Trumpeter A-6A Intruder

[Starfighter]

Looking great - can't wait for the E to come out. Keep up the good work!

[petrov27]

Still a ways to go prior to paint but slowly moving along. Thanks as always for the positive comments - it is really amazing having this beast on the bench - makes me grin every time I see it.

 

I did sort out the intakes finally at least.

 

The kit comes with these flimsy photoetched fans (bottom in pic below) that are supposed to go behind the plastic front bit (top in pic below) - I found some replacement fans from a 1/48 SU-27 kit I had in the stash (middle parts in pic below.) After multiple applications of Tamiya grey and then white fine primer the intakes are as smooth as they are gonna get - I am happy with the result.

[petrov27]

Wingtip corrections.

 

1. Leading edge nav light is kinda over-large from what I see in pics.

2. Kit comes with engraved lines representing formation "slime" lights - these are not on the Intruder till sometime in the E version's service life

 

[petrov27]

To redo the forward nav light and create the "wedge" light typical to early intruders further back on the tip, I couldn't find a clear red plastic toothbrush so I tried some red plastic beads from the craft isle:

 

[petrov27]

And after shaping them below. Unfortunately the red did not carry through the bead so by the time I had it shaped it was no longer red, so I used a little clear red paint on them:

 

[seiran01]

Ooh very nice, simple fix

[LSP_Kevin]

It seems that the old fashioned, plain coloured plastic toothbrushes are getting harder to find. I still work from some very old stock, but I suspect once they're used up I'll be looking for an alternative approach. I guess any coloured plastic of sufficient size and colour would do. Nice work with the beads!

 

Kev

[Daywalker]

To redo the forward nav light and create the "wedge" light typical to early intruders further back on the tip, I couldn't find a clear red plastic toothbrush so I tried some red plastic beads from the craft isle:

 

Are those the heart shaped beads from the craft store? I have some of those!

[petrov27]

Are those the heart shaped beads from the craft store? I have some of those!

 

Yep, they are from the craft isle at the local shopping mega-mart. Unfortunately I would not use these again since the red color did not go through the whole bead and the plastic was really hard to shape - my thumb is all torn and cut up from carving it yesterday lol

 

Having better luck doing the "green" lights on the other wing - I found some clear green plastic scissors and the green carries all the way thru so I think that is gonna work out.

[dmthamade]

New guy with a couple of questions. What weapons do they include, and how do they look? Also, are the drop tanks included and how is the shape. The ones in the A-7D/E and Harriers look "off" and IIRC they use the same tanks.

[P Stoner]

The tanks look fine to me! Loadout is pretty much the same as the A-7 kit, well pretty much like all Trumpeter 60-70 era kits! I spent a weekend building 28 snakeye's. Using Tamiya MER's corrected to fit the A-6, should look beefy!

 

 

Paul

[Mr Smith]

Wow...! With a great paint,the "OOB" is enough!!!

[P Stoner]

Wow...! With a great paint,the "OOB" is enough!!!

- decals!

 

Paul

[petrov27]

Haven't had much time to work on this, but I did finish the artwork for my replacement VA-35 decals. I had decent side views of both sides of an aircraft from the 1969 Coral Sea Vietnam cruise so I went with those.

 

Here are the "test" decals applied to check the fit (they are just "slapped on" with no decal set etc so a little rough):

Edited September 2, 2013 by petrov27

[P Stoner]

Sweet, that's the way it should look! Very nice work.

 

Paul