bdgiantman2

The A-10 both versions single and dual seat all weather were developed on Fairchild - Republics money. The dual seat version came about because the Air Force needed a trainer for prospective A-10 pilots. Fairchild lost the trainer plane contract to Cessna which was really a shame since Fairchild's was willing to convert single seat versions of the a-10 to dual seat all weather aircraft for the cost of 6 million dollars to refit the planes doing both the structural and avionics changes in that price. The turn around time would have been 3 months in blocks of 100. I should know because i worked for Fairchild at the time as an aircraft finishing painter.

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

I apologize in advance that didn't start this blog sooner of this project. 
 
While I continue doing research around my work schedule as well as cutting pieces at a pace slower than evolution to make the laminate frames for Brig Eagle,  I am undertaking a fighter-jet kit of interest I found online. This jet is the N/AW A-10B Warthog by Trumpeter, the experimental two-seat model that enabled the warthog to excel in night aviation attacks as well as adverse weather. This plane was launched in 1979, the same year that I was born. I have largely found in my personal opinions that the two-seat models of many American fighters are way more attractive than the single-seat usually in service in the military. Unfortunately only one model of this aircraft ever came off of the assembly line and never saw squadron service.
 
Overall, my opinion of this kit is good quality of parts except for cockpit details considering that this kit was made in China. There are these lame decals suggested that don't even resemble the real planes cockpits at all. For a kit of this scale I have come to expect better details especially of cockpits. Thankfully, after conducting research, I was able to come across quality photo-etch brass detailing of front cockpit and will kit-bash the back-seat. Also purchasable are fuselage detail pieces as well as a kit for detailing the weapons. Included are two pictures that someone took of the back-seat of real jet when it got downgraded from test aircraft at Edwards Airforce Base to museum exhibit status. The instruction manual has good illustrations of the construction and even included a short history of real plane with some pictures.  Also of interest with this kit are metal landing gears  as well as two high-detail resin engines.
 
Again, even though the real jet never saw active service in any squadrons,  I plan to take artistic license and display her with a squadron. The chosen group is Eielson's Ice Hawgs stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fully armed, this plane is definitely a bad-*** bird wouldn't want to mess around with. 
 
The wing, tail assembly, and engine casings are not currently glued to the fuselage, I just have them placed to show how big this kit is.

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

I apologize in advance that didn't start this blog sooner of this project. 
 
While I continue doing research around my work schedule as well as cutting pieces at a pace slower than evolution to make the laminate frames for Brig Eagle,  I am undertaking a fighter-jet kit of interest I found online. This jet is the N/AW A-10B Warthog by Trumpeter, the experimental two-seat model that enabled the warthog to excel in night aviation attacks as well as adverse weather. This plane was launched in 1979, the same year that I was born. I have largely found in my personal opinions that the two-seat models of many American fighters are way more attractive than the single-seat usually in service in the military. Unfortunately only one model of this aircraft ever came off of the assembly line and never saw squadron service.
 
Overall, my opinion of this kit is good quality of parts except for cockpit details considering that this kit was made in China. There are these lame decals suggested that don't even resemble the real planes cockpits at all. For a kit of this scale I have come to expect better details especially of cockpits. Thankfully, after conducting research, I was able to come across quality photo-etch brass detailing of front cockpit and will kit-bash the back-seat. Also purchasable are fuselage detail pieces as well as a kit for detailing the weapons. Included are two pictures that someone took of the back-seat of real jet when it got downgraded from test aircraft at Edwards Airforce Base to museum exhibit status. The instruction manual has good illustrations of the construction and even included a short history of real plane with some pictures.  Also of interest with this kit are metal landing gears  as well as two high-detail resin engines.
 
Again, even though the real jet never saw active service in any squadrons,  I plan to take artistic license and display her with a squadron. The chosen group is Eielson's Ice Hawgs stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fully armed, this plane is definitely a bad-*** bird wouldn't want to mess around with. 
 
The wing, tail assembly, and engine casings are not currently glued to the fuselage, I just have them placed to show how big this kit is.

Finally I have a little update about Eagle.  Feels good to be making sawdust again. I have had to remake part of the stem of Eagle. Should have left the original alone, sigh. Also am starting to tackle making some of the bow and hawse timers for Eagle, been doing a lot of research on here about how you guys make these pieces.  I didn't take any new pictures of this part but am also making some more stern timbers. 

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

Finally I have a little update about Eagle.  Feels good to be making sawdust again. I have had to remake part of the stem of Eagle. Should have left the original alone, sigh. Also am starting to tackle making some of the bow and hawse timers for Eagle, been doing a lot of research on here about how you guys make these pieces.  I didn't take any new pictures of this part but am also making some more stern timbers. 

Fixed!

Hello friends, I have been making some progress on this model aircraft.  Having to use superglue to apply photo-etch brass to plastic is always interesting, and yes, I have come close a few times to gluing fingers together or even to the plane.  Even the weapons are getting pieces of brass installed. I am at the stage now where I will have to make the cockpits in order to proceed further with the construction of this plane.  Yay me, I get to learn how to do weathering and applying color washes!!  😃

This a Fairchild Republic aircraft, not Grumman.  Right Island ("Long"), wrong company!

Finally I have a little update about Eagle.  Feels good to be making sawdust again. I have had to remake part of the stem of Eagle. Should have left the original alone, sigh. Also am starting to tackle making some of the bow and hawse timers for Eagle, been doing a lot of research on here about how you guys make these pieces.  I didn't take any new pictures of this part but am also making some more stern timbers. 

Timmo, as someone who used to work in logistics with FedEx Ground, there are a number of potential reasons. The first one that comes to my mind is the possibility that the shipping label somehow came off the package (happens way more often than you may think) and having to do research to find out where your package is going to -- or there is the fact that some labels just become unreadable with the scanners being used and having to guess at some information. Another possible issue could be going through Customs. Some packages just take longer even if the shippers writes on the outside what is inside. There also are some shippers that just don't provide tracking of tracking which I know is a inconvenience to anxious recipients.

An Upright Hull at Last
 
Thought I’d share a few photos of my Winchelsea hull upright.
 
I thought about what would be easier to do now than later in the build, following the always good practice of reading ahead.

I drilled out the rudder port. To line it up I cut out a copy of the counter frieze and loosely taped it to the counter (I’ll get a better fit, only concerned about the rudder port) after cutting out the black area representing the port, drew a pencil line, drilled a hole, and worked my way out with a #11 blade and sanding sticks. I pulled out the rudder pieces from Chapter 5 and held the two parts together that pass through the port (the dark line shown in the photo is the rudder) to confirm the hole was big enough. I stopped well short of the black line, I’ll adjust later as needed. The still unassembled rudder went back in the bag.

I used the jig from Chapter 10 to determine the height of the stern frames and cut them down about 1/8th higher than the jig to allow for future adjustments. Why not paint them black, as they eventually must be, while I’m at it. I will admit I broke one during the hull planking, fortunately it was a clean break and easily glued back together. I waited until the planking was complete, it has bothered me looking at it all that time. Now it’s fixed.

Finally I painted the stem. It was always going to be black, I’d rather deal with occasional touch up and get it done now while it’s relatively easy to do.

With that the hull is prepped and ready for the next steps, the transom, upper counter, and quarter galleries - can’t wait.  Once again, excuse the rushed iPhone photos with their work light glare.
 
As always thank you for stopping by with your likes and your comments. I really appreciate it.

Are those donuts?  We don't get donuts on PHILADELPHIA.

Hi Chuck,
The captain like fresh donuts with his tea for brunch on the Washington. You need to get a better cook on the Philadelphia.
Mike

Stove?  You get a stove and I get a fireplace?  Benefits of being a general I guess.
 
That padauk sure does make a reasonably good brick, eh?  Looking good!!!
 
Are you "live" or are you posting old stuff?  If live, you are moving quite fast.

For the same reason, this one perhaps more than others, was a very humid room and needed ventilation

Impressive model and great explaining of your processes building this ship. I am curious about one thing. I can understand the louvers and air ventilation for around the anchor ropes storage and the sail storage room, but why do they do this on the pump room as well? It has to be more than worried about a fire in the powder storage areas, as the powder rooms always seemed pretty protected.

Continue after a week's rest.
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

Nice job on the pump fittings. They were very fussy even with photoetched parts! Louvers look great as well.

Your ability to line up and  cut the recesses for the carlins is so accurate and is excellent. Can you describe the process.  Kevin