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PSS A-10 Thunderbolt II - build blog


Phil Cooke
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  • 8 months later...

Bad boys... cakeembarrassedclock

To be fair - it's not been on the bench since late February when the Hurricane Mass Build venture took hold of my limited hobby time. The desk is clear at the moment so I've no excuses not to get it moving again over Winter.

Although its been in build for the time period you're forcing me to celebrate, in reality it's probably only 12 months actual accrued build time IYSWIM, many other smaller projects have come and gone in the same time period, including the 2014 and 2016 Mass Build efforts. It all takes time you know...

The A-10 will be finished, I'll not let it beat me!

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  • 11 months later...
  • 1 year later...

blush Thanks for the belated best regards, it really does mean so much...

I can honestly report, other than a little bit of filler repair work where I've crashed stuff into it whilst stored in the corner of my little workshop, the A-10 has not been progressed since the last update. Which is a shame.

Worse still, with number of smaller models ahead of it in the queue to finish, I can't see it getting much action anytime soon.

Sabre, JP150, Swept Tornado are certainly all in line to be finished first.

rigged 1.jpg

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  • 11 months later...

A bit more progress on the A-10 now the season PSSA flying season is over... still working in the cockpit and nose section getting it all ready for glass.

 

The 2 piece canopy has been better trimmed up to suite the more shapely blue foam shoulders and a console has been made up from pink foam.

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It all seems line up ok - I think the seat is still a little reclined, the pilot and seat need to be a little more forward and upright for scale looking at photos of the real thing...

 

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I've then covered the nose section in brown paper and PVA, sealing the exposed foam and giving a better surface onto which the glass cloth and resin will be applied.  The paper has come out pretty well, a few overlaps around the complex curved surfaces of the nose need to be sanded back before the glass gloth is added.

 

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Yes Andy - it was an intentional 'show of force' just at the right time to eliminate the risk of further annual online embarrassment...

 

Yeah only the nose section requires paper as its the only part of the airframe with exposed, shaped foam.  Thats the reason I've applied it to build a beter foundation for the glass.  The rest of the airframe is all veneered so glass cloth and resin alone will suffice.

 

Juan Sheet build sketches - yep - nothing to hide there - looking forward to the challenge - its a sketch of the Yak-15, although I may make it the 2-seat Yak-21 which is a bit nicer on the eye IMHO.  Thats all ive done so far as until we agree how much foam we're allowed I dont know how big to make it span wise.  Should be a simple build im hoping, roll on March ?

 

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Being diplomatic as I am wont I will refrain from ribaldry about the A10, even though, as I am a completer finisher, I can't understand how people can have 15 projects on the go at once. It would offend my psychology. Still looking really good Phil. I look forward to not being part of the 6 man launch team over New Year? Or later? Plenty of time IMHO?

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Happy New Year all! 

I've managed to get some A-10 glassing done over the Christmas period - the nose section is now ready for final sanding and primer as are the fins, rudders, elevators, ailerons and flaps. 

 

Started with some fiddly glassing around the battery hatch and gun housing.

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Then the underside, keeping the seams and resultant overlaps on the radiused corners.

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The dark patches are where there isn't enough PVA on the surface of the brown paper and it starts to soak up some of the resin...

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Top section again with the seam position marked on the tight radius for ease of blend.

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The final piece!  A small foam roller was used on the bigger surface areas once the cloth was laid out with the Jenny brush - very effective and leaves a nice even resin coat.

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Edited by Phil Cooke
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