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How to fix Tamiya 1/48 A-10A Thunderbolt gaps


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Hi guys,

 

I recently dug out an old Tamiya 1/48 A-10A Thunderbolt II kit that I had stashed away for some time. Decided to build it as the decal has started to yellow.  I probably got this kit 10 years ago so I did not know about its problems then. I am now fixing it and am wondering if anyone who have done this kit well, has any advice on how to patch the following without using aftermarket parts (since I don't want to spend more money on this kit).

 

1) The front wheel well is open on the top and front that you could see all the way to the cockpit. It befuddles me why Tamiya is so cheapskate to leave out two small parts that would make the wheel well complete. Its like someone forgot a wall and roof for a house. I was thinking of using some cheap plastic cards to make the roof however wonder how to carve the surface so that it is not a flat ceiling but has some semblance of cables and bars?

 

2) The two bulge on the wings for the landing gear, the rear part of each is a gaping hole.  It seems like the engineer at Tamiya forgot to mold in the rear area.  Sigh, looks like I have to fill these and mold them close with putty. Any easy way to do this?

 

3) The rear of the cockpit has a gaping hole too where the seat does not cover it. Looks like another piece of home made plastic panel.

 

4) The bottom of the nose for the front wheel well bulges out at the side and is not flush with the rest of the body. Trying to see if I can put a strut inside just below the cockpit to push out the fuselage a bit to make it flush with the bottom part. Problem is that area is blocked by the cockpit well and wheel well.

 

At this point I am only thinking of fixing the major gaps.  Not even going to reshape the other deformities.      

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Just seen this.

 

Erm... I have ignored all of the issues and just built it regardless. :D

 

Oh, regarding the gap in the cockpit, behind the seat - doesnt part of the hinge mechanism cover that? Mine is sat drying off at the moment, so I darent mess with it right now to see for sure, if not then thats the only bit I will bother sorting as I cant see the underside much once its on a shelf.

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Even with the hinge it is there is a gap underneath if you leave the cockpit open. Only when closed does it cover part of the gap. I guess I will cut off some pieces of old credit cards and use it to block the gap. I guess I will show some pictures so future buyers know what they are buying into. 

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A simple tube of filler? Apply sparingly & sand to a neat finish. There is a bit in the kit that covers the gap behind the seat.

it is, after all, a very old kit now & like all of us, it's showing it's age related defects.

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On 14/02/2017 at 7:05 AM, CasualModel98 said:

Even with the hinge it is there is a gap underneath if you leave the cockpit open. Only when closed does it cover part of the gap. I guess I will cut off some pieces of old credit cards and use it to block the gap. I guess I will show some pictures so future buyers know what they are buying into. 

 

Now that Ive got to the canopy I see the issue, yes. Cant say I can really ignore it either, but its a little late for me to stick anything in from below. I am also a little unhappy with the cockpit and seat "detail".
I wasnt overly bothered as I picked the kit up for £12 delivered, but.... yea.

 

So.... I wen-a-lookin and found an Eduard PE set that covers the nose well issue, seat belts and the rear cockpit deck hole too as well as other bits to spruce it all up. Just need to find it for a good price.

 

Its the 48328 set, the instructions are here and show what it all covers - https://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/48328.pdf

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Apologies for the quality of the photos - camera doesnt like the black against the white primer and the quality of the build - far from finished and Ive pretty much lobbed it together...
But - the cockpit issue looks like this with the hinge mechanism in the "open" position:

 

P1110648%20Large.jpg

 

P1110650%20Large.jpg

 

Just noticed the Eduard set has some bits for the main U/C wells too which helps a little there, but its no cure.

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Cheapest I could find the Eduard PE set and the link shows just what you get, fitted to the actual kit too - http://www.model-making.eu/products/A-10-TAMIYA.html

 

Ive ordered a set, more left in stock.

 

Its not ideal, I know as that brings the kit and PE cost up to Revell A-10 prices, but... it is what it is.

Edited by RMP2
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for all the supportive comments and suggestions.

Not very good with modelling so I hesitate to share any work. However I thought I share my feeble attempts so others may learn from my mistake as well as the problems with the poorly designed Tamiya 1/48 A-10A kit.

I glued the fuselage together section by section to ensure the fit is as good as can be. It is also a bit tricky as the instructions was to use tape to hold the fuselage together while you apply glue so that the cockpit hinge you see at the back of the cockpit can swing freely

In order to ensure that the two parts are properly aligned when I glue, I first glued the top of the nose since I wanted a perfectly flush fit. Held that for a few minutes for the glue to set, then taped that part tight. I next applied glue to the bottom of the nose using the revell glue with the needle nose applicator to apply glue in the gap between the two parts. Again I ensure both parts are properly aligned before taping it. Then I moved on to the next section along the bottom just applying glue to the gap and then holding it to ensure proper alignment and for the glue to set before taping it. Repeat till the entire fuselage is joined.

This is the fuselage joined with the cockpit fitted in. See the large black hole at the rear. Is this Tamiya trying to save some plastic?

v5O0AtL.jpg

There was a seam line so I applied some Gunze dissolved putty and sanded the seam lines. I am not too good at sanding as you can see. Will patch it up with Mr.Surfacer1000. I am not too good at sanding as you can see. I don’t know about others but the Gunze Dissolved Putty when it hardens is really hard, unlike the Tamiya putty from the tube. It took a lot to sand it smooth with considerable damage to the plastic as you can see.

.5SH3jRh.jpg

 

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Installed the landing gear well. See there is no roof to the landing gear well. This is terrible design by Tamiya. They must have assumed that nobody will want to peer up the well.

5CRohDT.jpg

 

I scribed back the panel lines. Like I said I don’t sand very well.

This kit has raised and sunken panel lines in different areas – Tamiya can’t make up its mind?

elAgDN1.jpg

 

Another headache, the wheel sponson (?) on the wing has an open rear!??!

IREBkWv.jpg

 

 

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I cut a piece of old credit card, sanded it and stuck it to cover the hole behind the cockpit. Will paint that later. Once the seat is installed, the gap is mostly covered.

tkcKIuR.jpgNZ8397B.jpg

 

More flaws. The tail does not fit well, there is a gap that needed putty and sanding.

The bottom of the nose also does not fit well jutting out by 1-2mm. I needed to massively sand off the edges to align the fuselage and fill in gaps with putty.

hVdUgIA.jpg

TFf6sKX.jpg

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USe Mr.Dissolved Putty to fill in the gaps at the nose gun area. From this angle looks like a Predator young.

6IVMeDe.jpg

 

Decided to line the inside of the engine nacelles with aluminium foil to make it reflective and brighter inside. Note the holes that needed to be filled with putty and sanded over.

TrPiOJT.jpg

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On 28/02/2017 at 1:08 AM, CasualModel98 said:

Sob sob, so many weapons to sand away the seam lines and fill the mismatched parts, paint and decal.

0e3bJ0L.jpg

 

 

 

If you have a look on Google Images you will find that A-10s never flew with everything that Tamiya would have you stick on.
Just 2 or 4 AGM-65 missiles and/or a few Mk20 cluster boms was the norm along with the ALQ ECM pod. ;) Saves you some messing with sanding more stuff should you choose to go down that route.

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Good luck!

This is a kit requiring a lot of extra work to "fill in the blank spots" that the kit designer appears to have simply given up on...

Make sure you fut a LOT of lead up front. This is tail sitter central. I made the kit recently (link in my sig. line) and remember 39grams in the nose and then another amount just aft of the cockpit.

The bang seat is disgusting, so I went to Aires to replace that as it is a bit more visible under the canopy.

 

Just keep plodding away at it!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry I have been away including a short stay in London. Continuing on, here is using Perfect Plastic Putty that I picked up in London to fill in the pylon gaps.  You are right, the Tamiya engineer gave up halfway on this kit. Lots of extra work needed.

 

btM4kHo.jpg

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Putting the shark mouth, the decal broke into pieces as I was applying it.  Managed to put the pieces together in the plane.

Decal has yellowed and is so fragile that this step took me an hour or so.

 

Applied Humbrol DecalFix and left to dry overnight. The decal shrunk but also creased. Applied hot water compress to work out the kinks. Touched up the gaps with black and white paint. However can't replicate the yellowed white color. Ah well...

 

Unfortunately a lot of silvering.  Managed to get rid of most of it using multiple coats of Future.  Not ideal but I guess make the best of the situation.

 

XKD1RHz.jpg

 

 

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  • 4 months later...

Working on the maverick missiles. Bought some small buttons from a sewing craft store. Need to drill the head a bit in order to fit in the diamond heads. Not authentic but give s a nice reflective effect.

 

iz1ll4Z.jpg

 

Managed to finish the ordnance. All of it...

 

xWMY2wV.jpg

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