Reality of a A-10 in 1/18 scale

[pickelhaube]

The rumors have been around for years BBI has made the A-10. It is sitting in China waiting for some company to pick it up. This could be true who knows ? It would be nice if it were and that we can see them this year . Hurray !!!!

Now if it were true how much would it cost ? 3 years ago I would say about $95 to $170. When Admiral posted there Phantam , that was there price range. So I guess that price would work on the A-10. The problem that I see with the A-10 being made by the big manf. is the shear size and to make it in scale. The wing span would be 38.33 inches by 35.55 inches length. That takes up over 9 1/2 square feet !!!!!

In todays market I would say that this same model will sell in the $195 to $300 range . Almost out of the range of all 1/18 scale collectors. IF IT EVER HAPPENS. Chances are ....

So what to do to get a A-10 ? The most costly would be a fully customized A-10 from sratch. This would take about 2-4 weeks full time to make in SCALE. Then you have the RTV and resin to contend with. My estamate on RTV mold making rubber would be about $1000 to $1500. It would take about $100 to $150 worth of resin to cast a single copy.

That being said a production scale A-10 model would take a day to cast a day to assemble and another 2-3 days to paint. Not that long but you need the paint to dry between coats. So how much would this cost per unit turn key? My guess would be $1000 to $1500 for one.

That is a lot of money !! Who would buy something that high ? Not a lot of collectors but there are a few. Probably about 10 to 20 who would be willing to shell out that kind of dough. Of course the avarage collector would not.

So what is another option ? Aferguson checks on the R/C items all of the time. Here are a couple of Almost Ready to Fly R/C A-10s.

http://www.raidentech.com/new204chathi.html

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/stor ... oduct=7524


They are close to the right size in the discription . They have the wingspan at 34.5 inches and the length at 38 inches . This is kind of a flip flop in sizes. Maybe it is a typo maybe not. They sell for $95 to $130. Are the basic bones right ? I do not know. Is it a good platform to start ? I do not know. But it is a start. They are made out of foam with a good looking smooth look . The paint scehmes but they are smooth. The engine nacels look too small and there are other issues. But all of this can be corrected . Resin nacells , scale landing gear , scale cockpit and all the other little details that make a toy into a model.Cost $200-$350 if you do it yourself. Plus you need to get the R/C model.

The developement would take about 2-3 weeks about half of the RTV and resin. But it would be a kit and you would have to do all of the work yourself.

So using a R/C plane and a scale kit about $300-$500 . Turn key job $700-$900 using the R/c model.

So there you have it. That is the reason we have yet to see a good quality A-10 in 1/18 scale.

The reality that we will see an A-10 in 1/18 ? Very high if you are willing to shell out big money.

[aferguson]

the GWS r/c A-10 is exactly 1/18 scale and you can buy the slope glider version for around $40. You'll need to paint it, detail it a bit (no nose gun) but it's cheap, has good lines and is readily available.

Flying Styro makes a gorgeous one which is about 1/17 scale and costs about $250 for a prepainted kit that requires a few hours of assembly.

The raidentech one i'm not so keen on and it's more expensive than the GWS.

If BBI were to make it i would say it would be about $125 to $150 tops. If they couldnt' do it for that they wouldnt make it because they wouldn't sell enough at the price point.

[Jericoeagle1]

Would an A-10 with fiberglass as a medium be more practical? That as instead of resin?

[USCGSARdog]

aferg sold me on the GWS A-10 a while back. It really is worth the $40 even if you have to do a little work to get it looking "right". Its lines, dimensions and proportions look almost dead on. The biggest flaw I see is that the engine nacelle pylons on the model are mounted at 90 degrees to the fuselage, where as the real plane has the they are mounted closer to a 45 degree angle. Of course, there is the lack of a GAU-8/A strapped under the nose.

All and all I really like mine. I am sorry to say that I believe it will be the only 1/18 scale Warthog I'll ever see, so it fills the void nicely.

Now Matt, after you finish producing our Pavehawk kit, how about whipping up a detail kit for the GWS A-10? (You can't blame me for tryin'!)

-Rob

[pickelhaube]

aferg sold me on the GWS A-10 a while back. It really is worth the $40 even if you have to do a little work to get it looking "right". Its lines, dimensions and proportions look almost dead on. The biggest flaw I see is that the engine nacelle pylons on the model are mounted at 90 degrees to the fuselage, where as the real plane has the they are mounted closer to a 45 degree angle. Of course, there is the lack of a GAU-8/A strapped under the nose.

All and all I really like mine. I am sorry to say that I believe it will be the only 1/18 scale Warthog I'll ever see, so it fills the void nicely.

Now Matt, after you finish producing our Pavehawk kit, how about whipping up a detail kit for the GWS A-10? (You can't blame me for tryin'!)

-Rob

How does the foam look ? Can you notice it. If you put several coats of foam friendly paint would it look getter and hide the foam ?

OK. I want a A-10 for myself here is one off of e-bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/GWS-A-10-A10-ARF-Ki ... .m20.l1116

Landing gear engine nacels and front cannon. Steal the ordenace from the BBI 16 and 18 the kit is done.

This could work. I guess the idea is to keep it simple but looking good. Anybody in ?

[Birddog]

I think I would have to see how one looks next to a bbi F-18 and F-16 before I would bite. Mainly to see if/how the foam texture stands out when you are looking at them side by side.

The A-10 would be the most important aircraft to me in my collection and I wouldn't be happy with it if it looked out of place due to the material it was made of. Guess I would be one of the few to pay the higher dollar for a more quality material.

However, here's what I'd want in the kit:

Landing gear options (plug in for up and down)

Cannon

Ordinance Options

Opening Cockpit

If those options are made, I'd probably be in.

This kit might actually be easier to build a "kit" for since it has been made with most of these details in mind and it already has a cannon and ordinance:

http://www.flyingstyrokit.cz/a10.htm

[aferguson]

that's the gws kit but it's not the slope glider version, which is the cheapest. Anything more expensive has a bunch of r/c crap you're paying for and presumably don't need.

pH, with your skills you could turn the gws into a masterpiece. The only problem is any ordnance you make will have to be super light or it will cause the foam wings to bend down a bit....so vacuform ordnance would be the best idea.

Now, as far as foam texture: this was a big concern for me years ago when i first caught onto r/c planes. Foam texture is present on all of these foam aircraft....there's no getting around it. It's less noticable on some than others but is somewhat noticable on all. It's usually like the texture of a styrofoam coffee cup or a bit worse (several coats of paint can virtually eliminate it but i've never bothered).

If you're expecting these planes to be on a par with a bbi model, then you'll be disappointed. You have to regard these planes as 'stand off' models. From a distance of about 5 feet or more they look great. The foam texture is not noticable and the other minor deficencies vanish. If you get closer than 5 feet you can begin to see foam texture, slight mis-proportions, lack of cockpit detail etc.

I like them. It's not like there's a choice. It's not deciding between a gws a-10 and a bbi a-10; it's deciding between a gws a-10 and a blank space.

I now have an a-10, f-15, f-117, f-35, su-27, a-7, ju-52, b-17, b-24, b-25, beaufighter and a lancaster and am expecting to get an f-4, f-14 and f-22 in the next few months. All exactly or very close to 1/18 scale. I'm also very hopeful there will be an he-111 and sr-71 this year. I would have none of it if i let stuff like slight foam texture bother me.

[Birddog]

Actually that isn't the same kit as the GWS.

They look comparably the same and their main construction is foam material, but the GWS is made by another company and doesn't have the same amount of structural build as the GWS. Sure it costs more, but it looks like a lot more durable frame for customizing.

Here is the website for the GWS (with pictues of the assembly process) for comparison to the website for the Flying Styro Kit website in my previous post:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/arti ... 25#mandist

I've seen an assembled GWS A-10 in person at a local hobby shop and the foam texture was pretty noticable to me. It is a nice looking model, but I wouldn't want to have a 1/18 A-10 and it be a "stand away" type model. I know it would not be an equal comparison to a bbi version, but I'd want it to be close enough. I like to have the option of displaying my models on the shelf or from the ceiling.

Looking at the pictures of the Flying Styro Kit though, the foam texture dosen't seem to be as noticable. Maybe they are using a better quality foam to construct this kit, I don't know. The fact that it has the thought in design for the extra detail of a gun, cockpit, landing gear, and ordinance makes it way better looking to me even for the higher price tag regardless of the extra R/C stuff I wouldn't use. It just looks like a better customizing platform in my opinion.

[USCGSARdog]

Afergs description is pretty accurate.

As for the texture of the foam, I have found that light weight spackle in built up skim coats hides it well. Lightly sand between coats and you're good to go.

If you decide to make parts for the GWS A-10, everything Birddog mentioned would be necessary, and I would also consider molding a pair of turbofan intakes and exhausts, to fit inside of the engine nacelles.

If you would be willing to take on this venture, I would be in without a doubt. I would also be more than happy to help with reference material or anything else that I can do to help the process along.

-Rob

[Jericoeagle1]

I agree with Birddog, I bought one of the GWS A-10's and it just don't look right to me and the foam isn't very sturdy. Perhaps instead of a fully built model a kit could be model could be made hense my suggestion for perhaps a fiberglass one. It may be cheaper and sturdier then a resin kit though I know most people are reluctant to work with it.

[CW4USARMY]

aferg sold me on the GWS A-10 a while back. It really is worth the $40 even if you have to do a little work to get it looking "right". Its lines, dimensions and proportions look almost dead on. The biggest flaw I see is that the engine nacelle pylons on the model are mounted at 90 degrees to the fuselage, where as the real plane has the they are mounted closer to a 45 degree angle. Of course, there is the lack of a GAU-8/A strapped under the nose.

All and all I really like mine. I am sorry to say that I believe it will be the only 1/18 scale Warthog I'll ever see, so it fills the void nicely.

Now Matt, after you finish producing our Pavehawk kit, how about whipping up a detail kit for the GWS A-10? (You can't blame me for tryin'!)

-Rob

Rob, send pics!!

[aferguson]

Birddog i was referring to pH's ebay link when i was talking about the GWS kit. The GWS kit is made by, well GWS, that's the name of the company. The one you are talking about is made by Flying Styro. It's a far superior kit but also costs $250. It's also 1/17 scale and has some shape issues of its own. Comes fully painted and well detailed however. Foam is a little finer too.

I went with the gws kit because it cost much less, and i'm really not that into the A-10 and it was more accurate to scale.

[Birddog]

Sorry, sounded like you were referring to my post. I know Flying Styro makes the kit I was talking about. I've been eyeing it for a while now.

Somehow I don't think the 1/17 scale is going to make it look bad sitting next to bbi's F-18 when it comes to size. The size shouldn't be that noticable when you put the GWS and FSK versions side by side either. The biggest difference between the two appears in the wings with the GWS A-10 having a shorter wingspan by around an inch in comparison to the FSK A-10. Visually that's not too much of a difference other than what might exist between the two's model's wing chords. They both are only a hair from being the same length. Both need around an inch in the fuselage for more accuracy anyhow.

Even with the higher price tag, for those that love the A-10 and are wanting to add a 1/18 (or close to it) version to their collection, the Flying Styro Kit looks to have a lot more going for it. Especially if you want to display it on a shelf or next to your bbi jets.

[Stug45]

Dauntless just posted this:

So I was looking at the 3.75 line up for Terminator 4 and apparently there is going to be some vehicles, along with an A-10 Warthog

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Terminator Salvation 3.75" Figures:: The 3.75" figures are fully articulated, come with multiple accessories, and exact movie styling. Figures include Marcus Wright, Marcus Wright #2, John Conner, Barnes, T-800, Black T-800, T-700, T-600 and T-100. Lineup subject to change.

Vehicle and Figure set:: Each vehicle comes loaded with exciting features and accessories, and each includes its own articulated, removable 3 3/4-inch tall action figure. The initial lineup includes A-10 Warthog, Hunter Killer, Tow Truck and Helicopter. Lineup subject to change.


I wonder if its going to be 1/18?

[Dauntless]

Well, they are supposed to make one for Terminator Salvation.....uh, nevermind stug already quoted me.....see above

We'll see if it's to scale (3.75 is supposed to be 1:18 ) or more like the PTE one or even worse, the GI Joe Rattler.

[supersonicfifi]

Does anybody has seen "in flesh" the Flying styro A10 ? because after viewing the photos it looks incredibly good to me ? It's been a while that i discovered the Flying styro offer (A7 corsair 2 and P 51 mustang) but i am not ready (& patient enough) to build them correctly, due to my hectic schedule !

But after this starvation of models & falses hopes (Phantom, tomcat, mig B25 skyraider ...) iam ready for some serious work on this hobby !

firts step i will pre order the new spitfire fro skyworks and second i will build the A 10 ... as soon as i have the confirmation that it worth it !

( i must work now to earn serious money for these investments !!!)

[aferguson]

i think there is little chance the terminator a-10 will be anywhere near to scale. I just hope the figures are nice....

Super: i havent seen the flying styro in anything other than pictures but i have the b-25 and have seen others and you will have no regrets buying it, if it is worth that kind of money for an a-10.

[supersonicfifi]

THANX AFERGUSON ! i am going to start with the P 51 (since i own one model in evry scale from each manufacturer of the mighty mustang ! from 1/144 to 1/ 18 !!!!) it will be a good training for the A 10.

Do you know wher to buy some ? and do you know the time it will take for a clever guy with 2 left hands like me to build ?

+ what are you supposed to have in term of equipement to build these Flying styro kits ? (airbrush? screw driver ? chainsaw ? )

Philippe

[Birddog]

Here are few places I've found (including one in the UK) that are selling the Flying Styro Kit:

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/a-10.htm



http://www.samsmodels.com/site/flyingstyro.html

Hope they help.

[Spudkopf]

Next question A-10A, OA-10A or A-10C?

Most will probably opt for the A-10A or OA-10A seeing these are both true war veterans, but I’d also like to see the C models as well.

I guess in reality apart from the instrument layout (all those nice new MFDs of the C model) and a few extra ariels here and there, all three variants could easily be made from the one tooling.

I have also just finished reading “Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War” by William L. Smallwood and so I’m more than ready for this way overdue modern icon of the air…..