Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II

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Revell-Monogram A-10A This is a Revell-Monogram 1:72 scale A-10A assigned to the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing at England Air Force Base, Louisiana, and is armed with eighteen Mark 82 500 lb free-fall "iron" bombs, six Paveway III 1,000 lb laser-guided bombs, and the GAU-8 gun. (Photo by Mary Boucher)
USAF A-10A A USAF A-10A banks as it begins its final approach for landing. (USAF photo)


About the Revell-Monogram A-10:

Building this plane was very straightforward. The engineering is good, as it is on most Revell-Monogram kits. It has LOTS of underwing stores to put on, which is good, but still offers a minimum of variety. The directions are clear and easy to follow. The only serious problem is with the engine cowlings; they fit improperly and need to be filled with putty. It's a relatively simple model to build, but has more and smaller pieces than some other Revell-Monogram kits, and so would not be as good a choice for the beginner.

An interesting feature included in the kit was an engine access door that could be opened to reveal an engine inside. Though an excellent feature for those interested in building dioramas, I preferred to have the access panel closed, so I glued the door in the shut position. This kit is tail heavy, so if you set it on its landing gear, it tips backwards and rests nose-up. The kit does include a clear plastic peg to prop the tail up, which is good because there's virtually no room ahead of the nose landing gear for a counterweight.

Disaster struck this plane when I attempted to clearcoat it on a humid day. Up to this point, I had never dealt with clear lacquer before, so I hadn't learned to NEVER spray when it's humid. The dullcoat spray trapped moisture beneath it, ruining the decals and causing the surface of the model to have a "fogged" appearance. Fortunately, I had only sprayed the upper surfaces, and was able to paint over the damage. You can still see some of the "fogginess" in the photo. The lesson here is to NEVER EVER spray lacquer (or any other paints and sprays) when it's humid.

About the A-10 Thunderbolt II:

Designed to hunt Warsaw Pact tanks, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, more normally known by the nickname "Warthog," stemmed from the counter-insurgency war in the jungles of Vietnam and Laos, but was too late to see action in that theater. The design was quickly adapted to the anti-armor role, for which its extreme agility at tree-top height makes it ideal. The A-10, being designed for survivability, has an immensely strong structure to absorb the massive punishment inflicted on it flying low and slow over the battlefield. The high-bypass ducted TF34-GE-100 turbofan engines and vertical tails are mounted in such a way as to confuse infra-red sensors and missiles. The pilot sits in a "bathtub" of titanium, which in some tests withstood direct hits from 57 mm anti-aircraft guns.

At the heart of the A-10 is the awesome GAU-8 Avenger cannon. This 30-mm, seven-barreled, rotary cannon fires depleted uranium shells at up to 3,900 rounds per minute, and is capable of destroying a tank in a fraction of a second from more than a mile away. Other weapons include Paveway laser-guided bombs, HOBOS TV-guided bombs, and Maverick missiles. The aircraft also has a Pave Penny laser designator under the nose. The USAF is the only operator.

A-10A Thunderbolt II Specifications
Operating Weight 25,000 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight 50,000 lbs
Maximum (Ferry) Range 2,173 nautical miles
Combat Radius 250 nautical miles (with loiter time)
Armament GAU-8A Avenger cannon with 1,350 rounds; 16,000 lbs or assorted ordnance (see above).
Engines Two 9,000 lbst General Electric TF-34-GE-100 turbofans
Speed 387 kts.
Height 14'8"
Length 53'4"
Wing Span (Width) 57'6"
Crew One
Manufacturer Fairchild-Republic

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