techniques and process so that when I do need a highly visible detail I have the where with all to do it. My goal is to recreate to the best of my abilities what I see, know and remember. When I build to this level of detail I build exclusively military aircraft or other military subjects and want to make sure that if a veteran or operator of the prototype subject sees the model they will see a miniature of what they remember.

 

Happy Modeling,

Barry :rolleyes:

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Excellent work my friend!!!

amazing level of detail....

my only concern is that the tail looks a bit squashed?

You are correct, the shape of the tail is slightly squashed. My math shows it about 4% under height with respect to the width on the kit.

I wanted to un-squash it but did not come up with a good method other than heat and I am quite leary about the risks of that method.

 

Have you a suggestion?

 

I tried to access the great looking A-7E photos at the "Model Club" web site but was unable to find them?

You appear to have done a lot of research and excellent work yourself.

 

Barry

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