A-7E Corsair II | 1/48 | Italeri

[Parker]

YOUR TANKS NEED AIR SUPPORT! (again)

Entering the fray…. my A-7E Corsair II

It says ‘Desert Storm’ on the wings!

Trying to get my mojo back.





-P

[Kevthemodeller]

Oh I love an A7

[BigWall]

One of my favorite planes!

[digger303]

[smokeriderdon]

OH!!!! Nice choice!!!! Its last hurrah!

[RangerNeil]

Nice choice - I liked the Corsair and the Crusader, being old enough to remember them at Farnborough and Greenham Common. Unusual paint and markings for a Corsair - I look forwards to seeing how the build goes and how the beast turns out!

[matto21]

I also love an A-7!

Not familiar with this kit, is it relatively new? Recessed panel lines etc?

Matt

[Parker]

I also love an A-7!

Not familiar with this kit, is it relatively new? Recessed panel lines etc?

Matt

Hi Matt. Its a rebox > https://www.scalemates.com/kits/italeri ... i--1274658
And no, not recessed panel lines.

[Parker]

And so it begins.

Initial thoughts.

The sprues are not as well manufactured as previous models I’ve done this past year or so. Very difficult at times to distinguish the part number, the sprue itself is very over engineered, very thick and lacking finesse and in other sections very flimsy (several parts have popped off whilst handling the sprue).

The instruction booklet is basically 4 or 5 pages so it’s a fairly simple construction. As an example, the front landing gear (pictured below) is one part. On my more recent models this element has consisted of 5 or 6 parts. Take that as you will, yes, this is far less difficult, but then, it kind of takes the ‘fun’ out of the construction.

As indicated in the post above to Matt. The panel lines are not recessed, they’re raised. So we’ll see how that fun fact translates to my brush painting. I foresee problems.

The decal sheet is very comprehensive as this kit allows for 4 variations.

So, onto the construction. Quite easy so far, no fit problems with the cockpit and a quick dry fit test seems to be OK for the fuselage. Oddly (well perhaps not odd as I have limited experience) each half of the fuselage is in two parts. With a bit of sanding to remove flash and thick sprue connections its OK, but seems unnecessary that they decided to manufacture four parts when two would’ve been far easier.

Cockpit now painted and somewhat weathered (more to be completed before being masked up). Next up will be getting the fuselage elements glued.





















^^^
Little bit of work required to make the fuselage join less prominent, but that's for another evening.


Cheers all.
-P

[Parker]

Fuselage assembly went ok. Not the greatest of fit so I may give the putty a crack. Noticed an odd part of the kit. A random panel element on the top of the fuselage that needs to be glued. Not really sure what purpose it serves. Research will be required.










This kit gives you the option of flat OR folded wing. Currently I’m unsure which way I’ll go with it. Folded will certainly add a bit of difference to my growing collection, however it may be a bit of a pain to paint. Wing decision pending.



I then realised whilst constructing the wings that I’d stuffed up and glued the wrong wing elements together. It got messy.



Cheers all.
-P

[Parker]

Wing decision still pending.
Currently leaning toward folded*.

Dry fit test.












*subject to mood.

Cheers all.
-P

[BigWall]

I think I lean towards folded as well but either would look good.

[RangerNeil]

Folded would be different - and take less space on the display shelf. I think I would go that way - but as BigWall says - either will look good.

[Parker]

UPDATE: Wing decision made.

UP!

Bit of fiddling as the fit isn’t great on the parts, but it’s glued now, so onwards & upwards.




Hopefully I’ll get more time this weekend to make a bit more progress.

Stay safe everyone.

-P

[Tomcat64]

Nice to see this taking shape - I like the idea of the folded wings as well, just adds a bit more interest and as the other Neil said it saves space on the hangar deck

[digger303]

Nice to see this taking shape - I like the idea of the folded wings as well, just adds a bit more interest and as the other Neil said it saves space on the hangar deck

Going to be awkward handing her though with potential to break the tips off not to mention decaling. I guess a handle up the intake will fix one problem....decals though I dunno. I'll wait and see how you tackle it.

[Parker]

Oh, I have absolutely no doubt that I’ll at some point snap the wing tips off!

I’ve already mentally prepared for that.

But, I’ll try not to.

Awkward handling I’m prepared for. I think.
My concern is the fact that this paint job is not an in service paint job.
It’s a promotional PR stunt by the USAF. This paint scheme is camo to the underside as well.

Thanks for looking in.

-P

[Parker]

Other pics...

[Parker]

Camo paint...



And whilst purchasing paint....



-P

[digger303]

Camo paint...



And whilst purchasing paint....



-P

You know I thought I saw their promo.......Buy 2 pots of Tamiya and we'll let you buy a Spitfire too......

[Parker]

Ha!

Tbh, I nearly bought a B-17!

[BigWall]

Nice Spitfire and I'm looking forward to seeing you paint this.

Your post just brought back a memory. When we had a house painting business, one of our customers had been an A-7 pilot. He had become a commercial pilot when he left the military and then a private contractor to airlines when he retired from that. Well, it seems that a certain country had been banned from making international flights until their pilots could be trained that it wasn't being disrespectful for the co-pilot to tell the pilot that he noticed he had done something wrong, such as the landing gear not being extended when they were coming in for a landing (that had been the final straw. There had obviously been many other incidents leading up to them being banned). He had been working with them for quite some time and was making a fortune. It looks like that country now makes international flights but I don't think I'll ever fly with them.

[Parker]

Name and shame, Joe!

[BigWall]

Starts with a K, Has a north and south. Isn't Kazakhstan, Kenya. Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan or North Korea.

[Parker]

And the wings are on.

I think I’ve made the right decision (until I curse the decision when I inevitably knock one or both of the wing tips off with my sausage fingers). Wings up will add a point of difference in the display cabinet.

Also still debating what load out to give the A7. Several options available. Load out TBA.

Pics.








I’ll make a start on the paint soon.

- P

[Parker]

A quick question for the good folks here on ISM….

Having never done this type of camo paint, is it better to put the light colour down first? Or the darker? I’m guessing lighter? But any advice greatly appreciated.

Bearing in mind I brush paint. If that makes a difference.

-P

[Parker]

Starts with a K, Has a north and south. Isn't Kazakhstan, Kenya. Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan or North Korea.

[Tomcat64]

Having never done this type of camo paint, is it better to put the light colour down first? Or the darker? I’m guessing lighter? But any advice greatly appreciated.

Yep as a general rule of thumb work from lighter to darker whenever possible.

If you do end up in a situation where you need to put a lighter colour over a darker one it can sometimes help to relay a thin coat of primer before applying the light colour.

[Parker]

Thanks Neil.

[RangerNeil]

Starts with a K, Has a north and south. Isn't Kazakhstan, Kenya. Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan or North Korea.

Surely not South Korea??

Back to being serious - I like the wings folded look. Its different. Looking forwards to seeing the finished version.

[BigWall]

Surely not South Korea??

Damn! Got it on the first guess! I thought I was being so clever. LOL!

I really like the folded wings as well Parker.

[Parker]

First coat.
As predicted, a little bit tricky to paint, but so far, I haven’t broken wing tips off!





Obviously, the large rear tail is my holding position at the moment.

Thanks for looking in.

-P

[BigWall]

Let me guess, you're running around holding it like a gun, going pew, pew, pew.

It's coming along nicely. The folded wings are really going to add to this model.

[Parker]

I had a dilemma.

The underside of this particular A7 is camo, which to my novice understanding makes zero sense.
But, reading a little more about this Desert Storm paint job.

…this paint scheme represents the CAG aircraft from VA-72 on board the USS John F Kennedy. This aircraft was painted in the "Desert Storm" special scheme on the cruise home after ODS, not only to commemorate the Coalition's victory but also VA-72's last cruise with the A-7E, and possibly their last deployment as well.

I don’t like it. So I’m going to go rouge. The underside will be light grey.
Apologies to the purists, it just bothers me.

Masking time.





Cheers all.
-P

[Tomcat64]

Definitely a case of "it's your kit so build/paint it as you want to"

Wraparound camo can be really tricky too so your approach makes complete sense mate.

[Parker]

Thanks Neil.
Wraparound camo seems odd.
Unless of course you’re hiding your planes upside down in the desert.

[Parker]

I’ll still be doing the camo on the top.

[smokeriderdon]

OK, so perhaps I missed it. Why did you choose to attach the wing tips before you painted? I mean if they were flat, yeah. But folded like that? To me that would make it harder.

[Parker]

Fair question Smoker.

I guess I could’ve glued them afterwards. Would’ve certainly eliminated the sausage finger danger!

My method so far…

Glued the wing tips to the larger wing element then set them in a jig so they would set on the correct 90 degree angle. I let them sit for several days. The two wing components don’t fit together perfectly, in fact the contact points of the two elements are far from ideal. I did my best by sanding and shaving, but its not great. Once set I then glued them to the fuselage.

I think if I’d painted the wing tips, then glued them, the contact would’ve been worse.
Also, I would almost certainly have stuffed up the painting of the camo across two separate not-yet-connected parts.

Good question though. TBH I hadn’t considered attaching them after painting.

-P

[Parker]

More painting this evening.

-P

[ForeverPlasticKits]

[digger303]

Coming along nicely.

[BigWall]

Looking good Parker!

[smokeriderdon]

I have never done one with the wings folded, so I am simply thinking out loud here. My thought would be to temporarily secure them in the down position with something like clay. Do the painting then detach, clean up and glue them folded. That way the camo pattern would line up correctly. Not sure if that would work, but its a thought. Though that doesnt address the issue with the contact points.

Regardless, looking good!

[Parker]

.... temporarily secure them in the down position with something like clay.

I'm not MacGyver!

[Parker]

This is where I'm at.





Darker camo will... (assuming my little dude goes to sleep on schedule, although as a self aware 4 year old, schedules apparently mean nothing and he'll decide what time is appropriate for sleeping, and also decide if hot wheels monster trucks are required in his bed, or perhaps Mr Men books... honestly, each night is a lottery!)... be painted on tonight.

-P

[BigWall]

The camo is going to look sweet! Good luck getting it done.

[Parker]

OK, first coat of the dark camo.

Not as easy as I'd imagined I would be. I certainly don't have the steady hand of a surgeon. At various points very wobbly, but, first coat, several more coats required and I’ll hopefully be able to rectify the wobbles.







Cheers all.

-P

[Stokesy44]

Nice colours and a good base for more coats too

[digger303]