Fairchild/BAe A-10K Thunderbolt GA.1

[Spey_Phantom]

made up my mind what im going to build first for this GB.
with a summer holiday coming up in 3 weeks, i gonna have 3 or 4 weeks to do this and other builds, so plenty of time.

the model im planning on using is a Revell 1/144 A-10A Thunderbolt II with decals from a revell Harrier GR.7.
it will be built as an Thunderbolt GA.1 from 20 (R) Squadron based a RAF Wittering. aside from different markings, im gonna look at adding British weaponry, such as Laser Guided bombs, 250lbs bombs, ECM pods (from the Tornado GR.1),....im also changing the in-flight refueling mode from a boom recepter to a retractable refueling probe.

this is the comor scheme im looking at, just like on the Harriers box, simple but effective

[ChernayaAkula]

Nice project! 
Really like the idea regarding the IFR probe!

[NARSES2]

Looking forward to this.

I've always wondered why no European airforce's procured the A-10. I assume it was available for export ?

[zenrat]

Looking forward to this.

I've always wondered why no European airforce's procured the A-10. I assume it was available for export ?

Too specialised?
Also the USAF hate the Warthog and wouldn't have wanted to see anyone else make a success of it as then it would be even harder to get rid of.

[Leading Observer]

Looking forward to this.

I've always wondered why no European airforce's procured the A-10. I assume it was available for export ?

Too specialised?
Also the USAF hate the Warthog and wouldn't have wanted to see anyone else make a success of it as then it would be even harder to get rid of.

I read somewhere that the USAF only developed the A-X program that lead to the A-10 to prevent budget being allocated to the US Army for the AH-56 or something similar.

[sandiego89]

Looking forward to this.

I've always wondered why no European airforce's procured the A-10. I assume it was available for export ?

I believe it was available for export and was shown to several air forces. As Europe was fully capable of making ground attack aircraft and several programs were being built or in development at the time (Harrier, Jaguar, Alpha Jet, Mirage family, what would become Tornado, etc) imagine there was the desire to buy in country. Iran was very interested as well.   

[AS.12]

A-10 export efforts:

1977
South Korea, Philippines, Thailand
Australia and Japan considered less promising
Belgium, Germany, Norway, UK

1979
China ( seriously )
South Korea again, 75 to 100 required
Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan all had A-10 export requests denied
Ecuador, Malaysia, Philippines, Sudan, Tunisia,Venezuela all had A-10 promotional activity blocked
Thailand had the GAU-8 cannon denied

1982
Chile, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, South Korea, Thailand, Venezuela.  All requested a proportion of two-seaters as part of the pricing.  Fairchild were becoming a bit desperate as the end of production was looming in 1984 and to avoid a repeat of 1979 they had obtained export licenses ahead of any sales.

1993
Turkey; 50 surplus proposed, never delivered

199_
Jordan; also surplus proposed, can't find the details right now

[Devilfish]

I must admit, my first idea was a 2 seat A-10 in RAF camo, but then I changed my mind and went for the Viggen

[NARSES2]

Cheers AS 

[AS.12]

Found a nugget in Aviation Week, 18 July 1977.  Labour Party defence committee proposed purchase of A-10 for the RAF as possibly more cost-effective than additional Jaguars and Harriers for CAS.   

In turn those aircraft would gap-fill for proposed cancellation of both versions of the Tornado and would supplement life-extended Phantom with new systems and weapons.

The committee had been convened in 1974 and was chaired by Ian Mikardo.  Was apparently debated at the Party conference in October 1977.


This seems to be the report, I'll try to find it at my local uni:

https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/1892853

[Spey_Phantom]

And were off 

took a good start of the build, the hot weather lately really makes the glue and paint dry faster.
as i have some experience with this model (build 2 many years ago), and the landing gear is freakishly long, i decided to build this one wheels up.
as for weapons, i searched the spares box and found 2 SNEB rocket pods, 6 British 250lb bombs, 2 british Paveway II LGB's, a LANTIRN pod and a jamming pod from a tornado GR1.

first off, i started with painting the cockpit part, pretty basic, the just placed in the fuselage halves and put them together.



the wings being put together.



as the RAF does not operate boom equiped tankers, this A-10 is fitted with a retractable IFR probe.



the assembly at the moment 

[Old Wombat]

 

[DogfighterZen]

Looking good, Nils. 

[ysi_maniac]

Looks nice!

[Spey_Phantom]

more progress:

the A10 is now fully assembled and recieved 2 coats of RAF Barley grey, next is the tail (to be painted black) and the smaller details.
the one thing thats wrong with the wheels-up position in the revell kit, is that the rear wheels do not protrude from the non-existant wheelwells, but i cut up one of the wheels in half and fixed that problem.

later this week im starting on the weapons, as those will take some time to paint and fit to the aircraft.

i will post progress pics tomorrow.